ZIMBABWE NETZWERK e.V.

Understanding the ZANU-PF succession: Mugabe's choice likely to be decisive

African Arguments writes:\" In Zimbabwe, the end of Robert Mugabe's leadership of both his political party and the country is fast approaching. Ahead of the party's congress in December 2014, where a new leadership is expected to be elected, pretenders to his throne have been taking advantage of his diminished resistance due to advanced age and failing health to openly position themselves for the succession. These increasingly open struggles are something new in Zimbabwe's post-colonial political history and the clearest sign yet that Mugabe will stand down in 2014. In recent weeks Zimbabweans have watched as power struggles turned vicious and a war of words broke out between the contending factions - the two groups publicly accusing each other of voter intimidation and electoral fraud during the latest party elections. Such behaviour prompted ZANU-PF's national commissar, Webster Shamu, to effectively gag party members from discussing the succession issue at the party's 14th Annual People's Conference that took place just before Christmas. ...\".