Crunch Zanu-PF Politburo meeting set for next Wednesday

The Zanu-PF Politburo will meet on Wednesday next week and is expected to deal with members who are abusing social media platforms to denigrate the party's senior leadership.

Also likely to be discussed are cases of Politburo members who leak party issues to the private media, to the detriment of the party.

Zanu-PF Secretary for Administration Ignatius Chombo yesterday confirmed that the first Politburo meeting of 2016 would take place next week.

"The Politburo meets on Wednesday next week as scheduled," he said, without divulging the agenda of the meeting. Zanu-PF First Secretary, President Mugabe, has repeatedly warned party members against using the media to abuse each other and taking party issues to the private media.

He said the party had "one mouth", and anyone with grievances should use the normal channel for redress. This week, the revolutionary party's affiliate organisations such as the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans' Association (ZNLWVA) raised a red flag against rogue party members who were defying the President's call and fanning factionalism.

They also accused some Politburo members of building messages around the First Family, adding that no Zanu-PF member should speak on behalf of the First Family as it was the prerogative of the official spokesperson and Presidential Press secretary Mr George Charamba.

The war veterans said some elements in the party were abusing the name of the First Family to further their nefarious political ambitions. The Politburo meeting is also likely to review the party's Annual National People's Conference held in Victoria Falls in December last year.

Also expected to be tackled is the state of the economy and bonuses for civil servants. The party may also receive a report from the Secretary for External Affairs Simbarashe Mumbengegwi on the recent African Union Summit held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where President Mugabe handed over the continental body's chairmanship to Chadian President Idriss Déby Itno.

A determination is also expected on successionist politics in Zanu-PF following relentless private media reports on issues of succession in the party. The articles have largely pitted a group allegedly backing Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa for the Presidency and another one which claims to be rooting for First Lady Amai Grace Mu- gabe.

Amai Mugabe has repeatedly dismissed such reports, pointing out that she harbours no presidential ambitions as her plate was full with her charity work and role as Zanu-PF Women's League Secretary. She has also spoken of her cordial relations with VP Mnangagwa.

On his return from Addis Ababa last Sunday, President Mugabe blasted "individualists and factionalists" in the party, saying they had no place in the Zanu-PF Government and people should stick to the leadership appointed at the 2014 National People's Con- gress.

The President, who was addressing hundreds of party supporters who thronged the Harare International Airport to welcome him, warned those denigrating his appointees that they will soon fall by the wayside. He said those with eccentric thoughts should repent and drive the Zanu-PF empowerment agenda in peace or risk being kicked out.