Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga yesterday vowed that MDC leader Nelson Chamisa will never take over as president, saying no opposition leader will ever rule the country.
BY NUNURAI JENA
Addressing Zanu PF supporters in Zvimba yesterday at a “thank you rally” organised for President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Chiwenga — who led the military coup against former president Robert Mugabe in November last year — launched an unrestrained verbal attack on Chamisa.
He described the opposition leader, who is an Apostolic Faith Mission pastor, as a false prophet and a “little bishop”.
The VP — who resurfaced last week after a long absence from public events amid reports that he was seriously ill — declared that there was no vacancy at State House.
“We hear that this young preacher is going around telling people that he is on his way to State House. That is wishful thinking,” charged Chiwenga. “There is no vacancy at State House now and forever for opposition parties.”
He described Chamisa’s supporters as blind.
“We are saying [this] to you blind ones who could not see and voted for this little bishop — the false prophet. He elects himself and the fire refuses to light up. He elects himself and the birds return to the podium,” the VP said.
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Chiwenga was referring to the Gwanzura Stadium incident where Chamisa struggled to light what his party described as a “democracy flame” and released 19 doves.
“This is what Jehovah says, we do not want to play with the name of Jehovah to that extent,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mnangagwa also fired a broadside at Chamisa, saying he was abusing the democracy ushered in following former president Robert Mugabe’s ouster by the military.
“We are doing government programmes to feed the nation like command agriculture and when some people are full, they abuse the democratic space we created for them. . . they must be warned that we are not fools,” he said.
Mnangagwa went on to compare Chamisa with MDC founding leader, the late Morgan Tsvangirai, whom he described as better than the youthful politician. “Tsvangirai was better because he had Zimbabwe at heart. We differed with him, but he would give you his thoughts in a more mature manner,” Mnangagwa said.
Tsvangirai succumbed to cancer in February this year.
Chamisa immediately took to Twitter to mock both Mnangagwa and Chiwenga following their statements. “I am praying for sekuru Chiwenga,” he tweeted.
“He really needs grace. I thank him for acknowledging my faith and ordaining me a prophet.”
He said the VP sounded like Ian Smith with his “not in a thousand years mantra”.
He said Mnangagwa seemed to “miss my old man, the iconic MT, the man who taught me to fight oppression and injustice.”
