MNANGAGWA GIVES CARS TO SOLDIERS TO STOP A COUP

President Emmerson Mnangagwa is afraid of another coup. He helped lead one in 2017 and survived a secret one in 2019. Now, as he fights Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga for power, he is changing the army and giving gifts to stop the military from turning against him.

This week, Mnangagwa gave more than 100 cars to the Zimbabwe Defence Forces. He said it was part of a bigger plan to give the army 700 vehicles. These include cars and buses to “help the army move better.” But many people believe this is just a way to keep the soldiers happy and stop them from supporting Chiwenga.

Mnangagwa has been removing top military commanders. Some were pushed out, some were sidelined, and others died mysteriously. This has created tension inside ZANU PF and made people fear another power grab before the 2028 elections.

Mnangagwa is now in a fight with Chiwenga. The two worked together in 2017 to remove Robert Mugabe. But now they want to replace each other. Chiwenga was the army boss for 14 years. He fought in the war for independence. Mnangagwa also has a military background and was once Defence Minister. Both men are using their army ties to gain power.

ZANU PF is having a big meeting next month in Mutare. It is not an election meeting, but it is important. Mnangagwa’s supporters want to use this meeting to push for a third term. They want him to stay in power until 2030, even though the constitution says 2028 is the last year.

Mnangagwa is working hard to block Chiwenga before the next big party congress in 2027. That is where a new leader could be chosen. So Mnangagwa is doing everything to stay ahead.

His plan is called coup-proofing. He is doing this by changing the army leadership, giving soldiers gifts, and watching them closely. He is also creating new security teams to watch each other, stopping any group from planning something secretly. By doing this, he makes it hard for any one group to organise a coup.

He also promotes people who are loyal to him, not because they are the best. This makes the army weak, but loyal to him. He changes people’s jobs often so they cannot build strong friendships or plans. He even puts army people into civilian jobs to control the government better.

Mnangagwa uses big words about patriotism, the liberation war, and civilian rule to trick soldiers into following him. He tells them they must protect the Republic, not ask for better pay. This is the same trick Mugabe used, and it did not save him in the end.

Mnangagwa is copying Mugabe’s tricks. He gives cars, money, and fancy jobs to generals to buy their loyalty. The cars he gave this week are just one example. It has happened before, many times.

He is also using tribalism. People are given jobs in the army not because they are good, but because they come from the same area or ethnic group. This helps him control the army better.

Since 2017, Mnangagwa has broken Chiwenga’s hold on the army. He has removed many of the generals who helped him come to power. For example, General Anselem Sanyatwe was first sent to Tanzania, then made Minister of Sports. This was after fears of a coup in March 2025.

The army has now had five leaders in just eight years. Before, under Mugabe, there was only one for 14 years. That shows how unstable things have become.

Mnangagwa has also put army people in the police and intelligence. He is turning civilian jobs into military ones. Zimbabwe’s politics is now run by the army. This started during the war of liberation and has gotten worse with time.

ZANU PF stays in power because of the army. Without the army, it would be gone. That is why Mnangagwa keeps changing the army and giving them rewards. He is trying to make sure they never remove him like they did Mugabe.