'Current Zanu-PF fights unusual,' says Simba Makoni

Former Zanu-PF politburo member Simba Makoni has described the current power struggles in the party as unprecedented.

The former Minister of Finance deplored the dirty on-going turf war that is characterised by public character assassination, systematic ejection of rivals and underhand manipulation of party rules.

In a calculated blitz, the faction led by Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa has caused the removal of nine out of a total of 10 party provincial chairpersons aligned to Vice President Joice Mujuru.

President Robert Mugabe has shown his support for the Mnangagwa faction, which seems to have convinced him that Mujuru and her loyalists are bent on assassinating him.

"What is happening now has no historical equal. I was in Zanu-PF for decades and I have not seen anything of this nature," said Makoni, who was at one time touted as Mugabe's possible successor.

Makoni left the party to form his own party, Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn, reportedly with the support of the late Solomon Mujuru, former commander of the defence forces. This was after Mugabe refused to step down from the helm of the party to make way for younger blood before the 2008 general elections.

"The latest developments are a new narrative that is difficult to unpack. While there were moves to change the leadership before, what makes the current struggle unique is that it comprises new players who seem to have adopted new methods of plotting for power," said Makoni.

"We can only understand the developments in retrospect as the fights are full of surprises. My guess is just as good as yours even though I have been in the party at senior level. This could do with the fact that some people have seen that the sun is setting and they should quickly make hay while it shines," said Makoni.

Observers have been baffled by Mugabe's tendency to side with Mnangagwa's faction. Recent reports say the president is at the mercy of his wife Grace, who is calling the shots. Intelligence sources recently told The Zimbabwean that Grace gave Mugabe a lecture on what he was supposed to do at the latest politburo meeting - at which he confronted information secretary Rugare Gumbo and angrily accused him of plotting to kill him.

The meeting then suspended Gumbo for five years. Mugabe is said to be getting increasingly paranoid after being informed by the Mnangagwa camp that the Mujuru camp was planning to kill him. At the meeting, he reportedly banged the table on several occasions and dared those opposed to his rule to resign from the party immediately, but no-one left.