Mugabe to chair tense politburo meeting today

President Robert Mugabe is today (Wednesday 3 September 2014) expected to chair a politburo meeting aimed at resolving squabbles within his party, amid accusations that bigwigs are using state organs to intimidate cadres opposed to them.

Zanu PF politburo member Edison Chakanyuka told a rally to celebrate Gokwe-Nembudziya MP Justice Mayor Wadyajena's election victory on Monday that some members of the presidium were abusing state organs to intimidate perceived opponents in the succession fights.

Chakanyuka is the outgoing deputy secretary for youth affairs in the politburo.

In an apparent attack on minister of Presidential Affairs, Didymus Mutasa, Chakanyuka alleged the secretary for administration was threatening to use state security to instill fear in people opposed to his preferred candidates for the presidency.

"We have told the president that look, the presidium you are working with no longer loves you. They have rebelled against you, they are sell-outs, and they are busy thinking about their future," Chakanyuka claimed.

"They are actually competing against you to an extent that when given an opportunity, they could find means and strategise to achieve their ambitions despite us declaring you as our president for 2018, we say down with these people."

He added: "On doing this, they are using the CIO and their acquired education to seem as if they participated in the liberation struggle, they act as if they founded Zanu PF when in fact, they are sell outs.

"They are moving around intimidating people (and saying) that they control the CIO and could do anything to those against them, I hear this is even happening here in Gokwe North District and I appeal to you honourable MP, Mayor, to  take it up with authorities and we shall help you."

Mutasa could not be reached last night to comment on the accusations that he had threatened to unleash state security aagents on those opposed to his preferred candidates.

Zanu PF is embroiled in factional fights as the battle to succeed Mugabe escalates, with vice-president Joice Mujuru and Justice minister, Emmerson Mnangagwa, said to be leading camps positioning themselves to take over from the veteran leader.

Gokwe North civil service district head Munashe Chidyamazana said some government officials were now afraid of performing their duties for fear of being labelled members of the other warring faction.

"We are afraid even to associate with the MP because we will be labelled as members of a certain faction. But let me say it here, as civil servants we serve anyone and everyone regardless of their political life. We don't ask for party cadres and as for now, we are civil servants for
Zanu PF because they are the ruling party," he said.

Zanu PF is set to go for an elective congress this December to choose a new leadership but the youth and women league's elective conferences have been marred by allegations of vote buying and outright rigging.

Chakanyuka said at today's politburo meeting, which has been called for by Mugabe following complaints by youths, that the manner in which their conference was handled would constitute the agenda at the politburo meeting".