Mugabe’s birthday remarks expose open hostility within ZPF

By Violet Gonda
26 February 2007

Mugabe’s birthday came and went with no surprises as he presented the usual rhetoric - attacking homosexuals, western governments and the opposition. But observers and analysts say what was different this time was that his birthday remarks exposed that the hostility is now open within the ruling party and painted a picture of a man who now sees himself surrounded by enemies at every quarter.

Foreign correspondent Jan Raath said: “What Mugabe appeared to be doing, to me, was identifying all his enemies and my gosh he seems to have so many more than ever before now. And he is openly attacking people in his own politburo and old comrades too like Edgar Tekere as well as the British, the MDC and old Uncle Tom Cobbly and all.”

ZANU PF has been troubled by serious infighting over the issue of Mugabe’s successor. There are two factions fighting for control of the party. It’s reported that one is led by retired army general Solomon Mujuru on behalf of his wife, Joyce, the Vice President and Rural Affairs Minister Emerson Mnangagwa heads the other faction.

Mugabe’s plans to extend his term of office by moving the presidential poll to 2010 from 2008 is being opposed by both the opposition and from within his own party. Analysts say all these issues combined pose a huge problem for the ageing leader who turned 83 last Wednesday.

Furthermore Joyce Mujuru is said to have demonstrated her feelings towards Mugabe by not attending his birthday bash, which was held in Gweru on Saturday. It’s reported she failed to attend because she was studying for exams. Raath said: “On one hand to snub the President’s annual occasion like that is quite serious and it’s very interesting that she should do it at all. That she feels confident enough to do it. And it’s also evident that the way he speaks – that he appears to have lost faith in her.”

The journalist added: “At the end of 2005 she (Mujuru) was the blue-eyed girl and now she is not a favourite at all anymore.”

A few years ago the unfolding drama in ZANU PF would have grabbed everyone’s interest but the general population is now engaged in personal coping strategies as a result of the unstable economic and political environment. An unpublished report by psychiatric experts shows a nation of clinically depressed people.

Raath said the report showed that 45% of people in Mbare were clinically depressed, or anxious, or both. This means 1 in 2 people in Mbare are clinically depressed. The average rate of depression in the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa is between 14 and 17%.

The factors that caused the most anxiety were the lack of food, money, work and accommodation. The loss of property was the biggest reason given as the major cause of stress. This is in reference to Operation Murambatsvina, the government’s so called clean up exercise that resulted in 700 000 people being displaced. Although Murambatsvina, which was described as a ‘disastrous venture’ by the United Nations, is supposed to have ended, rights groups say the evictions are still ongoing – although on a much lesser scale.

Raath said that according to the report the second biggest cause of depression was violence, perpetrated by the authorities in many cases. He said although the survey was conducted in mostly the Mbare, Highfields areas, the findings are fairly common in townships around the country where people have endured the same kind of attacks and deprivation.