'Zanu-PF chefs want me dead,' claims Mugabe

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe yesterday said some unnamed senior Zanu-PF officials wanted him to die so that they could take over as he admitted that the ruling party was at war with itself over his succession.

Addressing nearly 350 war collaborators, ex-detainees and restrictees, widows of war veterans and non-combat cadres at the City Sports Centre in Harare, Mugabe said those eyeing his position were not happy that he was not dying.

"I know that there are those sitting down and discussing my succession," he said.

"They are unhappy that I am not dying, saying to themselves but why is he not dying. Why should I die, if the Lord has not called me?"

Mugabe acknowledged the wars that were playing out in his party over his succession between G40 and Team Lacoste, which he referred to as "locust". He said the two factions were only alive because of senior party members.

"I know of this G40 and this locust [Lacoste]. If you look at these things, you will realise that they are not being pushed by the ordinary membership of the party, but seniors," the 92-year-old leader said.

Mugabe, who was supposed to use the meeting to address concerns raised by the veterans of the liberation struggle, avoided responding directly to the issues raised at the forum.

The veterans had through various thematic committees demanded that Mugabe fire political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere and secretary for technology Jonathan Moyo for allegedly dividing Zanu-PF.

Charles Gawu, speaking on behalf of the thematic committee on party ideology, hit out at Kasukuwere, claiming he was failing to do his job properly.

Gawu also said they wanted respect from the youth wing led by Kudzai Chipanga.

"The party has been taken over by people who have no history of the liberation struggle and as a result, it has lost ideology, the commissariat is not doing its job, we therefore recommend that veterans of the struggle should be the ones working in the commissariat," he said.

Goodwills Masimirembwa, presenting on the threats to Zanu-PF, said the ruling party was being destroyed from within by people who pretended to love Mugabe.

He called on Mugabe to deal with his top ministers who have refused to heed his call to stop washing Zanu-PF dirty linen in public through social media.

"These people who have failed to heed your call should now be dumped because they have proved that they don't listen to you. The abuse of social media, Twitter, Whatsapp and Facebook is being done by your ministers some of them on the top table here," Masimirembwa said.

The former Zanu-PF Harare provincial chairperson also attacked Kasukuwere accusing his commissariat of pursuing an agenda that will leave Zanu-PF without any members.

He said the party haD resorted to firing members without giving them a chance to defend themselves.

"The commissariat is wielding an axe pruning of all the green shoots of the party, when you see them coming you are certain to run away because they will axe you," Masimirembwa said.

The veterans also called on Mugabe to let those accused of corruption face the music and clear their names in the courts of law.

"The party should not appear as if it condones corruption if one stands accused then that person should have their day in court," he said.

The meeting also urged Zanu-PF to review all disciplinary cases which were presided over by Kasukuwere and see to it that those fired without a right to a hearing were given a chance to present their side of the story.

Kasukuwere also came under attack over alleged corrupt parcelling out of stands and destruction of houses which has become the order of the day in Harare.

The meeting was also attended by both vice presidents, Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko, service chiefs and local government minister Ignatious Chombo.