Mugabe's Zanu-PF struggles to stop infighting

ZANU-PF is struggling to contain the infighting and instability which were a hallmark of the party's preparations for congress last year.

Ahead of congress, party structures passed hotly contested votes of no confidence motions against senior members and it seems the pattern is continuing and Zanu-PF is struggling to contain it.

Confusion continues to rock the party's Matabeleland North province, where battle lines have been clearly drawn, with Transport minister Obert Mpofu on one end and Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Mudenda on the other.

To underline the nature of the infighting, the province suspended five members and for the third time in two months, they have been ordered to reverse the suspensions.

The five are believed to have been suspended because they were opposed to Mpofu.

The Matabeleland North Zanu-PF's Richard Moyo-led executive reportedly endorsed the suspension of Rambanai Moyo, Hardman Mabanda, deputy commissar, George Chipare, deputy chairperson of women's league, Sithembiso Mabhena and former provincial deputy chairperson Reeds Dube, but these were reversed by the party's national commissar Saviour Kasukuwere.

Moyo reportedly told State media that the province endorsed the suspension of the five.

Yesterday Moyo distanced himself from making the announcement regarding the suspensions.

"The person who wrote that I made an announcement lied," he claimed.

I never announced or read suspension letters. The provincial secretary did not even announce the suspension, but he only read the suspension letters, which were sent to us by Lwendulo district," he said.

"That was a district issue and not a provincial one, what we did was to accept what the district had said."

When asked if the province had any problems with the reversal of suspensions, he said as a provincial executive they did not have any problems with the five.

"We have no problem with the suspension of the lower structure members and even if the suspension was dismissed, we do not have any problem," he said.

"I spoke to the national commissar yesterday (Monday) about this issue and we have written letters to the national secretary for administration (Ignatius Chombo) and the national PC seeking their guidance on the issue and we are waiting for them to guide us accordingly."

Some sections of the party think that an open war is brewing against Mpofu, who was allegedly the target of the demonstration by the five who were suspended and Kasukuwere, who ruled in their favour.