Mnangagwa's Zanu-PF woos Mugabe

Former president Robert Mugabe could make a sensational return to Zanu-PF one and a half years after the frail nonagenarian was swept from power by a military coup- if the party's overtures to him yield positive results.

Zanu-PF is on a drive to embrace defectors and members that were expelled from the party by the previous party administration led by former President Mugabe.

Zanu-PF secretary for administration Dr Obert Mpofu, said the party was making changes and accepting its lost sheep.

Former Zanu-PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa and former Mashonaland East provincial minister Ambrose Mutinhiri have already retraced their steps back to the ruling party - but leader of the People's Rainbow Coalition and former vice president of Zimbabwe Joice Mujuru says she will never go back.

Dr Mpofu who welcomed the pair said the readmission was a directive from President Mnangagwa who was keen on uniting and strengthening party.

President Mnangagwa, Mpofu said, wanted to unite the people with a view to collectively build the nation.

"We welcome you comrades. President Mnangagwa has directed us to readmit former members, willing to re-join the party.

"The President has even gone further to invite members of the opposition saying let us build our country together.

"He believes that we should not derail our development through unnecessary politicking. We are all Zimbabweans we must work together to develop the nation.

"You will be seeing the new dispensation arrangement where we have fulltime members of the party, you will see a different Zanu-PF in terms of operations and effectiveness because we are not closing anyone out, we have agreed that all members who were expelled from the party or who left the party should come back," he said.

Mpofu said the party needed senior members like the pair for guidance.

Dr Mpofu said the restructuring that was going on within the party had seen members that have been expelled tracking back as they were still interested in working for the party.

"This restructuring exercise has actually given the members that sympathise with us some hope of participating in the party they love. The previous system was so restrictive that members were not allowed to exercise their democratic right to participate in the party. So this is one of the benefits and results in the last few weeks following the dissolution of Bulawayo Province for one," he said.
Meanwhile, after making stunning revelations that he was going to meet former president Robert Mugabe at his Blue Roof mansion, MDC leader Nelson Chamisa said Zanu-PF has increased security at the former president's house in a bid to block the meeting.

Addressing the party's provincial structures in Masvingo recently, Chamisa claimed that Mugabe promised to give him damning files on all the Zanu-PF top brass hence the reason why they went into panic mode over the proposed meeting.

"I wanted to cause panic within Zanu-PF and said I wanted to meet Mugabe. Everyone in Zanu-PF went into panic mode and they were sweating all over.

"I heard Mugabe has damaging files on all Zanu-PF chefs and he told me to come get them so they want to prevent me from seeing him. This has become a contentious issue within Zanu-PF and we hear they are increasing security at the Blue Roof mansion to make sure that I do not get in. Every day they add soldiers," said Chamisa.

The youthful opposition leader said he is yet to meet Mugabe and is still playing politics but he will eventually visit him.

"I haven't met Mugabe since he was removed from power to ask him how retirement is going. Mugabe thought that the country would come to a standstill when he is not in power but that is not the case. I am still playing politics but will eventually have a meeting with Mugabe," said Chamisa.

The proposed meeting with Mugabe has since divided opinion with many questioning the logic behind meeting someone who terrorised opposition members and ruined the country.

No comment could be obtained from Zanu-PF national spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo as his mobile went straight to voice mail.