Mugabe reads riot act

The veteran ZANU-PF leader was forced into an unworkable unity government in February 2009 in which he is sharing executive power with his archrival, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T).
Since 2010, he has unsuccessfully tried to liquidity the coalition. But with the life of the inclusive government coming to an end this year, President Mugabe is battling factional fights that have erupted in his party at a time when his rivals are in sixes and sevens.
Last week, he put his foot down, telling Politburo and Central Committee members that they should close ranks if the party was to outpoll the MDC-T in forthcoming polls expected to be a winner-take-all affair.
ZANU-PF is paralysed by infighting pitting the party’s bigwigs in a development that has been blamed on the succession issue.
But the party leader has directed Politburo and Central Committee members to let bygones be bygones and focus on mobilising people to win the next polls. He warned against divisions at this critical juncture when the country is preparing for polls.His message saw party officials coming out of the meeting and declaring that their problems had been resolved.
ZANU-PF spokesperson, Rugare Gumbo, said this week there was nothing untoward abo-ut the appeal to end further fighting by members.
“The President just emphasised to members the need to work together, the need for unity. On what you are asking (about Mandi Chimene) people were allowed to freely air their views,” said Gumbo.
During the meeting, divisions were glaring especially in Manicaland. Central Comm-ittee member Mandi Chimene who, during a similar meeting in March last year appealed to President Mugabe for “protection” after fingering the party’s secretary of administration, Didymus Mutasa for troubles rocking Manicaland province, repeated her claims.
The party’s decision to impose provincial chairpersons in Manicaland and Bulawayo has also divided the party as the new office bearers are seen to be belonging to one faction of the party angling itself to succeed President Mugabe.
Sources this week said there were considerations to dissolve the party’s Masvingo executive led by provincial chairperson Lovemore Matu-ke, who has fallen out of favour with some over his perceived continued benefiting from the ind-igenisation drive at the expense of the grassroots.
The fighting in ZANU-PF is so deep-rooted to the extent that there are some who are against their leader’s presidential candidature.
Last week, James Kaunye, the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association’s secretary for information and publicity, revealed that his association was aware of the moves to change the party’s presidential candidate, but said they would not succeed as the ZANU-PF leader had distinguished himself as the only individual who can guarantee victory for the party as he was popular among Zimbabweans. — Staff Reporter.