HARARE – A former Zanu PF MP has revealed details of a chilling threat he received from unnamed powerful people in government who wanted him to back a no-confidence vote against President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Terrence Mukupe claims he was told that “they would do to me what they did to Mujuru” if he refused to back the plot. Solomon Mujuru was a former army commander who died in a 2011 farm house fire in Beatrice. His widow, Joice, believes he was killed by political rivals but an inquest ruled there was no foul play.

In extra-ordinary remarks captured on video during what appears to be a townhall rally held over the last few days, Mukupe also appeared to admit that Zanu PF youths were involved in looting of shops and violence during fuel price protests last month. He said he was disappointed the party’s leadership did not go to the party headquarters to see “wounded youths” injured during the protests.

“They say, ‘down with the youths, the youths are looters’, without even coming to see and to talk to them. If you’re told that your children were beaten and were injured, why fail to see them and to hear for yourself what happened?,” Mukupe said in comments that appeared aimed at Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, who was Acting President when protests against fuel prices increases swept Zimbabwe on January 14.

“To me, the injured youths are heroes. When I said this openly, I started receiving threatening messages that I should toe the line and support someone whose name was given, as there were plans to move a vote of no confidence against Mnangagwa,” Mukupe said.

“I was warned that if I did not support this, they would do to me what they did to Mujuru… If they want to burn me to death, they can come…”

Reports of a planned palace coup emerged while Mnangagwa was visiting eastern Europe in mid-January. Chiwenga would have been the beneficiary of a successful plot, which involved convincing Zanu PF MPs to back the motion.

Mnangagwa supporters say the plot failed because the plotters failed to get sufficient numbers of MPs to support the rebellion.

Mukupe’s comments lay bare the back stage political contestations going on in Zanu PF and the government, public shows of unity by the leadership.