Mugabe slates G40, Lacoste

President Mugabe yesterday slammed factionalism in Zanu-PF, saying those interested in leadership positions should wait for Congress time where they can put up their names as required by the revolutionary party's constitution.

The Zanu-PF First Secretary said divisions had reached unprecedented levels, with some party officials visiting sangomas or n'angas for them to land leadership posts.

President Mugabe made the remarks in Marondera while addressing his first provincial meeting with Zanu-PF youths ahead of the harmonised elections next year.

The meeting was attended by thousands of Zanu-PF members and the party's affiliates.

President Mugabe said since the formation of the first liberation movement, the National Democratic Party in the 1950s, party leaders were elected on merit, without lobbying.

"We looked at capabilities, that's the culture we want to continue," he said. "We now have factions and some are approaching sangomas.

They approach the youths and say support me, I will do certain things for you. We denounce that behaviour. It doesn't build the party. To the leaders, we also say Stop It! Stop It! Stop It!"

President Mugabe said he was aware of all the plots being done by some party officials.

"If you are known as someone who takes sides, who holds secret meetings, don't think people don't see," he said. "They see. Don't think Mugabe doesn't see, he knows a lot, but we want people to unite.

"We have a Congress and we are a party with guidelines.  Congress will decide. That is what we want such that Congress exercises its powers as outlined in the Constitution.

"We don't want to start fights before the time comes. It is too early for the leaders to fight for positions. Be at peace. The time will come, it will certainly come. We want the party to remain united, with people not segregating against each other."

President Mugabe said he never canvassed for a post, first being seconded to NDP without flouting procedures.

"The same applies, when Zanu was formed, people elected Ndabaningi Sithole to lead," he said. "He was later removed, but he had been elected. We never looked at where one comes from. Zanu-PF as a party is a multi-ethnic revolutionary movement. We fought the struggle like that. We never bothered about one's ethnicity. Are we still holding onto that? We have a principle of denouncing tribalism.

Surprisingly, some seem to be pushing for that.

"No, we do not want that. Some are saying let us exchange the baton, we cannot continue being led by a Zezuru. We can't operate like that."

President Mugabe slammed Cabinet Ministers and Politburo members leaking classified Government and party information to the private media.

"If you are a genuine Zanu-PF member, be true to your party," he said. "Don't undermine your party. Right now we have problems with articles coming in these small papers. Breaking the law, they write the deliberations we would have held in Cabinet and Politburo.

"But who leaks that information? The papers don't just write from their heads, it is coming from our Cabinet Ministers and Politburo members. It's all about the existing fights. We are doing a harm to the party. Stop it!"

Giving advice to the youths, President Mugabe said promiscuity was destroying a lot of homes, with many people dying of Aids.

"Infidelity destroys families. Some wedded two years ago and they have already divorced. Why, because the man has another lady.

"You should have made a decision to marry or not marrying the wife you have before hand. Zimbabwe has got beautiful ladies," he said to applause from the people.

President Mugabe added: "We lost a lot to Aids and if I look at my Cabinet, counting quietly, I will find one divorced, some twice, while some are in the process of divorcing. But for you young people, be faithful to your partners. We do not expect you to divorce in two years."