Mnangagwa's test has come

Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa's mooted ambitions to succeed President Robert Mugabe may have suffered a fatal blow yesterday after post-congress Zanu-PF's politburo appeared to embrace growing calls for a return of the women's quota system in the warring ruling party.

Addressing the media soon after the politburo's meeting in Harare, Zanu-PF's spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo said the various resolutions that had been made by provinces, including on the contentious issue, were set to be tabled at the party's annual conference that is being held in the resort town of Victoria Falls.
 
Meanwhile, the Zanu-PF Politburo says the 15th Annual National People's Conference, which began yesterday, will be about finding strategies to improve the livelihoods of people and fulfil the promises made to the electorate during the 2013 harmonised elections.

The Politburo, which met in Harare, declared that no politics would take centre stage at the conference as only President Mugabe, who is the Zanu-PF First Secretary had the right to appoint members into leadership positions.

The conference, which is being held in Victoria Falls, will be opened and closed on Friday and Saturday, respectively, by President Mugabe.