Applaud President Mugabe for destroying factionalism

As the succession debate nicodemously continues in ZANU PF, although there is no vacancy and no need for people to discuss about that in ZANU PF, President Robert Mugabe, recently chipped in, categorically telling the people that the revolutionary party belongs to the people and not to few individuals. He said that there is no one who owns the party, hence, the leader of ZANU PF would come from the people when the time comes for him to retire. President Mugabe said this after numerous claims on the private media saying that the revolutionary party was being run on factional lines even in matters of importance.

 President Mugabe revealed that there is no guarantee in ZANU PF that one is going to automatically succeed him when the time comes for him to retire. The President said this after reported factional wars allegedly pitying people aligned to Vice President Joice Mujuru and Defense Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, two are said to be top contenders vying to succeed President Mugabe when he retires from office. Although Vice President Mujuru and Defense Minister, Mnangagwa denied ever leading factions in ZANU PF, on the ground people have not stopped running the party on factional lines claiming that they belong to either Vice President`s side or Defence Minister`s. Even the corruption reports that have been taking place in the media were alleged to have been fuelled by one faction in a move to destroy the other one as the elective congress in December 2014, comes close.

As such, President Mugabe should be applauded for making it clear that anyone from the party could lead ZANU PF, after he has retired not the situation where members of the revolutionary party have taken upon themselves to create camps aligned to their alleged factional leaders. It is now incumbent upon those who have been fingered in leading factional wars to also be open and tell the people that they are also against factional wars as the vice is causing division in ZANU PF.
 
Vice President Mujuru and Defence Minister Mnangagwa should always be in public forums denouncing factionalism and make it clear that they are not leading any factions in the country. The two should not fall prey to the agenda setting policy of the media as failure to continuously denounce factionalism within ZANU PF, by the two alleged factional leaders, would make people to continue aligning themselves with them, thereby fueling further factional wars.

In that way, such strong statement by President Mugabe showing that succession issue should not only be between Vice President Mujuru and Defence Minister Mnangagwa must be a welcome move to those who have been politically and psychologically sidelined from that top post on the belief that only either Vice President Mujuru or Defence Minister Mnangagwa were the ones supposed to take over from President Mugabe when he retires. Even the media has been awash with stories indicating that the issue of succession rests with these two influential people in the party and that other people were just dark horses.

As such, this declaration by the President that the succession issue is open to everyone, should now put to rest all factional wars which hitherto have been causing problems in the party thereby making projects implementation of the party  suffer. Party businesses have not been carried out properly in different provinces as factional wars were disturbing implementations of such programs as people were reluctant to partner themselves with leaders perceived to belong to another faction. Such factional wars have created divisions within the party causing it to have problems in implementing issues of national interest. Now that the President has openly declared that there is no guarantee that either Vice President Mujuru or Defence Minister Mnangagwa would succeed him, people should now focus their energy in the implementation of party programs without considering who is spearheading such programs.

Now that the air has been cleared those prepared to take over from President Mugabe when he retires, should throw in their names when the elective congress is held and get ready to contest when the time comes. Factional wars in ZANU PF, which have reportedly pitied Vice President Mujuru and Defence Minister Mnangagwa, created a situation which was not good for the party. Even the media itself created a situation which hindered the potential leaders to throw in their names in the fray so that they are counted among those who can lead ZANU PF after President Mugabe.

The situation in the country is that, those who have been quiet but also capable of leading ZANU PF after President Mugabe, should also come in as potential candidates. They should not feel belittled just because they have not been also singled out as factional leaders. Such people should also appreciate that ZANU PF is the people`s party and anyone with leadership qualities can lead the party as long as they are given such a mandate by the people. Factional wars and divisions that have rocked the revolutionary party for some time now should be a thing of the past.

The President has made it clear that the succession debates must not be a two horse race but should be open to everyone who is prepared to lead the country once he/she is given the mandate by the people. What it means now is that those who have been creating factional divisions in provinces claiming to be aligned either to Vice President Mujuru or Defense Minister Mnangagwa should now stop that and focus  more on the development of the party and the country. Now that the race has been thrown open, even to dark horses, factional divisions should now be buried. This statement by President Mugabe should also be an eye-opener to everyone in the party who is willing to contest for that highest post when the President retires.

President Mugabe should be applauded for coming out in the open by denouncing factionalism that was killing the spirit of the party. Even the media, which was confusing the people by blowing the issue of factionalism in ZANU PF out of proportion, should advice the public to take seriously  President Mugabe`s declaration so that factionalism in ZANU PF is buried deep under the ground.

The people should wait patiently for the opportune time to campaign for the post as the vacancy is not yet there. People should stop such factional wars as the President has been open to say that no one is guaranteed to take over from him.

Mukachana Hanyani, a Harare-based political and social commentator who can be reached through mhanyani@yahoo.com