By Mangosuthu Mbele| A toad doesn’t run in the day light for nothing. It’s either its running away from a scotching sun or it’s looking for the coolness of a shade, whichever way the toad has to move.

The Saturday “firecracker” explosion on people at White City stadium is no different. Someone somewhere is responsible and stands to benefit one way or the other. Before we even get carried away, lets remove any suspicion on the Colonel, opposition, political extremists for the arson. They are simply not capable.

There are four possible scenarios in existence then- First: the country executive knew nothing about the attack; Second: The executive knew and did nothing to stop it; Third: Either Gen knew and did nothing; Fourth: ED knew before hand and did nothing.

First scenario: The very thought of the country executive knowing nothing about such an attack is unsettling to say the least. As a nation it makes us uncomfortable to know how ignorant our leaders are as far as the security of the country is concerned. We have the CIO, PISI, MI as top dogs in detecting any threats to Zimbabwe, both of internal and external origin. If genuinely the executive was in the dark then the Directors of our security units must be fired on the spot for incompetence.

Second scenario: It’s also possible that the executive actually knew and orchestrated the whole fire cracker incident to get sympathy vote. That’s how much Zanu-PF cares less about lives of the citizens. Zanu-PF can maim the whole family just to gain one vote. That’s how dangerously desperate it can get once it’s cornered. Its overtly clear Chamisa has ED cornered in these 2018 elections and Zanu-PF knows fully well it is at its weakest point with ED at the helm.

Remember ED is the most “sought after and harassed” politician in Zimbabwe. Talk about the cyanide attacks, unsolved break ins in offices which have 24 hr surveillance, border jumping and now “firecracker attack” conveniently 40 days before the elections. The guy is an expect when it comes to milking the sympathy vote from voters.

Hitler once said there is nothing called “bad publicity”. Publicity is publicity. Good or bad. This whole week the talk on Zimbabwe has been how an innocent president survived a terrorist attack!…..No one is talking about how ZEC is planning on rigging the elections. We are now concerned about how many explosives were detonated and who planted them instead of concerning our selves about the 130 000 polling officers (teachers and police) who will not be allowed to vote come the 31 of July.

ED is a master on political survival tricks. Remember how we cleansed and converted a bloodthirsty predator into a harmless fluffy teddy bear just by a single lick of an ice-cream in Gwanda? We had to remove a sitting president so that the “innocent” ED takes over. We marched the streets of Harare to fight for our beloved border jumper and office break-in victim. The Master of manipulation at his best.

It’s one thing to plot a coup, it’s another to trust a General who orchestrated a coup once you take over the reigns. ED is definitely not comfortable with the General. What with the reports that the General still uses his ZDF offices? To secure himself, removing the Gen from the picture is most prudent thing to do for ED. He could have not only known but actually put the Gen at the centre of the cross hairs. With the Gen gone, ED gets the sympathy vote and also gets the threat from his back. Double jackpot.

It’s also possible, though to a smaller extent, that ED was a genuine victim of gen political maneuvers. But why would Gen want to do that?

See Gen knows ED is not comfortable about having a 2IC who orchestrated a coup. He knows that once ED gets elected into power, there are chances of the Gen being left out of the presidium or cabinet. If ED loses, he may gracefully step down for most probably Chamisa who will obviously protect his home boy but will throw the Gen under the bus. So whether Ed loses or wins, Gen is not guaranteed of a job. The only way Gen can get job security is if he takes over the presidency.

If Ed had been incapacitated by the firecracker, obviously Gen takes over (don’t worry about the Colonel, he is a place holder), but his major problem is that the nomination court has closed. This means come 31 July ruling party may not have a presidential candidate. That’s a tricky situation.

So once the Gen takes over power, he will most likely institutive a state of emergency, renewable every six months. Parliament will likely be suspended, elections postponed, media throttled…… for those still in the dark m describing a military state.

Military autocratic state is the only way the Gen can survive. He had/still has motive. He has military connection capabilities. He is not safe from the list of suspects.

Now whether ED or Gen or both are suspects in this case doesn’t matter, just know that Zanu-PF does all in its capacity to make sure it retains power, even it means shedding blood of its own supporters. This election is our only opportunity to remove this blood thirsty animal from power before it devours us all.

Make sure you are registered to vote and armed with knowledge. Voting anyone from Zanu-PF or any of the Zanu proxy candidates is tantamount to digging your own grave. This is the only availed chance to remove ED and Zanu-PF by voting Chamisa. Zanu-pf is at its weakest with ED at the helm. Lets bury it once and for all.