Kenyan newspaper slams Zuma for ‘destroying’ Mandela’s party

“Zuma, man who brought down Mandela’s party,” blared the headline on the front page of Kenyan newspaper Daily Nation on Monday.

The article, written by Chris Erasmus, posits 15 reasons why African National Congress presidential hopeful Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma is unlikely to be South Africa’s next president, whereas the odds of Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa emerging victorious at the ANC’s upcoming elective conference in December seem probable.

“South African president has lined up his wife to succeed him as the masses reject ANC in municipal polls and head to the streets in protest,” read the blurb to the article, which dissected the governing party’s challenges ahead of the conference.

Ramaphosa is described by Erasmus as a “wily” politician, while Dlamini-Zuma is said to have returned from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in February from “an unremarkable stint at the AU”.

“Zuma lapdogs,” the article stated, “specifically the ANC Women’s League and its once-feisty Youth League, have been touting Dlamini-Zuma as the heir-apparent.”

Erasmus further described Zuma’s time in office as a “baleful presidency” and Dlamini-Zuma as lacking charisma to lead Africa’s oldest liberation movement.

“Indeed, Dlamini-Zuma has failed to ignite even mediocre spontaneous enthusiasm at the carefully selected events where she has spoken,” read the article.

The article also stated challenges, such as Zuma’s shambolic Cabinet reshuffle on March 30, the controversial Gupta family, the stalled commission of inquiry into allegations of state capture and factions within the ANC and its alliance partners as among the factors that might derail Dlamini-Zuma’s presidential ambitions.

ALSO READ:

//