'Mugabe riding a hungry tiger'

While President Robert Mugabe seems comfortable being the leader of two factions fighting within his Zanu-PF party, analysts have warned he is riding a tiger which he can only disembark at his own peril.

They believe that, while Mugabe has for a long time played the factions led by Vice President Joice Mujuru and Justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa against each other, his latest move to take sides with the Mnangagwa faction in the convoluted succession race could devour him.

In his first public reaction to the boiling succession pot last week, Mugabe put up a brave face during a luncheon to mark the official opening of the Second Session of the 8th Parliament of Zimbabwe, claiming Zanu-PF was a solid party, and seemingly taking sides with the Mnangagwa faction. He said all the infighting that has been going on would be dealt with at the forthcoming December congress.

"The party, party, party bleeds," Mugabe said. "Some war is going on in my party. People want positions and they want to push senior people out.

"Those things are not acceptable. If you are in a certain position, use it effectively. Do not to push others out as if you have delivered in your current position. I can assure you that Zanu-PF is a solid party. We will not allow that nonsense."

He implored party members to unite and stop fighting each other.

He warned those working to succeed him to stop, saying he was still around.

Commentator Cathrine Murambwi said the latest developments within Zanu-PF point to the fact that Mugabe had lost grip of a force engineered from his own bedroom.

"He is certainly not happy with the factions and while he sides with the Mnangagwa faction (in support of his wife), he is also aware that Vice President Joice Mujuru is a force that cannot be ignored," Murambwi told the Daily News.

She said while Mugabe plays the stable leader, it was evident that the once-lovely pet was now showing its teeth, ready to pounce.

"Because of the bickering in his party, Mugabe is now behaving like a tired, fearful leader whose train has gone off the rails," she said.

Media activist Tabani Moyo said Mugabe rides on balancing the interests of the two factions and taming the powers of the one which would have shown capacity to outdo the other.

"So the long and short of it is that, there are no party elections at congress as the provinces will nominate candidates soon and Mai Mujuru will retain her post and Khaya Moyo," Moyo predicted.

He believes while the statements by Grace Mugace might have caused public panic, she was not in any party or government structure until appointed as such at the congress.

"This entails that, while the threats could have caused tremors to public sentiment; it has in actual fact consolidated factional groupings in the party," Moyo said, adding that it should be noted that Mugabe has never shown interest in shaking the top four in his Zanu-PF party.

"So it is given before us, there was no need to convene an extra-ordinary meeting to discuss Grace's utterances because that was going to sound like undressing the president and his wife," he said.

"After all, the first lady's threats will not change the political dynamics on the ground."

Opposition NCA spokesperson Blessing Vava said Mugabe was a shrewd politician who has survived on a divide and rule policy.

"The more the factions fight among themselves, it leaves him untouchable," he said

Amid the fights, Mugabe is keeping his cards close to his chest.

"He will leave it to the official organs and platforms of the party to deal with these issues, like at the congress, but we all know that he has his ways of intimidating and whipping into line those whom he does not prefer prior to the holding of these meetings and ultimately it is his preferred choice that prevails," he said.