Former President Robert Mugabe celebrated his 95th birthday last week, a befitting occasion indeed for a man whom God granted the gifts of not only good life as a President of Zimbabwe for 37 years and seven months but also a long life as well. Instead of worshipping God for such unparalleled blessings, the old man chooses bitterness and being vitriol-tongued.
Following his resignation on 21 November 2017, Mugabe has been in and out of hospital in Singapore at the cost of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Government several times given his advanced age and frail health. If President Mnangagwa was as vindictive as Mugabe, he would have revenged for the treatment which he received from the aged former President and his wife in 2017 and 2018 but he chose to be the bigger man despite being younger than the country’s first executive President.
If the President was as mean-spirited as his successor, he would have kicked the old man out of the country and he had the power and opportunity to do so but he chose not. Instead of paying the former President in his own coin, the President granted him full immunity and took flak for agreeing to a US$10 million lump sum payment, full monthly salary, medical cover, security and the protection of his private properties. As Mugabe’s vindictive nature seized him at the White City Stadium Presidential Youth Interface in Bulawayo on 4 November 2017, he promised “kudonhedza (fire)” his then Vice President on the unproved charges of organising the people who heckled his wife at the same event. True to his word, Bob, as the former leader was popularly known, fired President Mnangagwa on 6 November 2017.
Despite being treated like a common criminal by his predecessor, the President continues to revere and regard him as the founding father of Zimbabwe, his mentor for decades.
During the run up to last year’s elections Mugabe was convinced by former G40 elements in ZANU PF such as Professor Jonathan Moyo and his nephew, Patrick Zhuwao to spite ZANU PF by supporting the MDC Alliance presidential candidate, Nelson Chamisa. Addressing journalists at his Borrowdale mansion on 29 July 2018, Mugabe indicated that he would not vote for President Mnangagwa.
“I cannot vote for the people who tormented me. I will make my choice from the other 22 candidates. Who is there left? I think it is just Chamisa,” he said.
President Mnangagwa did not withdraw Mugabe’s agreed benefits in retaliation. On the contrary, he ensured that his mentor and predecessor continued to be well looked after, a fact which he reported to the people of Mashonaland West Province when he addressed his first post-poll thank you rally at Murombedzi Growth Point on 24 November last year.
Source: Mbaretimescom
