'Mugabe is not above the revolution,' says Shamu

Former President Robert Mugabe should understand that there is no individual who is more important than the revolution, Zanu-PF Central Committee member Webster Shamu has said.

Responding to questions at a workshop in Kariba at the weekend, Shamu said the party leadership is always duty-bound to listen to the voice of the people.

"There are laid down procedures for choosing leaders in the party and Government," said Shamu.

"There is no individual who is above the revolution as incidents before and after Independence show. The Nhari-Badza rebellion and the issue of Ndabaningi Sithole were cases in point.

"If we have someone today questioning President Mnangagwa's legitimacy, they are doing so outside the dictates of the party," he said.

The Extraordinary Congress, which was held in December last year, was requisitioned way before the events that led to Mr Mugabe's ouster as First Secretary of the party and President of the republic, he said.

While noting that filling the vacancy left by Mr Mugabe was done according to the dictates of the party and country's Constitution, Shamu also indicated that Mr Mugabe's resignation actually pre-empted a well-subscribed impeachment process, which drew support across the political divide.

"After clearly resigning, are we supposed to remain without a leader as a nation or are we supposed remain without a leader as a party?

"In Zanu-PF, we have a rich history of people who left leadership positions even during the liberation struggle. This was done to ensure the struggle continues," he said.

Mr Mugabe's ascendancy to the helm of the party after the expulsion of the late Ndabaningi Sithole during the liberation struggle, he said, was ratified at the party's Congress which was convened later in Zimbabwe.

According to Shamu, the procedural way through which the transition was managed naturally gives President Mnangagwa the legal standing and mandate to engage on behalf of Zimbabwe.

Zanu-PF's director for environment and tourism at Zanu-PF Headquarters, Stewart Mutizwa, said the party secretaries from across the country were steadfastly behind President Mnangagwa.

"We have resolved as secretaries for environment and tourism that President Mnangagwa is our candidate for the 2018 harmonised elections," he said.

"We are also saying the party is for the people and if someone has lost direction like former President Mugabe, we disagree with him.

"We are saying everything was done procedurally both within the party and in Government.

"We are saying there is no legacy to protect for Robert Mugabe. (Ndabaningi) Sithole lost direction (and) he was expelled from the party.

"We cannot protect his legacy because he has lost direction."

Mutizwa also noted that the party protects the legacy of the party, and not that of individuals.