Mujuru, Mutasa in fierce Mnangagwa attack

VP Joice Mujuru and Zanu PF Secretary for Administration Didymus Mutasa on Saturday took turns to attack the rival Emmerson Mnangagwa faction, accusing the ambitious group of attempting a coup against the incumbent President Robert Mugabe's leadership within Zanu-PF.

While Mujuru accused her rivals of trying to circumvent the party's constitution by bidding for presidency from their lower party positions, it was Mutasa, a Mujuru ally, who went a bit further by telling party rivals the current Zanu-PF top leadership was ordained to lead for life.

Mujuru was guest speaker at the Zanu PF Manicaland Women Inter-District Congress held in Mutare's Marymount while a visibly ailing Mutasa, fresh from India where he had sought medical attention, seized the occasion to throw his own punches at party rivals.

Mujuru, on her part, described those harbouring ambitions of taking over from President Mugabe as "sell-outs".

She denied the existence of factionalism within Zanu-PF, saying this was a creation of rebellious and power hungry individuals seeking to rewrite the party constitution.

Mujuru said her rivals must come out in the open and declare their interests. She accused her rivals of attempting to topple President Mugabe as party leader. Mujuru denied the existence of factions in the ruling party, saying there is only one Zanu-PF led by President Mugabe.

Precious quote: "I am always not happy to hear a leader in Zanu-PF moving around fanning factionalism. You must understand the hierarchy of the party leadership."