Mugabe headed for another “Bhora Musango” in 2018

By Lance Guma

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President Robert Mugabe will lead a severely weakened Zanu PF party into the next presidential and parliamentary elections and risks disgruntled members of his own party de-campaigning him like they did in 2008, if he decides to stand again, an analyst has warned.

The ruling party is currently rocked by vicious infighting but instead of his usual balancing act President Mugabe has taken sides. The 90 year old appears to be supporting a faction of the party led by Emmerson Mnangagwa and is openly helping the Justice Minister to destroy his rival in Vice President Joice Mujuru.

The director of the Zimbabwe Democracy Institute, Pedzisai Ruhanya says “Whether Mujuru’s camp splits or remains in ZANU PF, the undeniable truth is that ZANU PF will be severely weakened as a hegemonic party ahead of 2018 because of the enormous political base and public sympathy the camp has.”

Ruhanya believes officials and supporters of the Mujuru faction who are currently being purged will remain in Zanu PF and wait for the 2018 elections when they are likely to hit back by clandestinely promoting the “Bhora Musango –Ball into the bush” strategy.

In 2008, Zanu PF officials who were not happy with Mugabe’s continued stay in power encouraged their supporters to vote for a Zanu PF MP but throw away their vote to the opposition (bush) and not vote for Mugabe in the presidential poll.

“If the various MDC formations, Morgan Tsvangirai, Tendai Biti and Welshman Ncube were organised, they would be in a much better position to regain lost political territory in the future. The opposition has a national challenge to provide national democratic leadership beyond their little political enclaves,” Ruhanya said.

So far Mugabe has plotted the purging of four provincial chairmen perceived as loyal to Mujuru.

Although only the vote of no confidence in Temba Mliswa (Mashonaland West) has been ratified by the politburo it is expected that Mugabe will drive through the dismissals of Jason Machaya (Midlands), Callisto Gwanetsa (Masvingo) and Amos Midzi (Harare).

Zanu PF is headed for its make or break congress next month. After a series of rallies in which the First Lady Grace Mugabe openly attacked Mujuru and encouraged Mugabe to “baby dump” his VP it now appears the President’s strategy is to make sure Mujuru does not get a single nomination for the post of VP.

Mujuru’s popularity within the party makes her a formidable opponent when it comes to internal party elections. Mugabe’s strategy it seems is to now make sure she does not take part in any elections at all.