ZANU PF IN FREE-FALL

THE possibility of President Robert Mugabe exiting the political stage before serving his full term should he win the forthcoming elections has intensified jostling for the high-pressure job within ZANU-PF resulting in widespread divisions and infighting that may cost the party at the polls, The Financial Gazette can exclusively reveal. The succession issue has refused to die down despite it being clear that it now presents the greatest threat to ZANU-PF’s continued survival. Essentially, it has created sworn enemies among party cadres, some of whom would rather put up with a Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) administration than having their internal rivals within the cusp of succeeding President Mugabe whose tribal balancing has been credited for keeping the party intact thus far.

A few months before the elections, the rivalry that once rocked the party’s District Coordinating Committees (DCCs) last year, is rearing its ugly head again, this time at the provincial levels. But instead of disbanding the provincial structure like they did with the DCCs, the ZANU-PF leadership has started restructuring the provincial executives, a decision that has not gone down well with those being pushed out. The restructuring, which started in Bulawayo last week, has done very little to stop opposing ZANU-PF factions from throwing mud at each other in a bid to be in a position of strength should the need for the incumbent to pass on the baton arise. There is a speculation doing the rounds in ZANU-PF that President Mugabe (89) might step down from his government post after winning the next elections, but remain the party’s President and First Secretary which would still allow him to pull the levers of State power.

Another five-year term would end when the ZANU-PF leader is 94 years. President Mugabe has hinted before that he will not handpick a successor, but would allow the party to choose his heir apparent. As per the tradition, each province would be required to nominate a candidate for selection at the party’s elective congress should President Mugabe’s wish prevails. With the next elective congress scheduled for next year, ZANU-PF bigwigs are now using every trick in the book to strengthen their positions. Just like what happened with the aborted DCC elections, ZANU-PF heavyweights are strategically positioning their lieutenants in the provincial executives so that they could influence the voting patterns at the elective congress should President Mugabe decide to call it a day. The new constitution is also behind the political gamesmanship playing out in ZANU-PF and to some extent in the MDC party, led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai. There is a provision in the new charter under the sixth schedule which says should a President retire or fail to continue in office for any reason, there would be no fresh elections, but the governing political party would choose whom to thrust to the top post.

To those in ZANU-PF eyeing the top post, it has become so critical to be in control of the provinces in case there might be need to apply the sixth schedule. But while ZANU-PF found it easy to deal with the DCCs by disbanding them, it cannot do the same with the provincial executives as that would disconnect its national leadership from the grassroots since provincial executives now act as the bridge between the grassroots and the national leadership in the absence of the DCCs. ZANU-PF insiders said whoever prevails in the current power matrix stands a good chance of succeeding President Mugabe. President Mugabe is however, concerned that the infighting is now interfering with his poll plan. He had hoped to push for an election by June 29, but now finds himself in a catch-22 situation. He is now likely to climb-down from his position to have harmonised polls by June 29 to give ZANU-PF more time to put its house in order although his major concern at the moment is that the MDC-T, which is currently in sixes and sevens, could be thrown a lifeline if elections are pushed beyond June. Last week’s decision by the party’s Politburo, the supreme decision-making body in-between congresses, to defer discussions on the holding of primary polls has had the effect of delaying the elections while exposing the absence of consensus in ZANU-PF over this emotive issue.

There is a school of thought that seems to be gaining sway in the party that says rushing into polls when the house was on fire would be tantamount to committing political suicide. This school of thought would want the warring factions in ZANU-PF to find each other before the primary elections could be held. That the party now has many centres of power competing for President Mugabe’s ear is also worrisome. Nearly all of President Mugabe’s close allies he depends on for feedback and strategy are eyeing the top job. Besides the traditional factions led by Vice President Joice Mujuru and Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, there is another camp of young Turks building around the persona of Saviour Kasukuwere, the party’s secretary for youth. As a result, infighting has reached fever pitch. To paper over the cracks, President Mugabe dispatched a high-powered probe team to deal with widening rifts in the country’s 10 political provinces. But the team is finding the going tough. Led by the party’s national chairperson, Simon Khaya-Moyo, the team has been to Bulawayo where they elevated Callisto Ndlovu to the position of interim provincial chairperson and demoted Killian Sibanda, who previously held the position to deputy chairperson. Those who are not happy with the decision are currently agonising on how they should respond.

And on Friday, the probe team was in Manicaland to deal with the political tensions that have torn the party apart ahead of harmonised elections. This week, Rugare Gumbo, the party’s national spokesperson, said the probe team does not have any deadline in addressing the problems bedevilling ZANU-PF. Also comprising of national political commissar Webster Shamu, secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa and Kembo Mohadi who stood in for Sydney Sekeremayi, the probe team held a 14-hour-long meeting on Friday last week with members from the provincial leadership in Manicaland, the Politburo, the Central Committee and the National Consultative Assembly at Marymount Teachers College. The meeting spilled into the following day. Factionalism in Manicaland has been worsened by the suspension of Mike Madiro, a close ally of Mnangagwa, the party’s secretary for legal affairs who was once touted as President Mugabe’s heir apparent, from the position of provincial chairperson. The Mnangagwa faction, according to party insiders, comprise Oppah Muchinguri, the ZANU-PF Women’s League boss, who is fighting in Madiro’s corner. Muchinguri and her colleagues were not amused by the inclusion of Mutasa in the probe team. They argued that Mutasa was part of the problems bedevilling the party in Manicaland and therefore it was illogical to include him in the probe team. No consensus was reached during the marathon meeting which began on Friday and ended on Saturday morning. The hiatus has led party insiders to speculate that another “bhora musango” could be in the offing whereby party cadres peeved by the goings on in the party might end up voting for ZANU-PF’s rivals as was the case in 2008.

The rift in Manicaland has split the provincial structure into two camps. Muchinguri, senator Monica Mutsvangwa, Justice and Legal Affaris Minister Patrick Chinamasa, governor Chris Mushohwe, Madiro, Mandi Chimene and war veterans leader Joseph Chinotimba are squaring up against Mutasa whose backers include Basil Nyabadza and Members of Parliament Freddy Kanzama and William Mutomba. Mutasa who is now said to be aligned to the Mujuru camp, was said to be the whistleblower in the case leading to the suspension of Madiro and his executive for allegedly using the name of the party to swindle diamond mining firms in Chiadzwa of over US$700 000. Madiro and his deputy chairperson, Dorothy Mabika are currently in court for allegedly stealing 10 beasts meant for party activities. But those close to them claim the charges were trumped up to malign the duo. Chinamasa, a Mnangagwa ally, has demanded that the party drop the charges immediately. But Mutasa, a godfather of ZANU-PF’s politics in the province, is not having any of it. Mutasa is now pushing for the disbanding of the provincial executive to pave way for new structures, where he is likely to use his political muscle to arm-twist events and push for his loyalists.

Mutasa is further believed to be pushing for Nyabadza to stand against Chinamasa in Makoni Central constituency ahead of the party primaries, a move that has further soured relations between the two. Mutasa’s rivals have drawn out daggers against him. They now want him prosecuted along with former Manicaland Provincial chairperson, Nyabadza for corruption. The Financial Gazette can reveal that the sensational claims of corruption against Mutasa and Nyabadza would be revealed in the trial of Madiro expected to start next week at the Mutare Magistrates Court. Madiro stands accused of stealing beasts donated for President Mugabe’s birthday last year. When he was arrested last year, he warned that “those who live in glass houses must not throw stones.” His statement now rings true as his trial is likely to open a can of worms. Mutasa could not comment on the allegations saying he was in a meeting, but Nyabadza dismissed the claims. “People always allege, but facts are stubborn. I will challenge anyone in Zimbabwe who alleges that to show any cause. My hand has not been involved in that,” said Nyabadza.

Gumbo said he was still to hear of the allegations against Mutasa and Nyabadza. Analysts said it was unfortunate that the party was immersed in internal power struggles when it should be concentrating on how it could reclaim the seats it lost to the MDC-T in 2008. Andrew Mugari, a political analyst, said the divisions were a recipe for disaster. “If they approach elections in this mode, they are going to face another ‘bhora musango’ protest if they do not put their house in-order,” he said. Political Scientist, Boniface Mahambe, said ZANU-PF need not risk heading for elections with other party members feeling short-changed by their leadership. Muchinguri, who was among those who petitioned President Mugabe recently to rein in on Mutasa, said her plea for the party was for it to go for credible primary elections and “not injure each other.”  She said senior party members must protect their juniors and the juniors must respect the latter. “Insulting each other, lying is not helpful. You can see that these are contestations for elections,” said Muchinguri.