Mugabe hits back

President Robert Mugabe, on Wednesday, hit back at claims that he was being "misled" by party officials bent on destroying the party from within, declaring he is "more informed than them".

According to insiders, who attended the closed door politburo meeting called by the veteran leader on his return from a week long state visit to China, Mugabe grilled party information chief Rugare Gumbo and demanded names of those the Zanu-PF spokesperson had claimed were misleading the president.

The meeting was meant to stem the tide of simmering discontent and divisions rocking the former liberation movement.

Responding to questions from journalists at the end of the meeting, Gumbo confirmed Mugabe had questioned him.

"The president gets information from different sources and he is way ahead of us all," Gumbo said.

The Zanu-PF spokesperson, early this week, issued a damning statement in which he claimed Zanu-PF had been infiltrated by "regime change merchants" and these were misinforming Mugabe, particularly as regards the on-going leadership squabbles ahead of a watershed elective congress set for December.

Zanu-PF is allegedly torn between two distinct factions, one led by Vice-President Joice Mujuru and another by party legal supremo and Justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, who are locked in a bitter war to take over from Mugabe.

The two have, however, rejected claims they are harbouring presidential ambitions, at least while Mugabe is still in charge.

Mugabe is said to have confronted Gumbo and demanded proof of the "regime change agents within the party or name them".

"The president asked Gumbo and his team to name those who want to destroy the party from within, but he (Gumbo) had no response," the sources said.

The politburo meeting which lasted for more than 10 hours was called to discuss the status of the party and review the youth and women's congresses marred by allegations of vote-rigging and vote-buying.

The party which is preparing to hold an elective congress this December is entangled in a succession battle with party activists positioning themselves ahead of the congress.

Meanwhile, Gumbo said the party also resolved to discipline Harare provincial leadership following accusations that they were against the nomination of First Lady, Grace, into mainstream politics.

"The Harare issue is an issue I should mention, it will be handled by the National chairperson and his disciplinary committee," he said.

According to sources, Amos Midzi was summoned by the politburo to respond to accusations his executive had requested that the First Lady be "accommodated" in Mashonaland West because she was unwelcome in Harare.

"Things in Harare require a probe because it was felt by politburo that there is need for a re-look at how the party is being run. There is a lot of discord within the leadership and the people they lead," the source said.

An angry Mugabe, in addressing thousands of youths at the Harare International Airport upon his return from China, demanded to know where "emperor of Harare" was getting his powers to ask his wife to be carted out of the capital.

"Harare is for us all, we all belong here and I would want to know where this emperor is getting the power to ask Amai to go to Mashonaland West," ranted Mugabe to shouts of "weevils, weevils" from the agitated youths.