Mugabe illness triggers panic within Zanu PF

Headlines, News — By admin on October 30, 2011 10:36 pm

By Dumisani Muleya

ZANU PF, which has dominated the country’s political landscape for over three decades without a break, is now at a crossroads as President Robert Mugabe’s health problems, worsened by old age, mount ahead of the next crucial elections which could mark the beginning of the end.

Mugabe this week left for Singapore again — suggesting his prostate cancer condition is increasingly critical — for further medical checks after his recent visit there which he claimed was on family business, official sources said.

Informed reports say Mugabe is suffering from prostate cancer which metastasised, spreading to other organs of the body, while creating tumours. Doctors have reportedly advised Mugabe to retire to avoid straining himself and worsening his condition, mainly before the 2008 elections.

The situation has now worsened since then. The story of Mugabe’s health condition, which those close to him have tried to hide but failed as information irretrievably filters out, has created panic and fuelled instability in Zanu PF and state structures.

Sources say senior party officials and state security operators are scrambling to “interpret, contain and resolve the situation” which has a serious bearing on elections and the future of Zanu PF, as well as on the fate of influential individuals.

A detailed briefing of the Zimbabwe Independent this week by various informed sources showed that due to health failures and old age, Mugabe is now facing a turning point ahead of the party’s annual conference in Bulawayo in December and elections. Mugabe himself admits the conference would be “just as good as congress”, which usually elects a new party leadership.

He is under growing pressure to call for a full congress and not a conference. Zanu PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo last week told the Independent Mugabe was likely to be endorsed as candidate given that he was elected at the 2009 congress, although the issue could be discussed in Bulawayo.

However, compared to previous conferences, there is no stampede in Zanu PF to give him ringing public endorsements before the Bulawayo gathering, signifying the heated debate and reflections going on in the party over the divisive issue. Senior politburo members have told the Independent there are divisions over whether to endorse Mugabe as the candidate or not.

This has further put pressure on the veteran ruler who is already battling old complications, ill-health and debilitating internal strife.“President Mugabe’s health situation has now become a major political issue, especially in the party and within state security structures,” a senior politburo member said.

“The party is now definitely at a crossroads due to his old age and ill-health. He is in Singapore now for health reasons and this has created panic and uncertainty in the party in terms of his availability as a candidate at the next elections. This issue will loom large at the conference/congress in Bulawayo.”

Another official said the fear is that if Mugabe is endorsed as candidate in Bulawayo and elections come further down next year or in 2013, Zanu PF might find itself with a candidate who could not sustain the rigours of hectic and taxing electioneering or in a fix over that.

“Our fear is that what happens if he can’t sustain a rigorous campaigning exercise? General election campaigns are very demanding, taxing and exhausting, especially when your backs are against the wall and contesting against a party like the MDC-T, which has strong grassroots, financial and logistical support,” one official said. “We have to ask ourselves critical questions now and prepare for eventualities.”

Sources said Mugabe’s trip to Singapore this week increased the awareness in Zanu PF and state security circles all was not well, fuelling anxiety and panic. Mugabe went to Singapore after he cancelled his trip to the International Telecommunications Union summit on information communication technologies underway in Geneva due to Swiss authorities’ refusal to give visas to senior members of his delegation, including his wife Grace.

“Mugabe’s health problem has serious implications on what decision the party will make at its conference in December, even though our room for manoeuvre is very limited,” a top party official said.

“The party is in a renewed state of flux because of this situation which we have never faced before and the crisis is snowballing.” Sources said state security chiefs were worried about Mugabe’s health condition because they say it has serious ramifications for the political and security situation in the country.

“There is currently so much debate, discussions and agonising goings-on within our structures over this issue,” a senior intelligence officer said.

“The issue has become even more critical due to the Zanu PF conference in Bulawayo and the elections.”Mugabe’s health has become a big issue both at home and abroad. While Zimbabweans are wondering what his real condition is, foreign governments have also been scrambling to know what is going on. To visit the Zimbabwe Independent click here

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