Masvingo boils as Mugabe visits

President Robert Mugabe's planned visit to the volatile Masvingo province next week has re-ignited another war between two Zanu PF factions locked in a fierce tussle over his succession with the fresh fight now focused on who will be recognized as the provincial chairperson during the nonagerian's rally at Mucheke Stadium.

This comes as the politburo is yet to officially determine who leads the province following a complaint raised by Mutero Masanganise, who was soundly beaten by Ezra Chadzamira in the poll rerun held at the beginning of May.

The Zanu-PF provincial leadership here is mobilising 50 000 people for the Presidential Youth Interface rally scheduled for June 30.President Mugabe is visiting all the provinces to interact with youths and has since visited Mashonaland East and Manicaland, where bumper crowds have attended.

The Masvingo meeting will be held at an open space outside Mucheke Stadium.

Chadzamira said the ruling party should show President Mugabe that Masvingo was a Zanu-PF stronghold by coming in their numbers.

Masvingo Provincial Affairs Minister Senator Shuvai Mahofa said: "We must make sure that the majority of people who will attend President Mugabe's Youth Interface rally next week are youths because there will be no point for youths to be under-represented at the meeting, yet they are the targeted audience.

"We must give our youths a chance to meet the President because they do not usually get that opportunity."

More to follow...