Mugabe set for massive purge at ruling party’s elective congress

HARARE, Tuesday
Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has promised to make a major overhaul of his party’s leadership in an unprecedented purge sparked by fears that top lieutenants were planning to topple him at a congress that begins Wednesday.

The elective congress — to be attended by some 12,000 delegates — is expected to endorse the 90-year-old Mugabe as party chief and his wife Grace as women’s league boss.

The party meets behind closed doors on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the congress moving into open session from Thursday to Saturday.

Several major players are unlikely to retain their posts after a purge in recent weeks targeting Vice President Joice Mujuru and her allies.

President Mugabe last week moved to amend the party’s constitution to give himself powers to appoint the party’s two vice presidents and national chairperson.

The posts were previously elective.

President Mugabe accuses Ms Mujuru of plotting to oust him and several ministers have been blocked from contesting posts in the Zanu PF central committee after they were linked to the plot.

He told journalists at the venue of the congress in Harare that he would be making a big statement in a few days to come.
“I will not speak now,” President Mugabe said. “I will make a huge statement soon.”  

Ms Mujuru who has been vice president since 2004 was barred from contesting a central committee seat and State media has been reporting that she is on her way out.

Ms Mujuru had until recently been touted as one of the most likely successors of President Mugabe who turns 91 in February 2015. However, the entry of President Mugabe’s wife Grace into the political ring has changed the succession dynamics. The 49 year-old First Lady is to be elevated to lead the Zanu PF’s powerful women’s league during the congress.

CRUSADE AGAINST MUJURU
After she was nominated to lead the women’s league she went on a crusade against Ms Mujuru accusing her of corruption and plotting against her husband.
The First Lady has been linked to a faction reportedly led by Justice minister Emmerson Mngangagwa that was battling with Ms Mujuru to succeed President Mugabe.
Two weeks ago, the ruling Zanu PF’s spokesperson Rugare Gumbo was suspended for five years for allegedly calling for the removal of the president from power.

The State owned Sunday Mail newspaper said President Mugabe accused Mr Gumbo of plotting to kill him.

The paper quoted unnamed Zanu PF officials saying Ms Mujuru can no longer distance herself from the plot.

“Two of the VP’s closest allies - former Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo and current secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa - have recently spoken of assassinating President Mugabe,” the paper said.

“There is a voice recording of Gumbo making the assassination threat and a report to party authorities of Mutasa saying President Mugabe will be shot.” Mr Gumbo said President Mugabe had led the charges against him. “We were accused of attempting to overthrow the president and it was the president himself who led the charges,” he told the privately owned Daily News.

“He says we have done wrong and should leave the party but this is just a smear campaign to eliminate people who are standing by the vice president.”
Mr Mutasa who, is also Presidential Affairs minister, was reportedly sold out by alleged lover.

Another minister was accused of meeting alleged potential hitmen in South Africa and Israel. Last month, the First Lady said President Mugabe should dump Ms Mujuru because she was ‘corrupt, incompetent and divisive.’