The resignation this week of former vice president, Kembo Mohadi, following social media exposure of his alleged sexual scandals with married women, means nothing to the people of Matabeleland, analysts have said.
Mohadi, who tendered his resignation to President Emmerson Mnangagwa Monday a few days after issuing a statement claiming he was innocent on the allegations said he was stepping down to save the image of the government.
“The resignation of former vice president Kembo Mohadi means nothing to the people of Matabeleland first and foremost because there isn’t any significant contribution he did to the economic and social development of the people of Matabeleland,” said Effie Ncube, a political analyst.
“So whether he is in or out it means nothing to them. But for the generality of the people of Zimbabwe, it might also be signifying something within ZANU-PF, raising questions as to whether he was pushed or resigned voluntarily. It might be that he was pushed by factional fighting because a lot of people within ZANU-PF do have big skeletons in their cupboards so they have stuck there but for him resigning might mean something more than just him deciding to go out and fight the battle from outside the political office.”
Ncube said for ZANU-PF, Mohadi’s departure meant nothing as well, adding the people the party gets from Matabeleland were bringing no significant value to it. “They are space holders in most cases so I don’t see a huge change in terms of ZANU-PF,” argued Ncube.
“They (ZANU-PF) will get somebody who will replace Kembo Mohadi and that person will be equally useless as Kembo Mohadi was to the people of Matabeleland.”
Fortune Mlalazi, a public administrator, also shared similar sentiments.
“I think in terms of its (Mohadi’s resignation) meaning, it means absolutely nothing to our people here (in Matabeleland), said Mlalazi.
“He (Mohadi) has not been of any help. He was just a figurehead there, vice president, powerless, doing nothing for Matabeleland especially Beitbridge. If you look at Beitbridge, it is one of the poorest rural areas yet they had a vice president.”
Mlalazi said unlike other vice presidents from Mashonaland who at least tried to uplift their people, Mohadi had failed.
“All probably what he has done is to try and amass a few things for himself,” he said.
He however said in general, Mohadi’s resignation presented a number of scenarios, including how ZANU-PF is going to handle the issue internally and his replacement in relation to the Unity Accord.
“There are names that have been thrown around but I think Mnangagwa will shock all of us as to who will take over,” he said.
Probably he will pick a non-Matabeleland person who will then be given credentials that they are senior in ZAPU, they were involved in war and stuff like that or he will do the usual, pick up the next person in line.”
Another political analyst, Methuseli Moyo, said Mohadi’s exiting of the political office means a lot for the country since it is the first time in the history of independent Zimbabwe for a vice president to step down.
“The resignation means a lot, as seen by the interest and debate it has sparked,” Moyo told CITE.
“Mohadi is the first VP to ever resign. Firstly, it means there is a vacancy for a VP. Secondly, we await to see if he will also resign from the politburo and party. For ZANU-PF, the situation presents a chance for others, and a headache due to jostling that normally arises whenever there is a vacancy at the top. For Matabeleland, there is anxiety if the position will remain for “us”, and who will it be.”
He said Mohadi’s resignation raises more questions than answers.
“Mohadi has maintained his innocence, but the government machinery has not defended him, therefore, one would believe the allegations,” he said.
“But the questions remain: who recorded the VP’s calls? Who leaked them? Why?”
Both Moyo and Mlalazi said a strong political character was needed to replace Mohadi.
