Staff ReporterZimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa will remain in power until his death, according to Ambassador-at-large Uebert Mudzaniri , also known as Uebert Angel. The claim was made in a documentary by Al Jazeera, which also implicated the country’s elite in money laundering, corruption, and gold smuggling.
Angel, who was appointed by Mnangagwa to represent him in Europe and the Americas in 2021, stated that if the President wins the forthcoming elections, it should be his last term under the constitution. However, he appeared to suggest that Mnangagwa will not adhere to this constitutional requirement.
“We are the government, I can call the President now, not tomorrow, now and put him on speaker,” Angel said in the documentary titled The Laundry Service. “It’s not an issue. The President is trying to create a legacy right now, so it’s the right time to strike now.”
Angel’s comments have caused concern among opposition groups and civil society organizations in Zimbabwe, who have accused Mnangagwa’s government of authoritarianism and human rights abuses. The President, who came to power in 2017 after the ousting of Robert Mugabe, has been criticized for his handling of the economy and failure to tackle corruption.
The documentary also revealed that Angel offered to use his diplomatic cover to help launder up to US$1 billion. He claimed that he was “number two” in the government and that there was no position like his on paper.
The Zimbabwean government has not yet responded to the allegations made in the documentary. However, Mnangagwa has previously denied claims of human rights abuses and corruption.
The Laundry Service documentary is the latest in a series of investigations by Al Jazeera into corruption and money laundering in Africa. The channel has previously exposed corruption in countries such as South Africa and Kenya.