News / National
'Handover speculation foolish and idiotic,' says Mugabe
03 Dec 2014 at 22:09hrs | Views
Zimbabwe's veteran President Robert Mugabe on Wednesday slapped down speculation he would step down as "foolish" and "idiotic" as he sought to retain control of his ruling Zanu-PF party.
Speaking on the second day of a key elective congress, the 90-year-old tore into Vice President and one-time heir apparent Joice Mujuru.
"I go to an election and I am expected to bow to my deputy and say I won the election you take over. That was the wide expectation, foolish and idiotic," Mugabe told a meeting of his Zanu-PF party's powerful central committee.
The meeting - which moves into open session on Thursday with some 12 000 delegates attending - is expected to confirm Mugabe as party chief and his wife Grace as women's league boss.
Mugabe accused Mujuru, who was ousted from the central committee last month, of plotting to unseat him in factional feuding threatening to tear the party apart.
"But to try and organise illegal ways of getting into power, that we shall not have. Never," Mugabe said.
"You can contest for the presidency instead of trying to oust the president."
Mugabe said Mujuru and her allies were hungry for power and were using money to gain support.
He said some of his opponents in the party were working with Western countries to overthrow him.
"If you are European-minded, you do not belong to Zanu-PF," he said.
Mugabe said rumours that his death was imminent had led to the internal jostling for his post.
Closed door
"Did I not hear or read that this man was going to die in September and the man refused to die in that September. He is still resisting," he said.
Mujuru was not present at the meeting and she missed a meeting of the politburo at the party headquarters on Tuesday.
The party largely was meeting behind closed doors on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the congress moving into open session from Thursday to Saturday.
Hardline Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to be named as party vice president at the meeting, putting him in prime position to replace Mugabe.
Grace Mugabe, 49, won a surprise nomination in August to lead the powerful women's wing of Zanu-PF and has made no secret of her ambition to clinch the country's top job.
Zanu-PF has been riven by factionalism over Mugabe's succession for years, with the firebrand ruler avoiding naming a successor.
Speaking on the second day of a key elective congress, the 90-year-old tore into Vice President and one-time heir apparent Joice Mujuru.
"I go to an election and I am expected to bow to my deputy and say I won the election you take over. That was the wide expectation, foolish and idiotic," Mugabe told a meeting of his Zanu-PF party's powerful central committee.
The meeting - which moves into open session on Thursday with some 12 000 delegates attending - is expected to confirm Mugabe as party chief and his wife Grace as women's league boss.
Mugabe accused Mujuru, who was ousted from the central committee last month, of plotting to unseat him in factional feuding threatening to tear the party apart.
"But to try and organise illegal ways of getting into power, that we shall not have. Never," Mugabe said.
"You can contest for the presidency instead of trying to oust the president."
Mugabe said Mujuru and her allies were hungry for power and were using money to gain support.
He said some of his opponents in the party were working with Western countries to overthrow him.
"If you are European-minded, you do not belong to Zanu-PF," he said.
Mugabe said rumours that his death was imminent had led to the internal jostling for his post.
Closed door
"Did I not hear or read that this man was going to die in September and the man refused to die in that September. He is still resisting," he said.
Mujuru was not present at the meeting and she missed a meeting of the politburo at the party headquarters on Tuesday.
The party largely was meeting behind closed doors on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the congress moving into open session from Thursday to Saturday.
Hardline Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to be named as party vice president at the meeting, putting him in prime position to replace Mugabe.
Grace Mugabe, 49, won a surprise nomination in August to lead the powerful women's wing of Zanu-PF and has made no secret of her ambition to clinch the country's top job.
Zanu-PF has been riven by factionalism over Mugabe's succession for years, with the firebrand ruler avoiding naming a successor.
Source - AFP
