GWANDA – Vice President Retired General Constantino Chiwenga has maintained that President Emmerson Mnangagwa is the ruling Zanu PF party’s sole presidential candidate for the 2023 elections, saying there is no vacancy for the post.
According to local media reports; intense jostling for control of the ruling Zanu-PF between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputy Constantino Chiwenga is escalating into public fights between backers of the two heavyweights amid claims of counter plots.
Mnangagwa and Chiwenga were instrumental in Mugabe’s ouster in a coup last year.
Speaking in Esigodini, Matabeleland South province at the party’s annual national people’s conference today, the Vice President and Second Secretary of the party urged the party to be wary of those trying to fan unnecessary divisions within the top leadership through making reckless utterances.
“We have often heard abrasive and discordant voices striving to know better than the collective will and wisdom of the party, voices which shun party platforms for fora outside and against the party. After your clear address today President, restless tongues must go quite,” he said.
“I want it heard now and far that from now until 2023 when next elections fall due, you are our one and only presidential candidate. As Zanu PF, we believe in Mnangagwa’s capabilities to propel the country to an upper middle income economy,” added Vice President Chiwenga.
The Vice President also pledged the party and government’s commitment to ensuring that the national economic agenda that has been set by the president is realised.
Meanwhile various party wings, affiliate organisations as well as friends such as China and Palestine delivered solidarity messages at the conference.
