Zanu PF’s infighting during the controversial provincial elections has exposed how deeply divided the party is over President Robert Mugabe’s successor.
NewsDay Editorial
Instead of Zanu PF focusing its energy on reviving the economy and creating employment, the party is ensuring that Zimbabwe sinks further into political abyss.
The party’s failure to hold smooth provincial elections plunged it into deeper political infighting, dragging the country along with it into the abyss.
What is happening in this country is very sad. It is very difficult to see how we will be able to overcome the challenges that we have. The internal strife, chaos and rigging allegations during the Zanu PF provincial elections is a microcosm of the extent of the unfair tendencies by the ruling party in national polls over the years.
This has confirmed our worst fears that one day Mugabe will leave a fractious political party with the potential to throw the country into the bottomless pit. We doubt whether that is what Mugabe would want – to have a tattered legacy for his 50-year-old political party.
That will be bad not only for Zanu PF and Zimbabwe, but for democracy in Africa. All along Mugabe has been the glue that holds the political outfit together, but it appears that Zanu PF is falling apart as shown by the chaos during the provincial elections.
This is no small matter as these polls will determine who will eventually succeed Mugabe at the next congress. Two distinct factions have emerged, one led by Vice-President Joice Mujuru and the other led by party legal boss and Justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa. Mugabe has not helped things as he has oscillated between Mujuru and Mnangagwa.
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We believe Mugabe should have prepared his party for a new leader. What this chaos does is to confirm our long-held fear that all along the party has been rigging national polls on a grand scale to remain in power — yet they always denied that.
Now the fights between party spokesperson Rugare Gumbo and Mugabe’s spokesperson George Charamba over Mashonaland Central provincial election results seem to be a tip of the iceberg, and Zimbabwe should expect more.
How Mugabe, Mujuru and Mnangagwa have been roped into the infighting is saddening. One wonders if Mugabe is still in charge of the country let alone his party. Will Zanu PF survive after Mugabe? It appears his handlers are taking advantage of his advanced age.
It appears those close to him are aware of his troubles and are usurping the reins of power. For a ruling party to sink this low is dangerous for the government.
We cannot expect this generation of leaders to protect our interests, but theirs alone.
This discord we are witnessing is indicative of the deep-rooted factional fights within Zanu PF and government.
Mugabe must put his house in order for progress’ sake!
