Zanu-PF bigwigs in midnight meets

Some Zanu-PF bigwigs are jostling for power and clandestinely approaching President Mugabe pleading with him to influence their election or appointment to certain positions at the party's National People's Congress in December.

It has also emerged that some party officials are holding secretive meetings at night, while others are using money and other dirty tricks to buy support ahead of the congress.

This came out at the Zanu-PF Politburo meeting yesterday where the President said he was aware of such manoeuvres and urged members to desist from doing so.

Addressing journalists after the meeting, Zanu-PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo said President Mugabe, who is also the party's First Secretary and President, said no one could cheat the system because people knew who represented their interests.

"The President expressed concern on those in leadership who on a daily basis cherish indiscipline in the party," he said.

"It was apparent that there are some who hold clandestine meetings, seeking positions in the party largely because we are going to congress. They use dirty money, they use dirty tricks in order to influence the outcome of congress.

"The President said he is aware of such people in our midst. Some have even come to him with their ambitions for leadership at congress. The people know who is who and who will represent their interests. You can never cheat us, you can never cheat the people and it is important that people be careful about what they do."

President Mugabe's remarks came in the wake of unconfirmed reports that there is a tussle for power within the party, with groups organising themselves to upset each other at the congress.

Gumbo said the Politburo also discussed preparations for the youth and women's conferences set for next month.

Dates for the women's conference were changed together with the venue of the youth conference.

"The youth conference will be held from the 7th to the 10th of August," he said.

"It will now be held at the Harare International Conference Centre and no longer at the City Sports Centre.

"The women's conference will be held from the 12th to the 15th of August, instead of the 20th to the 22nd. Opening will be on the 13th and closing on the 14th."

Gumbo said the venue of the women's conference was yet to be finalised, although it was likely to be HICC.

He said the Women's League inter-district elections would be held next Wednesday and Thursday.

Gumbo said the Politburo received a report from the party's national chairman Simon Khaya Moyo relating to candidates for the Youth League and Women's League submitted by the provinces.

He said names of the approved candidates would be announced next week after the party's Central Committee meeting.

"We have the list of people who were qualified and who were not qualified," he said. "I may just say the majority of people who did not qualify, particularly for the youths, is because of the age limit or the fact that they have not served in the provincial executive for five years.

"For the women, most of them to a larger extent qualified, but maybe one or two did not qualify."

Gumbo said the Politburo endorsed Kudakwashe Sinto from Mashonaland Central who was facing a disciplinary hearing to stand as a candidate at the youth conference.

He said the Mashonaland Central leadership was also tasked to address challenges bedevilling their province.

Gumbo said another discussion centred on the roll-out of the electronic cards by the party's commissariat department.