By Leopold Munhende
ZIMBABWE marked four years after the November 2017 military-assisted coup that toppled the now late strongman Robert Mugabe from office.
Former Cabinet Minister Jonathan Moyo maintained a number of people died during the transition period.
However, Moyo’s assertions are in direct conflict with statements from President Emmerson Mnangagwa, his deputy Constantino Chiwenga, and military top brass who maintain the coup was “bloodless”.
After an attempt on his life, Moyo fled the country when soldiers stormed his home. He is now in self-exile in Kenya.
Recalling the events of 15 November 2017, this Monday, Moyo said it was sad that people lost their lives on the day.
However, the identities and the number of people killed on the day remain unknown.
“Dear Mnangagwa, lives were lost on this day, four years ago. God bless their souls and loved ones,” Moyo said.
“Mnangagwa, your clan and the people are not one thing: the voice of your clan is not the voice of God, whose voice is the voice of every human being, whether you like it or not!”
Mnangagwa’s campaign message in the presidential election the following year was: “The Voice of the People, is the Voice of God.”
“In the midnight hour, we felt God’s Power ngoba uNkulunkulu ngowethu sonke; Mwari ndewedu tose, kwete wevaya vaya chete. Saka nhasi ini zvangu zete kuvata for shuwa!” Moyo added narrating the horror he and his family went through on that November 2017 night.
Moyo said his family survived a 2 am, 15 minute attack by 25 army snipers.
“What would you do if you and your family survived a 2 am, 15-minute ZDF (Zimbabwe Defence Forces) attack on your house with seven children, one of them 12-years-old, by 25 SAS snipers with semi-automatic weapons, randomly firing bullets and stun grenades. Is this the New Justice? New Dawn? New Ear? New Zim?”
The November 2017 coup was a culmination of factional fights in Zanu PF between the G40 faction and the Mnangagwa fronted Lacoste.
Other members of the G40 faction who fled the country soon after the coup were ministers, Saviour Kasukuwere, who was also the Zanu PF’s commissar, Patrick Zhuwao, Walter Mzembi, Mandi Chimene, and Godfrey Gandawa.
According to political commentator and law lecturer, Alex Magaisa the 15 November 2017 coup was the end of an era.
“This is the end of an era. But it could easily be seen as the end of an error. A 37-year-old error. That is how long Robert Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe. But the end is nigh. After surviving so many challenges from courageous opponents, it was his former allies who administered the final assault, leaving him in power but effectively without power,” he said.
“It’s a coup in all but name. The soldiers have effectively taken over control of the Zimbabwean state. When you see a man in military fatigues reading news on national television, you know the military has taken over. It’s a show of control. So in the end, it all came down to who between the competitors in the succession race had the guns.”
