Zanu-PF elections to be held under a secret ballot system

Elections to choose members of the Presidium at the Zanu-PF National Congress slated for December are set to be held under a secret ballot system while the party's constitution will be amended to regularise the disbandment of District Coordinating Committees.

The presidium is composed of the President and First Secretary, two Vice Presidents and Second Secretaries and the National Chairperson. These office bearers are elected at Congress, which also approves the appointment of Central Committee members and department heads and their deputies.

While the recent Youth and Women's League conferences endorsed President Mugabe as party leader, the rest of the top positions are up for grabs.

Homes Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi has since declared interest in one of the VP posts, setting the stage for a tussle with VP Mujuru and Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo, the National Chair.

In the event of Ambassador Khaya Moyo being elevated, there is likely to be contest to succeed him. Zanu-PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa refused to comment, saying, "I am not talking to the media these days."

Party spokesperson Rugare Gumbo referred questions to the secretary for legal affairs, Emmerson Mnangagwa, who, in turn, said the party constitution provided for such a "one-man-one-vote" election system at Congress.

A management committee set up by Congress will preside over the poll, he said.

"That is what the constitution says. If you read the constitution, it says delegates at the Congress will vote through the one-man-one vote (system)," said Mnangagwa, who is also Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister.

"That is what the party has been doing since 1963."

He added that Zanu-PF will take advantage of the Congress to amend its constitution to, among other issues, regularise the abolition of DCCs.

The committees were disbanded in June 2012 after they were adjudged to be highly divisive.

Announcing the disbandment back then, President Mugabe said the structures had become a conveyor belt of divisions as some powerful party members were allegedly manipulating them, causing unnecessary tension.

He said they had been created to co-ordinate work and make managing party structures easier, but, instead, "made things more difficult".

Mnangagwa said party members were geared towards "updating" the constitution.

"Yes, we are updating the constitution because there are so many things that have happened in the party, including the disbandment of DCCs.

"DCCs are referred to in several sections of the party constitution yet they were disbanded.

"So, all those sections that are no longer relevant to the party will be amended.

"Anyone opposed to amending the constitution is MDC."