Maravi

(NEWZIMBABWE) VP Mujuru next in line: Mutasa
05/05/2013 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter

ZANU PF administration secretary, Didymus Mutasa, has backed Vice President Joice Mujuru to take over from President Robert Mugabe and dismissed as sell-outs a faction in the party he accused of trying to undermine her prospects.

"We all agreed unanimously (to elevate Mujuru to the Vice Presidency),” Mutasa told the weekly Standard newspaper.

“Now we are surprised that there are some people like Mnangagwa who are now leading another faction claiming that they want to take over the party.

“Anyone who objects to the legitimacy of Mai Mujuru as the Vice-President of the party, then that person does not belong to Zanu PF.”

Zanu PF recently dispatched a team led by national chairman, Simon Khaya Moyo, to try and heal divisions in Manicaland after local leaders petitioned Mugabe over problems in the province.
According to media reports the petitioners accused Mutasa of causing divisions in the region.

Party spokesman, Rugare Gumbo, said Khaya Moyo’s team had managed to address the problems which he attributed to personality clashes.

“We were able to resolve the challenges facing the party and the leaders from the province agreed that they will work together for the good of the party," Gumbo told state radio.

"It has since been noted that the problems in that province were not political but merely of personalities."

Mugabe, who turned 89 this year, will lead Zanu PF in elections due this year but the party is still riven by deep divisions over his succession with Mujuru and Mnangagwa said to be leading rival factions angling for the top job.

Mutasa accused those opposed to Mujuru of lacking the courage to openly show their hand and, instead, choosing to engage in divisive behind-the-scenes manoeuvring.

He said: "In all (the congress the party has held) those that are against Mai Mujuru would be quiet. Now some other people are now causing divisions, is it because she is a woman?" he asked.

"Zanu PF is a strong party and Mai Mujuru was put in that position because of her sound track record and good deeds in the party and no one should object that.

“She is our leader. Those that are fanning factionalism are sell-outs and they are perpetuating the destruction of the party."

Labels: DIDYMUS MUTASA, JOICE MUJURU, PRESIDENCY, ROBERT MUGABE

posted by MrK @ 7:31 AM