President Robert Mugabe’s reluctance to spell out his succession plans is fuelling factional fights in Zanu PF that have failed to die even after the expulsion of his former deputy Joice Mujuru, analysts have said.
BY MOSES MATENGA
The ruling party is embroiled in serious infighting which escalated following the ouster of Mujuru and her alleged allies after the controversial December 2014 congress.
Analysts said as long as Mugabe remained silent on his succession, there would be a lot of fights in the party.
Charles Mangongera, a Harare-based political analyst, said the lack of clarity on succession was to blame for unrest in Zanu PF.
“What is driving factionalism is the absence of clarity on transition. As long as there is this feeling that Mugabe is almost gone and someone will take over, anyone will entertain thoughts of taking over,” Mangongera said.
“As long as he is there, frail and old, we will have this. The battle is not over. The Mujuru issue was just the beginning, there will be intra-party factional fights.
“The team of people like (secretary for commissariat) Saviour Kasukuwere, (First Lady) Grace Mugabe and Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s cabal is based on personal interests, nothing binds them. They are not agreed on who will take over.”
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Mangongera said Mugabe should have avoided the mess by naming his successor.
Another political analyst, Blessing Vava, said Mugabe’s succession had been ignored for too long and was now plaguing Zanu PF.
“That can be partly attributed to succession which has been swept under the carpet for many years and this is now haunting Zanu PF,” Vava said.
“It is now a struggle within a struggle as people are fighting to position themselves to succeed Mugabe.” Zanu PF has been in a war mode from the pre-congress period where those perceived to be Mujuru allies, including ministers, were hounded out of the system.
