HARARE – As the nation struggles to come to terms with shock and fear following the poisoning of Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa a fort night ago, details have emerged that Defence Minister Sydney Sekeramayi and Health & Child Welfare Minister David Parirenyatwa were allegedly behind the poisoning of the Vice President.
Both Ministers are medical doctors by profession.
According to reports, Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa boarded an Airforce plane at the Zimbababwe Defence College on the fateful day in the company of the two ministers.
Another minister Simon Kaya Moyo was also reportedly on board.
It is said that while in the chopper, the Vice President was served with some samosas, sandwiches and grapes that he unsuspectingly ate.
The food is said to have been brought by Sydney Sekeramayi from home.
It is not yet established who the cabin crew was.
Upon arrival at the Gwanda Youth Interface rally, Vice President Mnangagwa took to the VIP tent and did not eat anything that was served.
He however began to feel dizzy and began vomiting, forcing his aides to alert Intelligence Minister Kembo Mohadi who then called paramedics to assist him.
Parirenyatwa reportedly tried to do some tests on the VP before suggesting that he be flown to Matadaei Hospital in Bulawayo, a decision the VP rejected; perhaps fearing the worst.
Instead he agreed to be flown to Gweru where he was attended to by his private doctors after which he was transferred to Manyame Hospital and then to South Africa the following morning where doctors detected toxins in his system.
Up to 97% of the toxins were flashed out when the VP was initially admitted.
The toxins had reportedly started to affect his liver, explaining why he had suffered blood-strained vomits.
The latest details on the poisoning saga are in contrast with unsubstantiated claims that the VP had been poisoned from some ice cream served at the rally from Gushungo dairy.
The false rumors could have emanated from the poising syndicate that sought to conceal evidence for their criminal actions.
It is most likely that they knew, from their medical experience, that the poison would not induce instant pain at least to allow them to fly to the rally while their victim would still be feeling alright.
They also knew that he would most likely eat something from the VIP tent; thus, creating confusion as to when he would have been poisoned.
It remains subject of speculation if the Vice President will make a police report against the two ministers.
However, it maybe a waste of time as several ministers who have been criminally charged for various offences remain scot-free as long as they belong to the correct basket in ZANU PF succession politics.
Higher Education Minister Jonathan Moyo who of late has been criminally charged by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission for allegedly for embezzling ZIMDEF funds remains free from prosecution after his arrest was blocked.
The powerful spin doctor was cleared of any wrong doing even before the courts could be given a chance to hear his case.
Saviour Kasukuwere who had nine provinces demonstrate against him for imposing his relatives in ruling party structures was absolved of any wrong doing by the politburo; leaving his accusers shell-shocked.
There is selective application of the law in Zimbabwe that allows those with strong political connections to go away with crime without dreaming of ever getting arrested.
With a G40 faction calling the shots in the ruling party and government, state institutions have become paralyzed due factionalism and tribalism that have become the order of the day in ZANU PF.
Making a police report in this case therefore is tantamount to giving the police a chance to fabricate and cook up evidence that exculpates the accused ministers from the offence.
(Energy Mutodi is a doctoral degree candidate at the University of Cape Town. He is also studying law at the University of Zimbabwe. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in War Studies and Geography and a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the same University as well as an Executive Course in Defence Management from the Post Graduate School of Management at the Witwatersrand University).
