Grace Mugabe to face Mujuru for VP?

Vice-President Joice Mujuru is likely to be challenged at the forthcoming Zanu-PF elective congress by the First Lady Grace Mugabe who has been encouraged to consider herself eligible for the post, a Zanu-PF member of parliament has said.

Addressing party supporters, traditional leaders and headmen in Gokwe-Nembudziya, MP Justice Mayor Wadyajena said no one was guaranteed to retain the current party posts after the elective congress except President Robert Mugabe, with Mujuru likely to be the biggest casualty.

Wadyajena, who was hosting traditional leaders to thank them for backing his ascendency to parliament, told the gathering that according to the party constitution, every Zanu-PF member has the right to contest for any post - including the vice-presidency.

"The president said everyone in the central committee of the party is going to resign before the December congress and President Mugabe is the one who will appoint people to sit in the politburo and some people are going to mourn," he said.

Zanu-PF is set to hold its elective congress in December where a new leadership would be ushered in and so far President Mugabe is the only one with a secured  post after most party organs and provinces endorsed him.

"People will be shocked when they are left out," the youthful law maker said.

Wadyajena's statement comes after the First Lady tore into a faction leader who hails from Mashonaland Central province and widely believed to be Mujuru as she is alleged  to be a faction leader plotting to take over from President Mugabe when he retires.

"No one has monopoly of a post in the party. Even the president is very clear that ‘anyone who wants to challenge me come forward (sic). Don't be excited fooling yourselves  that the president is old and he must go, if you think he is old, come and challenge him and see what you are going to get at the end of the day.  No post is sacred in Zanu-PF even the vice-president post is not sacred. Anyone who wants can contest as long as he /she meets the set guidelines,"

He said even the First Lady can contest the vice-presidency.

"It is up to her, she is a member of Zanu-PF and if she contests and wins, she would have won it. If she loses, she would have lost, she will still remain a Zanu-PF member," he said, adding that: "If the VP losses, she will be assigned somewhere in the party or go back to the cell structures,"

Two factions are said to be angling against each other to replace Mugabe, with Mujuru said to be leading the other group, while Justice minister, Emmerson Mnangagwa is also said to be leading another.

The two have, however, denied leading any faction.