ZANU-PF Congress December 2-7 - choosing a Crown Prince and a course
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  ZANU-PF Congress December 2-7 - choosing a Crown Prince and a course
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Author Topic: ZANU-PF Congress December 2-7 - choosing a Crown Prince and a course  (Read 7357 times)
politicus
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« on: November 03, 2014, 07:20:32 PM »
« edited: December 12, 2014, 12:06:55 PM by politicus »

Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF party will be holding their Congress in December. President Robert Mugabe is the sole candidate for party President and First Secretary, but he is 90 and the election of the partys two Vice Presidents will de facto determine who succeeds him as party President and leader of Zimbabwe. If (when..) Mugabe dies in office his party will get to nominate a successor and whoever controls the party apparatus is almost certainly going to get the Presidency. Even if Mugabe survives to the next presidential election in 2018, he will be 94 by then and his health is deteriorating.

The posts are:

1. Vice President and Second Secretary: This combo is currently held by Joice Mujuru who is also Zimbabwe's Vice President and leads one of the two wings in ZANU-PF.

2. Vice President: Current Party Chairman Simon Khaya Moyo is almost certain to get this newly created post and thereby retain his seat in the three member Presidium, since his competitors are light weights. Moyo is expected to support Mujuru.

Party Chairman: An administrative post.

Mujuru's moderate wing won 9 out of 10 provinces in the party elections last year (perhaps with a bit of cheating... but still) and was considered in the lead, but then her rival Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa allied with Mugabe's wife Grace Mugabe (49), who fears to lose her and her family's  wealth and position after Bob's death and she has successfully taken over the Women's League and is apparently going for the Vice Presidency (despite not having the required 15 years of party leadership experience - actually she has none prior to taking over the Women's League..).
 
http://www.zimbabwesituation.com/news/zimsit_w_mujuru-faces-waterloo-at-congress-the-zimbabwe-independent/

Two wings are contesting:

Mujuru's side ( 'the moderates'): pro-business and centrist bloc that attempts to push ZANU-PF politics to the centre, improve relations with the international community and seek some kind of compromise with the opposition (but not to give back looted state and private assets, of course..).

Mnangagwa's camp ('hard-liners’ or ‘old guard’): dominated by the majority of the elite group that has dominated Zimbabwe's political scene since the 1980s. Likely to continue Mugabe-style politics combined with anti-Western rhetoric and authoritarianism.

The Vice President's camp is a ragtag of groups within ZANU-PF including grassroots activists young politicians clamouring for a new kind of politics, generic moderates and  the more pragmatic part of the old guard.

The only thing holds these groups together is a dislike for Mnangagwa's ruthless politics and cold persona - not a shared vision for the future.
Mujuru is faced with the challenge of keeping all these more or less autonomous and unpredictable groups on her side and her coalition has been falling apart under intense pressure  from Mnangagwa's group backed by Mugabe, which has tried to pressure or persuade her supporters to defect, but she still has many supporters - among them the chair of the veterans organization (she is a war hero herself) and most of the Youth League.

Mnangagwa also has the backing of most "securocrats" and Zimbabwe's military has long played a pivotal part in ZANU-PF politics, and many believe Mugabe would not have had the same staying power without the security elite's endorsement. These securocrats might not have a vote, but they do have a preferred candidate. Mnangagwa has cultivated a much stronger relationship with the intelligence community and military than Mujuru, partly through his previous role as Defence Minister. Mugabe has always assigned the security related ministries to Mnangagwa: state security, home affairs, defence and justice and Mnangagwa is one of few ZANU-PF officials allowed to maintain direct and close ties to Zimbabwe's security community - a privilege never granted to Mujuru, but her late husbond Solomon Mujuru was Army Chief until 1995 and leader of ZANUs military wing under the independence war and some officers are presumably loyal to his widow (the liberation struggle is essential to ZANU-PF self perception).
The belief that Mnangagwa would be more likely to seek continuity rather than change also appeals to the securocrats looking to maintain their privileged power positions.

Even on the verge of the grave Mugabe's still dominates the party, and through ZANU-PF history Mugabe's hand has been central in ensuring the rise or fall of various politicians.
Mugabe wants a leader that at the same time can keep the party together, and allow him to continue playing a part in politics from behind the scenes. The person who seems to fit this bill closest is Mnangagwa, so he is Mugabe's preferred candidate.
 
Mnangagwa also has the country's most canny political strategists  Jonathan Moyo and Patrick Chinamasa, a formidable duo that helped deliver several electoral victories for Mugabe (who has likely gotten most votes in all elections apart from 2008 and won a landslide victory in 2013).

Mujuru's main advantage is that her faction is (probably) still the largest.
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politicus
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« Reply #1 on: November 04, 2014, 06:35:10 AM »
« Edited: November 04, 2014, 11:35:58 AM by politicus »

The Mnangagwa faction will be trying to get an amendmend passed, so Mugabe can appoint his deputy and politburo members after being reelected as party President, but they are far from sure they can do it and are going after provincial chairmanships. So far they have ousted two Mujuru loyalists as provincial chairs in Masonaland West and in Masvingo, where retired Brigadier General Killian Gwanetsa is challenging the decision to oust him as he thinks its illegal, and are going after a third, former Ambassador to Cuba John Mvundura in Manicaland. According to Zimbabwean daily The Standard the plot to oust all provincial chairpersons perceived to be aligned to Mujuru will move to Mashonaland East, Midlands and Mashonaland Central (Mujurus home province) before congress in order to give the Mnangagwa faction the required six provinces behind their candidate.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201411032029.html
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« Reply #2 on: November 06, 2014, 04:02:43 PM »

Article from Financial Gazette saying factionalism is at a level, where a split of the party is likely. Also has an overview of the situation regarding Women's League, Youth League, Chiefs Council, and some of the provinces.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201411061782.html

A Mujuru loyalist MP has let his thugs beat up people in a pro-Grace Mugabe housing estate in South Harare, so far without being charged. It is an indication that Mugabe may not be in total control. Attacking Mugabe's wife's supporters like that would have been a no-go just a few months ago.

An attempt by the dethroned chairman of the war veterans to hold an "illegal" congress in Harare paid for by foreign donors has been stopped, but he and his supporters still maintain that the so called Elders of the Liberation Struggle that couped him are a group that no one has heard of before and that there re no special status attributed to "elders" among war veterans (who would be middle aged+ anyway...).
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« Reply #3 on: November 07, 2014, 08:03:33 PM »

Harare provincial chairman, former Ambasador Amos Midzi has been sacked, so one more important Mujuru ally is out.

http://www.newsdzezimbabwe.co.uk/2014/11/another-mujuru-ally-booted out.html?showComment=1415332122436
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politicus
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« Reply #4 on: November 10, 2014, 04:07:14 AM »
« Edited: November 10, 2014, 04:09:34 AM by politicus »

State of the race:

http://allafrica.com/stories/201411090066.html

Apparently they are trying to bribe key Mujuru allies to desert her, but this article says she is likely to hang on.
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« Reply #5 on: November 12, 2014, 01:19:56 AM »
« Edited: November 16, 2014, 03:59:21 PM by politicus »

Mashonaland East provincial chairman and business tycoon Ray Kauonde, the main funder of Vice President Joice Mujuru's faction, was yesterday booted out alongside his entire provincial executive through a vote of no confidence by party supporters from the province's districts.

Another Mujuru ally Matabeleland South chairman Andrew Langa suffered the same fate yesterday.

This brings to six the number of provincial party chairmen kicked out, the four previous being Temba Mliswa (Mashonaland West) Kalisto Gwanetsa (Masvingo), Amos Midzi (Harare) and Jason Machaya (Midlands).



Mujuru loyalists now control her home province of Central Mashonaland + Manicaland, where John Mvundura is still hanging on and Bulawayo, where Callistus Ndlovu remains in charge despite efforts to oust him.

Matabeleland North with Richard Moyo as chairman is the one provice the Mnangagwa faction won in the party elections last year.
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« Reply #6 on: November 12, 2014, 10:34:30 AM »
« Edited: November 14, 2014, 01:44:19 PM by politicus »

Turns out the ousting of Ray Kaukonde in Mashonaland East was illegal, so he is still hanging on.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201411120487.html

EDIT: Ray Kaukonde and Grace Mugabe are close relatives and both hail from Chivhu in Mashonaland East. When Kaukonde was a Central Intelligence Organization (CIO) officer he helped Grace secure a job as a typist in the President's Office in the early 90s before becoming Mugabe's mistress (while the first Mrs. Mugabe, Ghanese Sally Hayfron, still lived and Grace was still married to Stanley Gorereza, a former air force pilot).

Kaukonde is rumoured to have sensitive information on Grace Mugabe.
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« Reply #7 on: November 14, 2014, 08:05:42 AM »

Two more key Mujuru allies are eliminated. Zanu-PF national spokesperson Rugare Gumbo was yesterday suspended for five years by the Politburo, while war veterans' leader Jabulani Sibanda was expelled from the party.
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« Reply #8 on: November 14, 2014, 10:56:02 AM »
« Edited: November 14, 2014, 11:52:24 AM by politicus »

This article paints a different picture of the power struggle in ZANU, citing an anonymous "top ZANU official" for the view that the fight is between the Mugabe family and his Gushungo clan vs. Mujuru, who urged by her backers in the business community and possibly Western embassies has tried to remove Mugabe as leader either at Congress or through a vote of no confidence in Parliament and that  Mujuru also had refused to give guarantees for the First Family's economic power after taking over.

It claims Mnangagwe and his faction is on the sideline and that Mugabe doesn't want him to take over because he belongs to a clan that tried to block Mugabe from becoming ZANU leader in the 70s (this fits Mugabe's reputation for never forgiving people who have crossed him).

It also says that the most likely new VP is Senate President Edna Madzongwe (71) from Mugabe's Mashonaland West province and on good standing with his Gushungo clan, who isn't part of any of the two leading factions. And that the person Mugabe really wants to replace him is his 24 year old daughter Bona Mugabe! (educated in finance in Hong Kong and considered more intelligent and capable than his two sons).

Dunno if I buy it all, but the infighting between different Shona clans is clearly an element that is underrepresented in Western media and this scenario does explain why Grace Mugabe has been so vicious and personal in her attacks on Mujuru.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201411141750.html



Bona Mugabe



Edna Madzongwe (right) and Grace Mugabe (center)
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politicus
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« Reply #9 on: November 16, 2014, 03:56:58 PM »
« Edited: November 16, 2014, 04:32:51 PM by politicus »

State owned media now claim that Mujuru is linked to a plot to assasinate Mugabe and one of her allies has negotiated with South African and Israeli hitmen!

"a Cabinet minister from Mashonaland Central who is Joice Mujuru's ally "made contingencies for such a scenario during recent meetings with potential hitmen in South Africa and Israel."
According to the report "the police should act swiftly on the matter" suggesting Mujuru's possible arrest."


http://www.sundaymail.co.zw/vp-mujuru-linked-to-president-assassination-plot/

http://allafrica.com/stories/201411160382.html

Meanwhilw Manicaland chairman John Mvundura (and his deputy) was ousted yesterday, so yet another Mujuru ally is out. Her faction now only controls three provinces.

"The purging of Mujuru loyalists is set to continue as insiders say more politburo members will be sacked unless they openly recant their support for Mujuru."
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« Reply #10 on: November 17, 2014, 06:40:28 AM »
« Edited: November 17, 2014, 06:42:47 AM by politicus »

Given that Mujuru now is up against the wall the speculation regarding whether she will form a splinter party has started.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201411170538.html

Apart from all the power and patronage ZANU-PF provides her problem is that the seats of MPs in Zimbabwe belong to the party, not the person, so she would have to start with no representation, unless the courts rule that both parties are heirs to the original ZANU-PF, but given that we are talking about the all powerfull party of government, that is very unlikely, even if the Zimbabwean judiciary is sometimes remarkably independent.

The current case where the MDC-T has recalled 15 MPs and 3 Senators that deserted to the MDC Renewal Team is interesting in this regard, since it will set a precedent.

All this is of course void if they jail her for conspiracy to murder (or even some fraud/corruption charge), but I think this will be too risky given the amount of support she has in the party and parts of the army.
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« Reply #11 on: November 18, 2014, 05:08:49 AM »
« Edited: November 18, 2014, 05:39:42 AM by politicus »

Ray Kaukonde is ousted as Mashonaland East chairman by a 27-23 vote in the provincial executive.

In Bulawayo the chairman Professor Callistus Ndlovu had a vote of no confidence (passed Sunday) overturned yesterday by the Provincial Executive, so he still hangs on (it is the second time Ndlovu has reversed a no confidence vote).

http://bulawayo24.com/index-id-news-sc-local-byo-57709.html

Still, Mujuru is now down to two provinces and Ndlovu probably can't keep up his Lazarus stunt forever.

Grace Mugabe has demanded that Mujuru steps down and claimed she will otherwise reveal a video of Mujuru making disparaging comments about Robert Mugabe.
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« Reply #12 on: November 18, 2014, 05:37:42 AM »

It only takes six provinces to elect a VP, so Mujuru is de facto out of that race, but if she still controls one or two provincial chapters she can claim there is a split in the party organization if she creates her own party, which increases the chance that a court will allow Mujuru loyalist MPs to join the new party without losing their seats.

To eliminate this possibility is likely the main reason why it is so important for her opponents to take control of all ten provincial chapters. The hard one is going to be Mujurus home province Mashonaland Central.
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« Reply #13 on: November 19, 2014, 05:09:20 AM »

Mashonaland Central chairman Luke Mushore is also ousted.

http://www.herald.co.zw/9th-provincial-chairman-booted-out/

He was the last pro-Mujuru chair as Professor Ndlovu in Bulawayo is considered ousted by the party, despite having a majority in the Provincial Executive. So no provinces left in the Mujuru camp and lots of people trying to distance themselves from her. There will be a Politburo meeting on Saturday and she is under intense pressure to resign.

According to New Zimbabwe the top brass in the police and CIO (intelligence service), that backed Mujuru is also changing sides.
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« Reply #14 on: November 21, 2014, 09:39:50 AM »
« Edited: November 21, 2014, 09:44:38 PM by politicus »

Emmerson Mnangagwa and his right hand man Minister of Information Johnathan Moyo are having a fallout over who is going to become VP, now that they have outmanouvred Mujuru.

Mnangagwa wants Senate President Edna Madzongwe, whereas Moyo backs the unpopular and scheming outgoing Women’s League boss Oppah Muchinguri. So it looks like there is going to be another factional fight within the winning side.

http://nehandaradio.com/2014/11/21/mnangagwa-moyo-fall-muchinguri/

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« Reply #15 on: November 21, 2014, 12:43:59 PM »
« Edited: November 23, 2014, 03:57:05 PM by politicus »

So tomorrow is the crucial CC meeting, where it will be decided whether the party Constitution will be changed to allow Mugabe to pick the two VPs and the Party Chairman (reducing them to mere functionaries), or if they will continue to be elected on congress as usual. Its almost certain the Constitution will be amended, but since his people now control the provinces Mnangagwa might try to avoid it.

The CC will also vote to confirm all the oustings of provincial chairmen, deputies and Women League chairs that have been going on, this looks like a done deal.

The two most interesting elements are if Mujuru will be sacked or relegated from the party, as Grace Mugabe has demanded, and what will happen to Mujurus allies in the security forces.
According to Zimbabwe Independent CIO Director General Happyton Bonyongwe, Police Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri, Air Marshal Perence Shiri  and Prisons Commissioner General. Rtd. Major General Paradzai Zimondi will all be purged! Even if they will mostly be replaced by their deputies this will be an unprecedented blow to the securocrats. ZI believes Mugabe will place the head of his Presidential Guard as CIO boss to get the intelligence service back under full control.
There is also the question if they  will dare to touch the Army and purge Mujuru supporters from the officer corps, there are none among the very top, but it would still be a provocation.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201411211599.html

EDIT: This has not been held, instead there was a Politburo meeting, but there is no news of any major decisions.

The top securocrats in the Joint Operations Command are:

Minister of Defence, Sydney Sekeramayi (one of Mnangagwas mos trusted allies)
General Constantine Chiwenga, commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces
Lieutenant General Philip Sibanda, commander of the Zimbabwe National Army
Air Marshal Perence Shiri, commander of the Air Force of Zimbabwe (Robert Mugabe's cousin and one of the main culprits of the 80s massacres against the Ndebeles, but a Mujuru ally)
General Commissioner Augustine Chihuri, Zimbabwe Republic Police (which has a big paramilitary wing and is a branch of the defence forces).
Major General (Rtd.) Paradzayi Zimondi, head of the Zimbabwe prison service.
Happyton Bonyongwe, Director General of the Central Intelligence Organization.



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« Reply #16 on: November 24, 2014, 06:28:13 AM »
« Edited: November 24, 2014, 07:34:04 AM by politicus »

A 10 hour marathon Politburo meeting on Saturday agreed to change the party's constitution to empower the party's First Secretary and President Robert Mugabe to appoint his deputies, the party chairman and the members of the Politburo. They also agree to increase the CC from 225 to 300 and affirmed the three latest oustings of provincial chairmen: Ray Kaukonde (Mashonaland East), John Mvundura (Manicaland) and Luke Mushore (Mashonaland Central).

The changes still require ratification of the Central Committee, which is likely to meet before end of the week, for them to be effective. There will be CC elections going on during the week, so it will be a new CC (with fewer Mujuru supporters), that takes the decision, which should therefore be a formality.

Further purges and oustings (if they happen) will be at the CC meeting.

http://nehandaradio.com/2014/11/24/mugabe-tightens-grip-zanu-pf/

Surprisingly Callistus Ndlovu has been reinstated by the Politburo as Bulawayo chairman, but the shenanigans going on in his ousting may have been too embarrassing to tolerate.

http://nehandaradio.com/2014/11/24/callistus-ndlovu-survives-ouster/
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« Reply #17 on: November 25, 2014, 06:00:34 PM »
« Edited: November 25, 2014, 06:07:56 PM by politicus »

Joice Mujuru is out of the CC as the Mashonaland Central Provincial Executive rejected her and a host of other heavyweights have failed to get reelected as well including cabinet ministers Lazarus Dokora (Education), Nicholas Goche (Labour), Dzikamai Mavhaire (Energy), Walter Mzembi (Tourism), Simbarashe Mumbengegwi (Foreign Affairs), Flora Bhuka (Land and Resettlement) and Francis Nhema (Youth and Empowerment). Its really a massacre...

http://nehandaradio.com/2014/11/25/mujuru-booted-zanu-pf-central-committee/

There are some talented people in that lot and it will be interesting to see if any of them will join the opposition.

As many as 100 legislators may be on their way out.

http://nehandaradio.com/2014/11/25/bloodbath-zanu-pf-10-ministers-100-legislators-face-wilderness/
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« Reply #18 on: December 01, 2014, 02:49:55 PM »
« Edited: December 01, 2014, 02:55:44 PM by politicus »

According to New Zimbabwe the Mujuru faction is considering to force a dissolution of parliament in cooperation with the opposition if (or rather when..) Mujuru is ousted as VP. The Zimbabwean Constitution allows a fresh election if two thirds of both Parliament and Senate vote for it. Apparently they want some sort of "assurance" from MDC that they can keep their constituencies, but there is little doubt that Mujuru loyalists and MDC commands 2/3 between them. An election now after all this chaos is going to be interesting.. to say the least.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201412012472.html
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« Reply #19 on: December 02, 2014, 02:34:05 PM »

There has been a preliminary Politburo meeting today and the Central Committee will meet tomorrow, then the actual Congress starts on Thursday. National Chairman Simon Khaya Moyo is now also under attack by the "war veterans" and Grace Mugabe supporters for not condemning factionalism and exposing a non-supportive attitude under the First Ladys rallies.

He is the token Ndebele in the otherwise Shona dominated leadership and if he is out it seems likely that Minister of Information and Mnangagwa faction no. 2 Johnathan Moyo (no relation) will enter the leadership, despite his currently strained relationship with Mnangagwa (or possibly made more likely by it - Mugabe loves "divide et impera").

ZANU-PF cadres are attacking some of last white owned farms in Mashonaland East claiming the whites where protected by now ousted provincial chairman Ray Kaukonde (the province has a disproportional number of the last 300 white owned farms). So it seems they will try to link the Mujuru-faction with protecting white farmers, no surprise there. 
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« Reply #20 on: December 05, 2014, 04:45:54 PM »
« Edited: December 06, 2014, 02:02:23 AM by politicus »

Recently expelled party spokesman Rugare Gumbo says ZANU-PF has been taking over by “The Gang of Four” — outgoing Women's League boss Oppah Muchinguri, Mugabe’s nephew Patrick Zhuwao, Water Affairs Minister Saviour Kasukuwere and Information Minister (and Mnangagwa faction no. 2) Jonathan Moyo and there are some clear parallels to China after Mao including Grace Mugabes  lack of respect for most elder revolutionaries ina party where liberation war credentials has been a crucial source of legitimacy. The obvious difference being that Mugabe isn't dead yet and that the ambitious young wife isn't part of the Gang of Four, but their tool.
Still I wonder if Grace Mugabe will meet the same faith as Jiang Qing (likely), and who the Deng Xiaopeng of Zimbabwe is? Wink (well, parallels shouldn't be taken too far..)
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« Reply #21 on: December 05, 2014, 04:56:09 PM »
« Edited: December 06, 2014, 02:00:19 AM by politicus »

Mugabe opened the Congress today in front of 12.000 delegates, He was seated at the high table with Grace, the Speaker of the House of Assembly Jacob Mudenda, Edna Madzongwe and Simon Khaya Moyo, which makes it unlikely Moyo is going to get the boot and more likely that Edna Madzongwe will become VP.

Mujuru (and Didymus Mutassa) stayed away and she will not get to address the congress to defend herself.

Acting Zanu PF Harare chairman Goodwills Masimirembwa told the delegates that Transport MInister Nicholas Goche, Joice Mujuru, Party Secretary Didymus Mutasa and ex Mashonaland East chair Ray Kaukonde wanted to topple Mugabe, so those are the official villains. No new purges yet and no actual policy discussion, but Mugabe said Mujuru and Mutasa will face charges for massive corruption. Mujurus children and grandchildren are staying in South Africa, but she is reportedly still in her house in Harare.
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« Reply #22 on: December 06, 2014, 11:34:54 AM »

ZANU-PF's candidate for the 2018 presidential election will be... (drum rolls) ... Comrade Robert Gabriel Mugabe! Surprise, surprise... Pretty ridiculous, he will be 94 by then, but his mother lived to be 99, so maybe he will be able to campaign. I suppose it's necessary for him to be the official candidate to keep control to the end, even if he doesn't plan to run.
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« Reply #23 on: December 06, 2014, 03:19:16 PM »
« Edited: December 06, 2014, 03:55:01 PM by politicus »

Mugabe may be starting to lose it (at least a bit...). He made a big gaffe today, when he chanted “Pasi ne Zanu PF” (down with Zanu PF) before he promptly got corrected and re-chanted “Pamberi ne Zanu PF ” (up with Zanu PF).

It’s the second time in a week that old Bob has made an embarrassing gaffe.

Addressing top Army brass and the new leadership of the war veterans association at the party HQ on Tuesday, Mugabe said Morgan Tsvangirai had "garnered 73 percent of the vote" in the 2008 presidential election! (which may be true, Mugabe is one of the few people who knows the right number..).

Before Mugabe could mention his own percentage his supporters shouted "47%, 47%, 47%" after which he promptly "corrected" to the official percentage.
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« Reply #24 on: December 07, 2014, 12:10:39 PM »
« Edited: December 07, 2014, 12:56:57 PM by politicus »

The Congress has approved constitutional amendments allowing the expulsion of any member who is either disloyal or treacherous to the leadership. This could lead to the expulsion of most of the Mujuru faction, but t is unlikely that Mugabe will be interested in this since it will leave the Mnangagwa faction as all powerfull. Yesterday he "saved" the Minister of Tourism by picking him for  the CC, when he wasn't elected and he will likely try to protect at least some others. But Mujuru and the other three designated villains/alleged coup plotters: Didymus Mutasa, Nicholas Goche and Ray Kaukonde, will be out. Kaukonde has already escaped to South Africa, so the question now is if what will happen to his business empire. Mutasa is hospitalised in South Africa for some unknown reason.

Any member on whom a vote of no confidence is passed on grounds of incompetence and negligence of duty" will be suspended from the party for five years.
This likely spells doom for the ousted provincial chairpersons: Jason Machaya (Midlands), Ray Kaukonde (Mashonlaland East), Andrew Langa (Matabeleland South), Themba Mliswa (Mashonaland West), John Shumba Mvundura (Manicaland), Callisto Gwanesta (Masvingo), Miriam Chikukwa (Harare) and Luke Mushore (Mashonaland Central), who all received votes of no confidence.

The Congress has also - as expected - allowed Mugabe to arbitrarily choose his two deputies and the party chairman + pick the Politburo from the CC (still elected). The question is if it will be possible to keep the party together post-Mugabe when all internal party democracy de facto has been eliminated. It leaves a defeated faction no real option other than leave.
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