PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe will today preside over a bitterly divided Zanu PF politburo amid heightened tensions, as the acrimonious succession wars threaten to boil over.
Reporters: Richard Chidza/ Everson Mushava
Compiled by Annegrett Dube
We asked our audience their expected outcomes from the Zanu PF politburo meeting:
12: 39: “Provincial Committee will deal with those that have stopped others from coming. We will see if we can take what you said. Say exactly what is happening. Lets talk about issues. We are seen as more divided than Tsvsngirai’s MDC. He is happy but does not realise he does not have a party. He has a piece of a party. He must just admit he has failed”
12:35: Jonathan Moyo arrives
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12:34: “We talked after cabinet yesterday and asked people to stop it. There is a party structure to resolve differences.Do not give stories to opposition press.”
12.32: “We must toe the party line .The party line is to be strong and united. We heard what Mahoka said. She talked about a lot of things mixing things but we heard her. The opposition is happy that Zanu PF is at each other’s throats.”
12:29: Charamba arrives. He is booed by about five youths.
12:28: Whites should not come here with a superiority complex. That period is over. Some country’s are still dominated including by France which has military presence in some African countries. Some leaders are afraid to associate with us and refuse invites to come here
12.:23: “It will not help for us to remain in an organisation in which we are not treated as equals. We can walk out and form our own organisation. We can form a bigger organisation than UN if we join hands with China and India.”
12:08: Mugabe chronicles his time as AU chair and the meetings he attended. 
11: 54: President Robert Mugabe comes to address the gathering. He thanks women for the gathering. Spells out Grace is behind all this . I want to have a chat with women’s league chair. Sorry youth league chair and we will meet this week. I want to have a chat with him. We are sorry if some did not understand ans stopped some women. I only heard about it three days ago. If everything had gone through the normal channel then they should not have stopped people. It was our way of empowering women. Now our girl children have surpassed boys. We have a theme of gender equality in the African Union. Respect for women. When I was appointed chair I did not want to disappoint or bring the country into disrepute through failure so I did my best. We took some days to look at the previous leadership along with foreign minister Mumbengegwi. Kasukuwere takes the.microphone. Sings ‘regai vatonge’. The party is behind your leadership. Let us give him the chance to work and give his best We support the leadership you chose.
11:30 “ We are aware they want to bomb the dairy, kill my children and all. It is not good. They are threatening Mugabe but you know him. He will not be intimidated by words. We want peace so the leadership must get to work. We want the politburo to concentrate on real issues not petty things. We made promises to the people and we must deliver. Journalists the negative stories u write can cause instability and it will affect us all despite political affiliation. We must not scare investors with negative stories Some seem to have gone to school to learn obscenities. Stop It. We must unite its our country all of us. Let us forgive each other when we err and we must wash dirty linen in public. We must not blame the media because we feed them with information. Imiwo musangonyore zvese zvese. Nobody is perfect”
“Sandi Moyo, President we heard people wanted you to continue as AU chair. You have put women’s issues at the forefront of human rights. The whole world is looking East because Mugabe said so. We are worried that people plan to bomb you But God is there and will protect you. We are with you all way. We have over 20 000 women here and a few men. People are being intimidated in the provinces. Youths have been send to stop some buses.Some forced their way here. It must stop.We want our children to follow the party. Our youths are being taught bad things. Some seem to be paid to intimidate people. We have so much we want to tell you but this is not the time.
11;29: Grace Mugabe addresses the crowd11:22: Tabeth Kanengoni Malinga reads part of Charamba’s interview
11:21: Mahoka goes for Charamba “We want to know if the President sent Charamba.”
11:17: Mahoka goes on a fawning expedition. “We have not said anyone must be fired”. She asks Mnangagwa “,People must play with your name and you keep quiet. You must stop it!. Do not act like a duck, speak against it, abuse of your name” “There is no problem with you VP Mphoko, We are violated in your name. We are not saying Mnangagwa must be removed but his people are speaking.” “I am ready to die for the party and Mugabe,” firebrand MP Mahoka declares. “You will die because of this, Mahoka tells Mnangagwa.”
11: 14: Mahoka addresses the crowd. She speaks out against factionalism, “We are being used and we are not fighting the leadership even if you choose a person we hate we will accept” “Herald is lying” Mahoka tells Mugabe. “We will not brook any nonsense particularly people denigrating our leader as women.
11:08: Government businesses at a standstill as most ministers are here.
11:02: Women’s League leadership sloganeering
10:55: Zanu PF supporters chant “Pasi nezvinomuka”
10: 52: Sarah Mahoka calls for provincial chairpersons to come forward. Six chairpersons are available.
- Tavengwa Harare
- Kizito Chivamba- Midlands
- Joel Biggie Matiza-Mashonaland East
- Ezra Chadzamira-Masvingo
- Chengeta-Mashonaland West
- Matabeleland South Chairperson
10:50: Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa arrives. Reports clasim that his counterpart Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko has been at the Zanu PF headquarters since 7 pm.
10:49: Jonathan Moyo and War vets minister Christopher Musvangwa have not been seen. 10:46: Mugabe goes straight to the podium under heavy guard and assistance.
10:45: Chants of Gushungo ring out. 10: 44: President Robert Mugabe arrives to rapturous applause.
10:40: Midlands provincial chair Kizito Chivamba, Obert Mpofu and Shadreck Mashayamombe who is reportedly a key g40 figure arrive for the politburo meeting.
10:39: Sarah Mahoka is running around seemingly in charge of the preparations. 10:36: War vets are reportedly present
10:33: Zanu Pf Spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo arrives 10:29: Oppah Muchinguri walks in 10:13: Sydney Sekeramayi arrives amid muted . 10:01: Christopher Mushowe and Joram Gumbo arrive.
- Headquarters front and car park almost filling up, the delegates are mainly women and youths. Morale is high among the youths and the women are clad in party regalia.
09:47: Women cheering as Kasukuwere waves at them. 
Zanu PF national political commisar Savoiur Kasukuwere and Zanu PF Hurungwe East Sarah Mahoka arriving. 
There is heavy police presence at Zanu PF headquarters. People are being frisked as they are getting in.
