News / National
Mugabe's headache
18 Jul 2016 at 13:45hrs | Views
President Robert Mugabe has deployed Zanu-PF politburo and central committee members to douse the factional fires consuming the party nationwide, ahead of 2018 elections.
On Saturday, the ruling party bigwigs led by Zanu-PF secretary for Science and Technology Jonathan Moyo, were dispatched to the political hotbed of Masvingo where they held leadership meetings in a bid to unite the fractious province.
"We're with the people. I'm in Masvingo where politburo and central committee members addressed huge district meetings!" Moyo said on his micro-blogging Twitter account on Saturday.
Pressed by his followers to say whether this was not an attempt to deal with factionalism and whether Masvingo had become a troublesome region, the professor tried to play it down.
"Not at all. The meetings are nationwide and simultaneous. I'm heading the team working in Masvingo province. These are leadership meetings. Not rallies!"
This is the third meeting in as many weeks that Mugabe has tried to heal the rifts caused by his own lack of naming a successor - leading to the emergence of factions within Zanu-PF.
Zanu-PF is bitterly divided into two distinct factions - with one rooting for his long time aide and deputy - Emmerson Mnangagwa while the other one - Generation 40 - is rabidly opposed to his ascendancy.
The internecine fighting has seen suspensions and counter suspensions of senior officials in Masvingo and other provinces.
Mugabe fears the factionalism which is threatening to consume his party could open the door for his sacked former deputy Joice Mujuru who has joined the opposition train by forming her own party - Zimbabwe People First.
Mujuru has been steadily gaining support in Zanu-PF strongholds she used to control during her 42-year association with the party.
She has so far held decent rallies in Masvingo, Harare and Mutare.
Two weeks ago, Mugabe tasked politburo and central committee members to hold meetings in all the 10 provinces as he fears the current wave of nationwide discontent could sway supporters from Zanu-PF.
On Saturday, the ruling party bigwigs led by Zanu-PF secretary for Science and Technology Jonathan Moyo, were dispatched to the political hotbed of Masvingo where they held leadership meetings in a bid to unite the fractious province.
"We're with the people. I'm in Masvingo where politburo and central committee members addressed huge district meetings!" Moyo said on his micro-blogging Twitter account on Saturday.
Pressed by his followers to say whether this was not an attempt to deal with factionalism and whether Masvingo had become a troublesome region, the professor tried to play it down.
"Not at all. The meetings are nationwide and simultaneous. I'm heading the team working in Masvingo province. These are leadership meetings. Not rallies!"
This is the third meeting in as many weeks that Mugabe has tried to heal the rifts caused by his own lack of naming a successor - leading to the emergence of factions within Zanu-PF.
The internecine fighting has seen suspensions and counter suspensions of senior officials in Masvingo and other provinces.
Mugabe fears the factionalism which is threatening to consume his party could open the door for his sacked former deputy Joice Mujuru who has joined the opposition train by forming her own party - Zimbabwe People First.
Mujuru has been steadily gaining support in Zanu-PF strongholds she used to control during her 42-year association with the party.
She has so far held decent rallies in Masvingo, Harare and Mutare.
Two weeks ago, Mugabe tasked politburo and central committee members to hold meetings in all the 10 provinces as he fears the current wave of nationwide discontent could sway supporters from Zanu-PF.
Source - dailynews
