Zimbabwe vice president ousted from party post in succession war

Zimbabwe's vice president has been ousted from the ruling party's leadership after a sustained campaign led by Robert Mugabe's wife, Grace, as the battle to succeed the long-serving president heats up.

Joice Mujuru came under attack after Grace Mugabe claimed the vice president was extorting money from companies and fomenting factionalism, which she said was threatening to tear the ruling ZANU-PF party apart.

She has also been accused of plotting to assassinate the president, as factions within the party jostle to position themselves for power when 90-year-old Mugabe steps down or dies.

On Wednesday, it emerged that Mujuru's bid for re-election to the ruling party's central committee was foiled when ZANU-PF rejected her election papers ahead of a key party congress next week.

"A number of other ZANU-PF bigwigs linked to her nefarious activities to oust President Robert Mugabe also (failed) to make it," the Herald newspaper said.

Mrs Mujuru and powerful Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa were seen as the leading contenders to replace Mugabe, who has been in power since independence from Britain in 1980.

But several of her close aides have been suspended ahead of the congress, in what appears to be a purge ahead of the convention.

SURPRISE NOMINATION

The battle escalated following Mrs Mugabe's surprise nomination to lead the powerful women's wing of ZANU-PF, prompting speculation that she wanted the top job herself.

Mr Mugabe, Africa's oldest leader, is expected to be confirmed as party chief at the congress, but the fight for positions on the powerful politburo could be decisive for the campaign to succeed him.

Mrs Mujuru's failure to win a place in the central committee means she all but ceases to be in the party's top leadership even before the congress starts on December 3.

"We are witnessing something strange in Zanu-PF where all of us who were in the struggle are being accused of trying to assassinate the president," said Rugare Gumbo, a party veteran who was suspended as spokesman after being accused of conspiring with Mrs Mujuru to topple Mr Mugabe.

"Mai (Mrs) Mujuru is like a daughter to President Mugabe. How can she decide to kill him now? She knows no other leader except President Mugabe."

Mrs Mujuru, 59, went by the name Teurai Ropa (Spill Blood) when she served in Mr Mugabe's guerrilla forces during the war against white minority rule in the former Rhodesia.

After independence in 1980, she served in a series of ministerial posts before being appointed vice president in 2004.