News / National
Zanu-PF in 'desperate situation'
05 Nov 2014 at 12:53hrs | Views
ZANU-PF said factional infighting has caused the organization to lose focus on governing and may cost it support amont the electorate, already suffering from an economic slowdown.
President Robert Mugabe's wife Grace, at political rallies last month, accused vice president Joice Mujuru of plotting against her husband and urged her to resign. Grace Mugabe is allied with Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, a rival of Mujuru to succeed the president who is 90.
The Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front "has, over the last few weeks, concentrated on dealing with factionalism, which has caused unprecedented tension within the party," spokesman Rugare Gumbo said in a statement today. "Our focus had shifted from our core business as the party of the government."
Zanu-PF will next month hold an elective conference to decide on senior party positions. Grace Mugabe, who has no history in the party, has been nominated to head the Women's League, which would give her a seat on the policy-setting politburo.
The country suffered almost a decade of economic decline after the government started seizing white-owned commercial farms, which grew crops such as tobacco for export, in 2000 for redistribution to black subsistence farmers. Economic growth is expeced to slow this year as consumer spending plummets and investment languishes, partially because of a law that compels 51 percent ownership by black Zimbabweans of companies.
"The ugly truth is that many of our people are struggling to make ends meet," Gumbo said. "The fact is that we are really faced with a desperate situation that calls for an urgent change of priorities."
Faction fighting is deterring investment, he said.
"Anyone who seeks to push personal and factional interests at a time like this where millions of our people are suffering and many investors are sitting on the fence pursuing a wait and see approach is not only selfish, insensitive and on the wrong side of history, but is also tarnishing the good name of the party and drawing unnecessary hatred towards the same," Gumbo said.
President Robert Mugabe's wife Grace, at political rallies last month, accused vice president Joice Mujuru of plotting against her husband and urged her to resign. Grace Mugabe is allied with Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, a rival of Mujuru to succeed the president who is 90.
The Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front "has, over the last few weeks, concentrated on dealing with factionalism, which has caused unprecedented tension within the party," spokesman Rugare Gumbo said in a statement today. "Our focus had shifted from our core business as the party of the government."
Zanu-PF will next month hold an elective conference to decide on senior party positions. Grace Mugabe, who has no history in the party, has been nominated to head the Women's League, which would give her a seat on the policy-setting politburo.
"The ugly truth is that many of our people are struggling to make ends meet," Gumbo said. "The fact is that we are really faced with a desperate situation that calls for an urgent change of priorities."
Faction fighting is deterring investment, he said.
"Anyone who seeks to push personal and factional interests at a time like this where millions of our people are suffering and many investors are sitting on the fence pursuing a wait and see approach is not only selfish, insensitive and on the wrong side of history, but is also tarnishing the good name of the party and drawing unnecessary hatred towards the same," Gumbo said.
Source - businessweek
