Zanu-PF to amend constitution to pave way for Grace Mugabe

THAT president Robert Mugabe wants his wife Grace to be the next leader may have become undeniable at the weekend after Zanu-PF's 10 provinces agreed to amend the party's constitution with the recommendation for a female VP taking centre stage.

According to NewZimbabwe.com, the provinces also agreed that the extra-ordinary Zanu-PF elective congress will go ahead in December and that the aged leader would be the party's candidate in next year's election.

Estry Mlambo-Madhuku, Women's League Chairperson, said the special congress will put the succession issue to rest.

"We want to reaffirm our position as the Women's League in Manicaland of being solidly behind President Mugabe. We have been advocating having one of the Vice-Presidents being a woman and the December special conference will help us to resolve this issue," she told the state media.

Embattled Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been left in the lurch after Masvingo and Midlands provinces viewed sympathetic to his cause have both endorsed party plans to turn Zanu-PF's December conference into an elective congress.

Mnangagwa, who hails from Masvingo, enjoys support from the two provinces.

President Mugabe and Grace have not hidden their frustrations with the two provinces they describe as havens for factional politics within the party.