Wait, Mugabe challengers told

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF party on Thursday told its members harbouring presidential ambitions to wait until 2014 to express their interest.

The instruction came a week after a Zanu PF founding member told journalists the 88-year-old leader had told him he was tired and wanted to retire.

Former Defence Minister Enos Nkala met President Mugabe in the second city of Bulawayo last Friday for close to an hour.

He said the former guerilla leader who has led Zimbabwe since independence in 1980, told him the only thing delaying his retirement was a fear that Zanu PF was in danger of splitting.

But Mr Nkala is now backtracking saying his statements were taken out of context by journalists itching for a “big story.”

Zanu PF spokesman Mr Rugare Gumbo said President Mugabe’s opponents from within the party must wait until the 2014 elective congress to throw their hats into the ring.

“Let us focus on strengthening the party rather than destabilise it, which is the position of the politburo (Zanu PF secretariat),” he told the state owned Herald newspaper.

“If there is anyone who is interested in the leadership of the party, they should wait for the party’s congress in 2014, where they should express their interests.”

President Mugabe’s succession has remained a contentious issue in his party amid reports of factions battling to position themselves in case he decides to leave office.

Mr Gumbo admitted that there were people eyeing the Zanu PF’s leader post but advised them to be patient.

“They should mobilise support following laid-down party procedures rather than threatening people,” he said. “That is not democracy and it is retrogressive to the party."

“We have the presidency where we have President Mugabe as the first secretary of the party and Vice Presidents Joice Mujuru and John Nkomo as second secretaries.

“Any other person claiming to lead the party outside that hierarchy is just a destabilising force.”

Last month, Ms Mujuru and Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa who were reported to harbour presidential ambitions were forced to issue out statements saying they will not challenge the veteran ruler as long as he was still in power.

Ms Mujuru described President Mugabe who is reportedly battling against ill health as a “gift to the nation.”

Mr Mnangagwa also dismissed reports by Britain’s Telegraph newspaper that he had reached a secret pact with the long serving ruler to take over the reins when he steps down due to ill health.

The two reportedly lead two Zanu PF factions angling to take over from President Mugabe when he decides to retire or in the event of his death.

Ms Mujuru whose late husband, the retired General Solomon Mujuru was considered a powerful power broker in Zanu PF is seen as one of the leading contenders for the job.

She has been in President Mugabe’s cabinet since independence in 1980.