Mutsvangwa told a recent Press conference that the four pillars will be the Chimurenga group (that includes Zanla and Zipra where Dumiso Dabengwa features prominently), MDC T led by Morgan Tsvangirai, the Diaspora and capital from the West and the East.
These four pillars are the forces that are going to be used to build a Government of national unity that will remain in place until free and fair elections are held.
Although this set-up was hinted weeks before the coup, analysts are of the opinion that this is the roadmap that Mnangagwa and Chiwenga are going to use in the post-Mugabe era.
Mutsvangwa has been the spokesperson for the project that eventually unfolded on Tuesday. The planning of this coup appears to have taken off soon after the 2013 harmonised elections when Chiwenga endorsed Mutsvangwa for the chairmanship of the War Veterans Association thereby deploying him to play the role he has played since then.
“I talked about reaching out to the war veterans but we are also reaching out to the community. We analysed the situation as war veterans and concluded that there are four pillars of stability for the modern State of Zimbabwe; the Chimurenga group, Zipra and Zanla who are the modern State apparatus for Zimbabwe and Dabengwa more so for regional balance.
“We are also aware of the constant vote of the MDC since 2000. We are also reaching out to the white Diaspora and the white business community because they used to run an economy; they are well organised. We did not fight a racial war. If we can bring all those together and the new Diaspora when the country stabilises and starts recovering from the ravages of the G40 we will need all this talent back in the country so that we can build a new Zimbabwe,” said Mutsvangwa.
Dr Phineas Duri, a political analyst said although the military is not stating that it has staged a coup against Mugabe, the truth is that the situation in Zimbabwe is a coup.
“This is a coup. A coup is when the function of Government is taken over by the military. It is a coup indeed and the military is just trying to allay fears,” said Dr Duri.
“President Mugabe was facing isolation from the international community and has also lost support at home. This is the reason why no one is condemning the coup,” said Duri.
He however, said that it is good that the military is coming in just to deal with a problem situation and return to the barracks when the situation returns to normal.
“What must be insisted on is that the transitional programme must have a time frame agreed by all stakeholders: political parties, labour, civic society, churches, etc,” said Duri.
He said coups were bad because when soldiers come in, democracy goes out.
Another political analyst Dr Takavafira Zhou also weighed in and said those who were corrupt have an opportunity to change for the better knowing very well that anything can happen to them if the army is to keep its word.
“There is a possibility of electoral reforms, revitalisation of the economy and even those who were corrupt may want to prove a point by working very hard for the people,” said Zhou.- Masvingo Mirror