Government implements ‘coup-proof’ mechanisms

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has put in place coup-proof mechanisms to strengthen his hold on Zanu-PF and the state by appeasing the army and war veterans. Mnangagwa ascended to power two years ago with the help of the army, but insiders say he fears going the same way as Robert Mugabe. The Sunday Times reports that he granted generous budgets to the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and war veterans last week. The two groups have recently raised concerns about the negative effects of the economy on their livelihoods. The Ministry of Defence and War Veterans received $3.1bn, the single biggest allocation of the 2020 budget. In his budget presentation, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube said the Treasury had to ‘prioritise allocations and disbursements to the security sector’. Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri Kashiri this month said ‘peace cannot he taken for granted’.

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