Battle lines drawn in Zanu-PF

Battle lines have been drawn in President Mugabe's Zanu-PF after the party ended months of speculation and adopted guidelines for primary elections which are likely to be the fiercest fought since independence.

Young Turks, soldiers, women and an old guard expecting to be repaid for decades of loyalty to President Mugabe are now in open war, with the next 2 months set to prove decisive for the Zanu-PF leader.

There are signs that divisions are set to widen further in Zanu-PF ahead of crucial elections as the campaigning for primaries, which are closely linked to the succession saga, gets into full throttle.