Mugabe baffled by Mujuru absence

The Zanu (PF) sixth congress entered its third day on Thursday with President Robert Mugabe saying he was baffled by his deputy’s absence from the gathering.

He claimed that Mujuru, who he has accused of dabbling in witchcraft to topple him has not made an appearance at the congress venue.

Mujuru, who Mugabe likened to a thief, is reported to fear for her life following sustained verbal attacks and threats of violence by Mugabe’s wife, Grace, and militant members suspected to belong to a faction led by Emmerson Mnangagwa, her factional rival.

She is said to have already removed her personal assets from the Munhumutapa office she occupied as the national vice president.

Mugabe opened his speech with a direct attack on Mujuru, repeating allegations of plotting to illegally remove him from power, corruption, incompetence and witchcraft.

The ageing party leader hailed his wife for “exposing” Mujuru and acknowledged that Grace was riled by the fact that the vice president had tried to stop her elevation to the post of secretary for women’s affairs.

It is the first time in the history of the Zanu (PF) congress—held every five years—that a party second secretary has boycotted the event.

Also absent from the congress since it kicked off on Tuesday was party secretary for administration, Didymus Mutasa, former spokesperson, Rugare Gumbo, Mugabe’s once trusted lieutenant, Nicholas Goche and several other bigwigs linked to Mujuru.

Delegates called on Mugabe to lead the party until death, and the president voiced anger at the alleged attempt by Mujuru and her loyalists to change the Zanu (PF) leadership.

The summit will end in three days and Mugabe is expected to be confirmed as the party head while Mujuru is likely to be dumped.

The president said all those that had been linked to the plot to remove him would be dropped from government despite their seniority in the party. The Zimbabwean