Zimbabwean Cabinet Reshuffle Stokes Succession Concerns
In an unexpected cabinet shuffle on October 9, President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe weakened the political power of his vice president while strengthening the possibility that his wife will succeed him. The 93-year-old president remarked at a UN summit in 2016 that he plans to run for office “until God says come,” but his failing health has led many Zimbabweans to speculate about the identity of the next president.
The ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF) party has split over the succession controversy. One faction, Team Lacoste, supports Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, while others, calling themselves Generation 40, campaign for Grace Mugabe, according to News24. Many hoped that a third serious challenger would appear in the form of Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of Zimbabwe’s primary opposition party, but a recent NewsDay article confirms that his longtime struggle with illness may affect his ability to run. Although New Zimbabwe reports that over 75 political parties are registered to contest Mugabe’s 2018 run, it is likely that Grace Mugabe and Mnangagwa will be the two primary candidates for succession.
The Mugabes are not strangers to political controversy and are frequently targets of criticism for their lavish lifestyles. Although 72 percent of Zimbabwe’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank, DW reported that Mugabe’s ninety-third birthday party cost upwards of $2 million and included a cake weighing over 200 pounds, among other expensive delicacies. Grace Mugabe is also embroiled in controversy; since August, she has been accused by the Telegraph of fleeing South Africa after assaulting a model with an extension cord and by several Zimbabwean journalists of donating her used underwear to Zanu-PF supporters.
The first family stands accused of much worse than extravagant spending or poor personal choices, however. In 2015, NewsDay claimed that Provincial Affairs Minister Shuvai Mahofa was struck with severe food poisoning at a conference a month after publicly criticizing Grace Mugabe. Mugabe’s critics were quick to blame Zanu-PF for the incident, although responsibility for the poisoning was never confirmed.
Rumors were reignited, however, after the recent poisoning of Mnangagwa at a political rally. Mnangagwa’s supporters claim that he was poisoned by eating ice cream from Grace Mugabe’s dairy farm, although Mnangagwa publicly denounced these claims in a statement made to the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation. According to the Guardian, Mnangagwa’s sustained claims of poisoning go against the wishes of Grace Mugabe, who fears the potential backlash from those who will claim that she is attempting to have her political rivals executed.
Complicating the issue of succession further is Mugabe’s last-minute cabinet reshuffle. As reported in the state-run Zimbabwe Herald, Mugabe removed Mnangagwa from his long-term role as minister of justice on October 9, seriously limiting his political influence. VOA Zimbabwe also reports that an extra-ordinary congress may be convened soon to further reduce his role in the Mugabe administration. Masvingo-based political analyst Takavafira Zhou explained the move to New Zimbabwe, saying that “this is a Grace Mugabe reshuffle … it’s part of the succession plan and aimed at discrediting and emasculating Mnangagwa.”
For now, at least, it is clear that Mnangagwa’s support within the administration is dwindling. Time will tell what impact these maneuvers will have on next year’s presidential elections.