Zimbabwean president: I trekked a distance of 30km after Mugabe fired me

President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe has revealed how he trekked a distance of 30 kilometres to cross the Zimbabwean-Mozambican border amid “threats to his life”.

Mnangagwa made the revelation when he addressed some Zimbabweans while on a working visit to South Africa.

Robert Mugabe, the immediate past president, had sacked Mnangagwa over allegations of disloyalty.

The new president said after his dismissal, he spent 16 days in South Africa.

“I came here to pay homage to my brother President Jacob Zuma,” Newsday, a Zimbabwean publication, quoted him as saying

“I spent a good 16 days as a ‘diasporan’ here in South Africa after walking some 30km crossing the border into Mozambique.

“After I had been fired around 4 o’clock (on November 6), intelligence had made me aware of the next move intended to eliminate me.

“Fortunately, I found a (business) card in my wallet which bore the name of a colleague here, (Justice) Maphosa, whom I phoned and he picked me. I came here and I was well-looked after.”

Mnangagwa also revealed he had been in secret communication with Zuma.

“I had good communication with the leadership here, not openly, you understand,” he said.

“Then, my colleagues back home asked me to come join them in moulding our future. This is the young man and I have banned him from putting on army uniform anymore.”