Mnangagwa’s Regime Hangs On A Thread, The Deep State Is Taking Note - Ibbo Mandaza

Ibbo Mandaza, one of the Founding Trustees of the Non-Governmental Network, SAPES TRUST, has said the huge turnout for the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) rally on Sunday shows that President Emmerson Mnangagwa‘s regime hangs on the thread.

Thousands of the CCC, a newly formed party led by Nelson Chamisa, attended the rally held at Zimbabwe Grounds in Highfield despite stringent conditions by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP). Commenting on the development, Mandaza, who was speculated to have been a staunch supporter of ZANU PF for a long time said:

So, as expected, tens of thousands have already converged at Zimbabwe Grounds for Chamisa’s Star By Election Rally, defying shameful conduct by the state to frustrate the event. It’s beyond optics: Mnangagwa’s regime hangs on a thread, and the deep state is taking note.

State apparatus including the security sector and the judiciary have often been accused of siding with the ruling ZANU PF. Mandaza seems to suggest that the recent political developments might change the state institutions that have in the past been accused of blocking the opposition from taking power from the governing party.

Nearly a week ago, exiled Political Science Professor, Jonathan Moyo, claimed that the opposition in Zimbabwe lacked good relations with institutions that were important as far as power-broking was concerned. In a statement seen by Pindula News, Moyo, a former Information Minister said:

In Zim, like elsewhere in Africa as recently seen in how Lungu was “assisted” to exit after losing the Zambian election, to win power requires winning not only an election, but also the hearts and minds of the DEEP STATE. This remains a bridge too far for the Opposition in Zim!

His remarks echo those of Alex Tawanda Magaisa, a former Chief of Staff in the office of the late former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai who said Zimbabwe has so far failed to deal with the issue of monopoly on political power because “power-broking institutions” are failing to play their role as required by the Constitution.

Magaisa made the remarks last year when Zambia’s opposition leader, Hakainde Hichilema had defeated President Edgar Lungu in Zambia’s elections held on the 12th of August while Lazarus Chakwera who belonged to an opposition party won the presidential elections in Malawi in 2019.

Some analysts believe that the power-broking institutions have a huge stake in the ruling party, a situation that makes it difficult or impossible for them to take a neutral position.

More: Pindula News