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‘Factionalism Mugabe’s creation’

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President Robert Mugabe, whose Zanu PF party is struggling to contain factional fights that have rocked most of its provincial structures, could be the biggest beneficiary of the internal fissures, political analysts have said. Analyst Alexander Rusero said Mugabe was capitalising on Zanu PF factional clashes, making him appear more relevant as a “unifier”. “Factionalism […]

President Robert Mugabe, whose Zanu PF party is struggling to contain factional fights that have rocked most of its provincial structures, could be the biggest beneficiary of the internal fissures, political analysts have said.

Analyst Alexander Rusero said Mugabe was capitalising on Zanu PF factional clashes, making him appear more relevant as a “unifier”.

“Factionalism can be Mugabe’s creation as a political strategy,” said Rusero.

“There are no visible signs to say Mugabe is out of control. Forget about all those discords in Copac among politburo members. Mugabe is very good at fighting back political opponents, both in Zanu PF and outside. We cannot underestimate his capabilities to whip party members into line.He is not acting on factionalism because he is using it to consolidate himself in power.”

Zanu PF has been involved in violent infighting as factions preparing to succeed Mugabe sought to position themselves strategically in the recent district coordinating committee elections. Police had to be called in to restore sanity in Masvingo and Mutare recently.

Mugabe last week admitted to chaos in the party and in a passionate plea for unity, hinted to party supporters gathered at the Heroes’ Acre for the burial of Edson Ncube that Zanu PF could be defeated at the next elections as happened in March 2008 if the internal chaos persisted.

Rusero said: “Instead of thinking of challenging Mugabe, the factional camps are competing in pleasing Mugabe and as such the infighting won’t have an effect on him.”

Two factions, one allegedly led by Vice-President Joice Mujuru and another one reportedly led by Defence minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, are battling to control the party grassroots structures as the fight to succeed the 88-year-old veteran leader gathers momentum.

Known to be firm, Mugabe could have acted against factionalism, the way he did on the Tsholotsho debacle if factionalism was not benefiting him. Rusero added:

“He learnt from Machiavelli that if poison leads one to attain power and eliminates enemies then it ceases to be a dangerous substance, but a good and useful one. Likewise if factionalism is good to accumulate more power to Mugabe, it therefore becomes a useful development.

“He is a brilliant politician, a principled man and factionalism can be his political strategy to consolidate power while the factions are busy outwitting each other — competing to please him rather than replace him. Mugabe has been immortalised and we are likely to have pig fights than genuine struggles to wrestle power from him.”

But, former ambassador to China Chris Mutsvangwa said factions within Zanu PF were sponsored by the West who saw a new leader as the end of “Mugabeism”.

“Factionalism is a product of external agenda setters. Factions should be viewed in the form of a power grab that is why no one can openly say he is head of a faction and the alleged faction leaders are stampeding to clear themselves before Mugabe,” Mutsvangwa said.

He said it was inconceivable that Mugabe, after all the years he had been in power, did not know the person he wanted to succeed him.

According to Mutsvangwa factions could be fuelled because some people don’t feel the person tipped to succeed Mugabe could protect their vested interests.

Another analyst, Ibbo Mandaza, said factionalism was normal in politics and in Zanu PF, the fact that Mugabe was getting older was making it worse.

“Mugabe is not responsible for the factionalism in the party, it’s people who are simply competing for power in the event that Mugabe is no longer there,” Mandaza said.