President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his Lacoste Faction of Zanu-PF have recognised the value of some G40 principles and are now adopting them in order to counter the threat posed by Nelson Chamisa’s MDC-T party. This has been claimed by a number of analysts who say that Mnangagwa is seeking to blend the youth with the old guard in order to win the upcoming 2018 elections.
University of Zimbabwe lecturer Eldred Masunungure told the Standard,
Even if it was defeated, the legacy of G40 still lives on; the principles that inspired G40 have been taken on board by Team Lacoste (Mnangagwa faction). However, the voting-in of youthful candidates can also be motivated by the reality that they are facing. They are facing a youthful adversary in the form of the MDC-T whose leadership belongs to the more youthful generation.
Harare-based political analyst Alexander Rusero added,
Mnangagwa is trying to balance power between the old guard and the young and, therefore, the MDC-T should fight hard to secure a new niche market. It is no longer the people’s obligation to vote for them because they did not want Zanu PF, but for their ideas and what they stand for.
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