The celebratory mood surrounding President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s birthday celebrations in Masvingo last Sunday took a sinister turn when the presidential helicopter crashed shortly after take-off, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions and a chilling sense of unease.
“For you as media, it’s just a news story; a good story, but well for the President and us, it’s a chilling political and security issue. It’s a big issue,” an official close to Mnangagwa confided to The NewsHawks.
“That helicopter was supposed to fetch the President and his entourage after his birthday celebrations, so when such sort of a shocking thing happens, it rings the alarm bells. It worries all of us around the President.”
The official’s concerns echo a growing sense of unease within Zanu PF circles, where the President’s leadership has been increasingly challenged. The crash comes on the heels of a series of incidents that have fuelled speculation about a deep-seated power struggle within the ruling party.
“Was it a genuine crash caused by a technical failure, or it was foul play? Was it an accident or it was by design? Alternatively, was it a technical or political issue, or both? The question is: what happened?” the official continued.
The official’s anxieties are not unfounded. In 2021, a similar incident occurred when the President’s helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing due to technical failures. This incident prompted a security overhaul.
“Look, in 2021, we had another incident somewhere at Sandringham, just outside Norton, when the President was coming from his Precabe Farm in Sherwood, Kwekwe. And now this?” the official said.
These incidents, coupled with the 2018 Bulawayo grenade attack at a Zanu PF rally, have fueled speculation about a pattern of targeted attacks against the President.
“Prior to that, in 2018, there was the Bulawayo grenade attack at the White City rally. Frankly, what the hell is going on here? Are these isolated incidents, or there is now a pattern? When you put these things together, factoring some incidents we can’t tell you as journalists, it really becomes worrying. We need to get to the bottom of this issue and act urgently and decisively,” the official said.
The Bulawayo grenade attack, which Mnangagwa described as an “inside job,” was widely seen as a manifestation of the internal power struggles within Zanu PF. The subsequent poisoning of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga in 2019 further solidified this perception.
Mnangagwa’s ambition to extend his rule beyond his constitutional second term in 2028 has intensified the power struggle within Zanu PF. Chiwenga, who has publicly refused to support the “ED2030” campaign, is widely seen as a potential rival for the presidency.
Chiwenga’s absence from Mnangagwa’s birthday celebrations at Great Zimbabwe further fuelled speculation about the growing rift between the two men.
The helicopter crash, while still under investigation, has cast a long shadow over Mnangagwa’s birthday celebrations and has raised serious concerns about the safety of the President and his entourage.
The incident has also highlighted the deep-seated political tensions within Zanu PF, a party steeped in a history of internal power struggles and mysterious deaths.
The cases of Herbert Chitepo, Josiah Magama Tongogara, and Solomon Mujuru, all prominent figures in the liberation struggle, are a reminder of the dangers of political ambition and the potential for violence within the ruling party.
The helicopter, a Mil Mi-8, was preparing for a short flight to Bikita to pick up the President, who had earlier been in the area for a groundbreaking ceremony for a housing development. Mnangagwa had been accompanied by First Lady Auxilia Mnangagwa, Vice President Kembo Mohadi, and Defence Minister Opah Muchinguri-Kashiri.
President Mnangagwa had reportedly gone for a visit to Bikita, where his father Mafidi is buried. Bikita is Mnangagwa’s original home before they moved to the Mapanzure area in Zvishavane. However, there are several versions of where Mnangagwa is originally from.
The airport, located three kilometres east of Masvingo town, typically caters for small chartered and military aircraft. The incident has raised concerns about the safety of Zimbabwe’s ageing aircraft fleet.
The helicopter crash in Masvingo is the latest in a series of incidents involving Zimbabwe’s Air Force, highlighting the need for urgent attention to aircraft maintenance and safety protocols. The incident has also sparked debate about the government’s commitment to ensuring the safety of its officials and the public.
It is important to note that the Vice-Presidents were not in the helicopter as reported by some media outlets. Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga did not even attend Mnangagwa’s birthday event and celebrations at the launch of Munhumutapa Day at Great Zimbabwe, located 30km southeast of Masvingo town. Vice-President Kembo Mohadi attended, but was also not in the helicopter.
