Can Zanu PF’s Masvingo Indaba unite the party?

By Sij Ncube

All eyes and ears are trained at this week’s Zanu PF’s conference in Masvingo with citizens keen to see if President Robert Mugabe’s factious party will emerge united for next year in what analysts view as largely an electioneering year ahead of 2018 crunch national polls.

The indaba kicks off this Tuesday with delegates travelling to the venue but serious discussion are expected Friday when Mugabe officially opens the gathering with a keynote address in which over 10 000 party faithful are expected to attend.

But questions abound ahead of the conference if Mugabe would be able to use the occasion to unite his faction-riddled party?

Zanu PF is torn into two bitter factions pitying Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Team Lacoste and Generation 40, led by a group of younger party hawks fronted by cabinet ministers Saviour Kasukuwere and Jonathan Moyo.

Questions are also being asked if the push for a female vice president by an anti-Mnangagwa group will finally find expression during the conference or will Mugabe and his cronies, critics accuse of being very drunk on power, conjure up a formula to rescue the comatose economy?

While Zanu PF secretary for administration, Ignatius Chombo, is putting finishing touches to the week-long indaba, the Zanu PF Mashonaland Central province has already set the tone of the conference recommending the conference rubber-stamps its proposal to have the party’s Vice Presidents subjected to a secret-ballot.

The proposal, which critics say has unsettled some in the party particularly those close to Mnangagwa, has apparently received support from second Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko who, since his appointment in December 2014, has vehemently refused to play to second fiddle to Mnangagwa in the presidium.

Although Mugabe’s wife Grace, who doubles as the leader of the Zanu PF Women League, has categorically stated she is content with being the party organ’s boss, attempts have been underway within the party to elevate her further to being vice president.

The economic meltdown which has seen massive retrenchments and several company closures, a crippling cash crisis and an informalised economy has not helped matters for Mugabe who turns 93 in February next year.

Reason Mafawarova, a political analyst based in Australia closely linked to Zanu PF, does not believe there would be much difference in the status quo of the party let alone dealing with the socio-economic ills inflicting the nation.

“There is just no political will and energy for that at the moment,” he said. “It’s the game of power politics superseding developmental politics.”

But Wafawarova is quick to say there is a high possibility the issue of a female VP could be revived and that the war veterans would take centre stage.

Mugabe has been fighting to restore war veterans’ support after their fallout following his firing of Chris Mutsvangwa from the party and government allegedly for putting Zanu PF into disrepute, culminating into two distinct war veterans’ groupings in the party aligned on factional lines.

Critics say factions are not going to disappear or weaken with the conference, pointing out these Zanu PF conferences have now become routine battle grounds for political showmanship by rival groupings.

Ricky Mukonza, a political analyst based in South Africa who teaches public management at Tshwane University of Technology, points out the main reason why Zanu PF is riddled with factionalism is Mugabe’s advanced age.

“Will Mugabe emerge from the conference younger? The answer is no. I therefore foresee factionalism continuing beyond the conference; in fact the rivalry is likely to be more intense as faction players position themselves in anticipation of his departure.”

Mukonza said as things stand, Mugabe is unable to unite Zanu PF as he is viewed as the single most divisive factor in the party.

In terms of the female candidate issue, he is unlikely to tamper with the current setup as he no longer has the energy to manage the new political dynamics.

“He would rather preserve the status quo. I therefore predict no changes but officials will be whipped into line the Mugabe way,” said Mukonza.

Reward Mushayabasa, a former journalism lecturer now turned political analyst closely watching political events in Zimbabwe from the United Kingdom, while dismissing the conference as yet another non-event full of sound and fury signifying nothing, says citizens are likely to get the same platitudes from the same people who are at each other’s throats in the succession rivalry within the party.

“I don’t think we can expect many significant changes to Zanu PF’s body politic because of this conference. Mugabe himself the chef de grand has already shown very little appetite for retirement from the party leadership,” said Mushayabasa. Radio VOP