Mnangagwa faction loses to Mujuru

News — By on November 20, 2009 11:12 am

By Never Kadungure

It was a bad day in the office for the Zanu PF faction led by Emmerson Mnangagwa last weekend when they lost heavily in party leadership nominations to the faction headed by retired army general Solomon Mujuru.

Mnangagwa’s candidates lost in all the Zanu PF provinces except Masvingo. His power base, the Midlands is still to vote.

In the presidential line up Mnangagwa was rooting for Robert Mugabe, John Nkomo, Oppah Muchinguri and Kembo Mohadi while the Mujuru faction backed Mugabe, Joice Mujuru, Naison Ndlovu and Obert Mpofu for president, co-vice-presidents and party chair, respectively.

Experts predict the fallout from the bruising contests mean it will take a major miracle for Zanu PF to remain a united and powerful force. The party is on the verge of splitting on regional and ethnic lines.

But the clearest example of the animosity building up came from Manicaland provincial chairman Beziel Nyabadza who fired some verbal volleys at Mugabe.

Speaking at the funeral of Didymus Mutasa’s son, Wing Commander Edwin Tanyanyiwa Mutasa, Nyabadza said there were leaders in the party who are now like ‘UN permanent security members.’

The party is locked in heated debates with many senior officials expressing dismay at the way party procedures were flouted during the nomination process.

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