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Mnangagwa warns Zanu PF's Regioni
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President Emmerson Mnangagwa has issued a stern warning against factionalism within Zanu PF, declaring that the party does not want the "spirit of Legion" as tensions over his succession intensify.
Addressing a tense Central Committee meeting at the party's headquarters in Harare, Mnangagwa said members should put the party and national interests ahead of factional loyalties and personal ambitions.
"The Party and national interest remain central and at the core of our discussions. I urge us to distinguish between principled contributions intended to improve the Party and reject conduct that seeks to divide or derail the Conference Agenda," he said.
"Preferences of cliques and narrow inclinations, among other retrogressive acts, have no place in our Party. Hatidi mweya waRegioni muMusangano wedu," he added, meaning, "We do not want the spirit of Legion in our party."
In biblical accounts, Legion refers to a multitude of demons that possessed a man, as described in Mark 5:1–20 and Luke 8:26–39. Mnangagwa's remarks have drawn attention amid growing political tensions within the ruling party, although he did not explicitly name anyone in the statement.
The warning comes as speculation over the succession to Mnangagwa continues to fuel divisions within Zanu PF, particularly regarding the political ambitions of Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga.
Chiwenga, who was Zimbabwe Defence Forces commander during the November 2017 military intervention that ended Robert Mugabe's presidency, played a central role in the events that brought Mnangagwa to power.
The relationship between the two leaders has since become a focus of political debate, with reports of competing factions and disagreements over who should eventually succeed Mnangagwa.
Chiwenga's absence from several high-profile events has further fuelled speculation about the state of relations within the party's leadership.
He reportedly skipped Saturday's President's Fundraising Dinner Ball, where Zanu PF raised about US$10 million towards its annual National People's Conference. He was also absent from the funeral of businessman Wicknell Chivayo last week and the swearing-in of Kudakwashe Tagwirei as Minister of Economic Development and Investment Promotion on Monday.
Mnangagwa reportedly criticised Chiwenga's absence from the fundraising dinner during a Politburo meeting, adding to the attention surrounding the growing divisions within the party.
The Politburo and Central Committee meetings are taking place ahead of Zanu PF's annual National People's Conference, scheduled to run from October 13 to 17 at Chinhoyi University of Technology in Mashonaland West Province.
The gathering is unfolding against a backdrop of disagreements over proposed constitutional amendments and mounting speculation about Mnangagwa's eventual successor, placing the party's leadership dynamics under renewed scrutiny.
Addressing a tense Central Committee meeting at the party's headquarters in Harare, Mnangagwa said members should put the party and national interests ahead of factional loyalties and personal ambitions.
"The Party and national interest remain central and at the core of our discussions. I urge us to distinguish between principled contributions intended to improve the Party and reject conduct that seeks to divide or derail the Conference Agenda," he said.
"Preferences of cliques and narrow inclinations, among other retrogressive acts, have no place in our Party. Hatidi mweya waRegioni muMusangano wedu," he added, meaning, "We do not want the spirit of Legion in our party."
In biblical accounts, Legion refers to a multitude of demons that possessed a man, as described in Mark 5:1–20 and Luke 8:26–39. Mnangagwa's remarks have drawn attention amid growing political tensions within the ruling party, although he did not explicitly name anyone in the statement.
The warning comes as speculation over the succession to Mnangagwa continues to fuel divisions within Zanu PF, particularly regarding the political ambitions of Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga.
Chiwenga, who was Zimbabwe Defence Forces commander during the November 2017 military intervention that ended Robert Mugabe's presidency, played a central role in the events that brought Mnangagwa to power.
The relationship between the two leaders has since become a focus of political debate, with reports of competing factions and disagreements over who should eventually succeed Mnangagwa.
Chiwenga's absence from several high-profile events has further fuelled speculation about the state of relations within the party's leadership.
He reportedly skipped Saturday's President's Fundraising Dinner Ball, where Zanu PF raised about US$10 million towards its annual National People's Conference. He was also absent from the funeral of businessman Wicknell Chivayo last week and the swearing-in of Kudakwashe Tagwirei as Minister of Economic Development and Investment Promotion on Monday.
Mnangagwa reportedly criticised Chiwenga's absence from the fundraising dinner during a Politburo meeting, adding to the attention surrounding the growing divisions within the party.
The Politburo and Central Committee meetings are taking place ahead of Zanu PF's annual National People's Conference, scheduled to run from October 13 to 17 at Chinhoyi University of Technology in Mashonaland West Province.
The gathering is unfolding against a backdrop of disagreements over proposed constitutional amendments and mounting speculation about Mnangagwa's eventual successor, placing the party's leadership dynamics under renewed scrutiny.
Source - online
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