Knives out in ED succession dog fight

Zanu PF heavyweights have started flexing their muscles in the increasing ugly fight to position themselves in the race to succeed President Emmerson Mnangagwa amid plots to elbow out those perceived to be newcomers through legal means and political manoeuvring.

The war to succeed Mnangagwa has exploded into the public arena, especially after recent politburo, central committee and women’s league meetings.

There are indications that the 82-yearold ruler’s loyalists want to elbow out Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga from the race as they prefer business tycoon Kudakwashe Tagwirei.

On Friday, it emerged that Zanu PF legal secretary Patrick Chinamasa was forced to retract a memo sent to the ruling party’s provincial officials on June 5 that could have disqualified Tagwirei from becoming a central committee member, clearing his way to contest for senior leadership positions in the party.

It has also emerged that Zanu PF’s ongoing cell verification exercise is exposing deep seated factionalism in the party as members seek to position themselves through the district coordinating committees (DCCs’) or by-passing the structure ahead of the provincial elections later this year and the 2027 elective congress.

The DCCs have direct influence on who is elected into the provincial coordinating committees, the central committee, the national constitutive assembly as well as the politburo, the party’s supreme decision making body.

DCC members are eligible to attend the party’s congress as delegates with voting rights and this makes them key factors in succession dynamics of the party.

The DCC consists of elected members from the cells and branches, who represent the main wing, women’s league and the youth league.

In the past, fierce power struggles among Zanu PF leaders have forced repeated dissolutions of DCCs.

Mpofu’s memo warned provincial executives that any recommendations and co-option into powerful positions including the central dommittee will attract sanctions.

“To be eligible for selection or election to the central committee, an individual must meet both the following criteria,” said Mpofu in the memo that has since been reversed by Chinamasa’s intervention.

“The individual must be a fully subscribed member of Zanu PF in good standing.

“Proven provincial or higher office: The individual must have held office in the province or a higher party organ for a continuous period of not less than five years immediately preceding consideration.

“No person lacking either requirement shall be nominated or considered.”

Zanu PF’s Harare province recently recommended the co-option of Tagwirei into the central committee, but the move was put on hold after the province was ordered to follow laid down procedures.

Mpofu said there were clear laid down procedures for co-option of any member into top positions.

He instructed the provincial leadership to enforce the five-year service requirement without exception.

“Monitor DCC adherence to the co-option procedure and statutory time limits,” he said.

“Submit certified minutes of all vacancy filling meetings and subsequent endorsements to the office of the secretary general within seven days of each stage.

“Non-compliance will invalidate the nomination and may attract disciplinary measures.”

Zanu PF director of information, Farai Marapira, said Mpofu’s directive was not targeted at any individual.

“The party does not address issues of advancement individually; the rules are universal,” Marapira said.

“It is also important to advise that Cde Tagwirei is one of many who have been advanced for membership of our party’s central committee.

“Therefore, for one to say any decision thereof earmarks a single person is the work of mischievous minds.”

Chiwenga is seen as a frontrunner to succeed Mnangagwa while party spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa has also been mentioned as another presidential aspirant.

Mnangagwa’s term of office is constitutionally expected to come to an end in 2028.

The president has said he has no intention of extending his term of office despite calls from some of the party fanatics to have him stay on until 2030.

Observers say there is a danger of history repeating itself if Mnangagwa fails to manage his succession properly as was the case with his predecessor Robert Mugabe, who was humiliated in 2017.

Mugabe was removed by the military after a faction loyal to his then deputy accused him of being surrounded by criminals and allowing the first lady Grace Mugabe to usurp his powers. Standard