Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) Succession now an open debate in Zanu PF

Succession now an open debate in Zanu PF
Comment
Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:40:00 +0000

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe's Zanu PF party announced that it was setting up committees to address the issue of succession within the party. The announcement was made after a meeting of the highest decision-making body of the party, the Politburo.

The party also announced that a committee to deal with ideological issues had also been set up. As a liberation war party, or vanguard party, issues of ideology are critical to the survival of the party beyond President Mugabe.

The Politburo expressed optimism that the party would open up a new chapter in its history and makes changes that will make it relevant to challenges faced today and in the future.

Zanu was formed as a militant organization to fight against white minority rule in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). The party was formed as a split from the Zimbabwe African People's Union (Zapu) led by Dr Joshua Nkomo.

Zanu formed a coalition with Joshua Nkomo's Zapu and assumed the moniker Patriotic Front (PF) in 1976. The PF was political and military alliance between the two parties during the war against white minority rule in Rhodesia.

The two parties used that platform to negotiate the transition from minority white rule to majority rule at Lancaster House in London between September and December 1979.

The conference almost failed to reach an accord due to disagreements on land reform. Land was the key stumbling block.

The two PF parties contested the 1980 elections and Zanu PF won under the leadership of Robert Mugabe..

In 1987 PF Zapu, led by Dr Nkomo, merged with Zanu PF to form an umbrella Zanu PF.

Two weeks ago, the Zanu PF politburo resolved that Zimbabwe's democracy will benefit from a reformed and democratic Zanu PF that does not compromise on its nationalist ideology.

Analysts say Zanu PF is taking cues from countries like China. The prosperous China we see today is an outcome of reform that took place in the Communist Party, without which China would have gone through another cultural revolution probably with destructive results.

The issue of succession has been talked of in Zanu PF before without much progress being made on the ground.

A political commentator recently wrote: "Zanu PF faces the real possibility of complete demise if it mishandles its succession issue.

"At the centre of this succession is the need for a credible and visionary leadership to rise within the party. A leadership that can lead with brains and vision and not violence and patronage as we have seen in the past."

"There is nothing wrong with Zanu PF advancing its nationalist ideology, as long as this is done persuasively and in the interest of the country."

Labels: ZANU-PF

posted by MrK @ 2:06 PM