MUTARE– Vice President Emerson Mnangagwa on Thursday denied holding any presidential ambitions in a salvo aimed at Manicaland Provincial Minister, Mandi Chimene who in 2016 openly attacked the Justice Minister accusing him of leading a faction that sought to topple President Mugabe.
Mnangagwa who was addressing party supporters and agricultural stakeholders during a tour of Mutare Prison Farm command agriculture project distanced himself from party members and individuals who are canvassing for his elevation to the country’s number one job should Mugabe become incapacitated.
“We have fired very senior people from the party for fanning factionalism, yet there are some members within the party who are saying that I should lead the party.
“ I have no ambitions to lead because we have a very able leader who has been leading us for over 60 years in the party, we are confident with his abilities to lead us,” said Mnangagwa.
Chimene who leads a breakaway faction of war veterans demanded that Mnangagwa come out in the open denying sponsoring Lacoste faction, challenging President Mugabe to fire him for fanning factionalism in the ruling party.
Mnangagwa called on party members to work hard to retain three parliamentary seats that went to MDC T in the 2013 elections.
“Minister Chimene told me that 23 of the 26 constituencies are under ZANU PF and we want that to change in 2018, we have to retain those seats back into the party,” he said.
Mnangagwa’s remarks came the in the wake of President Robert Mugabe’s declaration that no one in the ruling party had the capacity to take over from him.
