Mugabe’s candidature causes further rift in Zanu-PF

By Tichaona Sibanda
11 October 2007

Over 2000 war veterans led by suspended former leader of the group, Jabulani Sibanda, marched through the streets of Bulawayo on Thursday in support of Robert Mugabe.

Bulawayo based journalist Loughty Dube said the war veterans have been holding countrywide marches to show solidarity with Mugabe’s decision to seek re-election in presidential elections despite the country’s worsening economic crisis.

Most of those who took part in Thursday’s demonstration were bussed in from towns outside Bulawayo. Dube said the crowd consisted mainly of outsiders from Gwanda, Nkayi and Victoria Falls. Joseph Chinotimba, another of Mugabe’s loyalists, brought a bus load from Harare.

‘The demonstration was boycotted by the entire leadership of Zanu-PF in Bulawayo. There were no representatives from the central committee or the politburo. Only last week Zanu-PF national chairman John Nkomo issued a statement saying Sibanda was still suspended and had no mandate to campaign for Mugabe using party structures,’ Dube said.

There is speculation that Mugabe could face opposition to his candidacy at an extraordinary congress of his ruling Zanu-PF party in December. The ruling party decision to call for a special congress suggests deeper, behind-the-scenes divisions in the party leadership.
Speculation is rife that the purpose of the special congress is to choose a candidate to represent Zanu-PF in next year’s joint presidential and parliamentary elections after a faction of the ruling party, led by retired army general Solomon Mujuru, refused to have Mugabe endorsed as the sole candidate at the party’s central committee meeting in March.