ZIMBABWE CRISIS REPORTS Issue 3 ■ April 2007 Fresh insights into the Zimbabwean situation RUMBLINGS OF DISCONTENT IN ZANU-PF Senior party officials dispute the official story that President Robert Mugabe was formally endorsed as ZANU-PF’s candidate for the 2008 election. By Nonthando Bhebhe in Harare Senior ZANU-PF politicians have disputed the official announcement that they backed Zimbabwean presi- dent Robert Mugabe to run as the party’s candidate in next year’s elec- tion, but accept that they failed to challenge the decision when it was foisted on them. Credit: Lazele Credit: Mugabe inspects a guard of honour at the independence day celebrations at the After the March 30 meeting of ZANU- Rufaro stadium on April 18. PF’s Central Committee, party spokesmen told local media that dele- gates had endorsed Mugabe as the Top party members are beginning to One senior official, speaking on ruling party’s candidate, and had talk about what happened at the condition of anonymity, said the agreed to bring the 2010 parliamen- meeting, and they have told IWPR that issue of Mugabe’s nomination was tary election forward so that it takes Mugabe was simply imposed as the never actually discussed, but was place in 2008, at the same time as the candidate, with no debate or formal slipped in as a resolution at the end of presidential ballot. endorsement taking place. the meeting by allies of the president. NEWS IN BRIEF applications so that “ agents of inflation data for March because a imperialism” in “pro-opposition virus had infected its computer and western organisations system. Analysts say the agency ■ An estimated 30,000 ZANU-PF masquerading as relief agencies” was ordered to withhold the data supporters turned out at a Harare could be screened out. The to avoid embarrassing the stadium to see President Robert government has also cancelled a government during a visit by Mugabe lead a rally marking 27 USAID assistance programme for envoys from the Southern African years of Zimbabwean the Zimbabwean parliament. Development Community to independence on April 18. assess the extent of Zimbabwe’s ■ An international association of ■ economic crisis. Information Minister Sikhanyiso civil society organisations on Ndlovu, the chief government April 17 accused Zimbabwean ■ Three more opposition activists spokesman, said in a surprise state agents of fanning political were arrested over the weekend, move that licences for all non- violence. as police intensified a crackdown government organisations — that has seen assaults on including foreign aid groups — ■ Zimbabwe’s Central Statistical opposition leaders and more than had been revoked. He said they Office on said on April 16 that it 600 activists of the Movement for would have to lodge new was unable to release key Democratic Change thrown in jail. APRIL 2007 ■ 1 THE INSTITUTE FOR WAR AND PEACE REPORTING Another ZANU-PF figure who is a The reason the issue was presented in wanted to stand. An angry Mugabe is member of the ruling Politburo, a this manner, the Politburo member said to have told Moyo that this was smaller body than the Central said, was “because they knew that as “none of the Politburo’s business, but a Committee, said the issue was not soon as it had been announced, no matter for the Central Committee”. discussed because it was not on the matter how ambiguous it was, no one agenda for the meeting, which instead would have dared stand up and The Politburo official said only the focused on matters such as internal oppose it. president himself, and pressure from party reforms and Zimbabwean agri- other members of the Southern African culture — but not the disastrous state “So what I am saying is that he was Development Community leaders, of the economy as a whole. not formally endorsed.” could change things now. “Don’t expect much from ZANU-PF itself,” he “Looking at the agenda of the meeting Nor was Mugabe formally backed by added. and any other ZANU PF meetings, it ZANU-PF’s Youth League and seems as if there is no crisis in the Women’s League, which were widely Other ZANU-PF officials have told country,” said the Politburo member. “It reported to have sponsored his nomi- IWPR that although the next party appears like everything is normal and nation. It was only the leaders of the congress is not due until 2009, a you would not think we are in such a two groups who publicly pledged special one is to be held this mess.” support for Mugabe. December to deal with Mugabe’s endorsement. Central Committee members were then caught off balance when Elliot According to these sources, the party Manyika, the party’s “political is currently divided into two camps, commissar” and a Mugabe loyalist, ZANU-PF leaders should with one which wants Mugabe to announced a series of resolutions “tell the man to go” — agree not to stand for re-election and which were never discussed. These Zimbabwean political to allow ZANU-PF to freely choose his included the decision to hold simulta- commentator. successor at the December congress. neous presidential and parliamentary The other consists of Mugabe loyalists elections, a new procedure whereby who may also have their eye on the parliament will select a successor if post of Zimbabwean vice-president, Mugabe resigns before the end of his The ZANU-PF official said that no one which is likely to come up at the party next term, an increase in the number in the party would dare raise the congress. The incumbent, Joice of parliamentary constituencies from matter again, and Mugabe was now Mujuru, is expected to be removed as 150 to 210, and the appointment of free to decide what he was going to she has made her presidential ambi- senators by proportional do. tions plain, to Mugabe’s displeasure. representation. “The problem in ZANU-PF is that we A political commentator in Harare who Manyika told Central Committee are all appointed by the president,” he did not want to be named said he was members that these were all resolu- said. “Some members of the party disappointed at those ZANU-PF tions that had been passed at the have been engaging in illegal and leaders who want Mugabe to step ZANU-PF party conference last corrupt activities and the president down in 2008 — particularly retired December. has dossiers on them. The president army commander General Solomon allowed corruption to flourish knowing Mujuru, who is backing his wife Joice’s According to IWPR’s source, Manyika that one day he would use it against presidential bid, and the other likely said the conference had ‘pledged them. Because we are appointed and contender Rural Housing minister loyalty to the presidium’, and this was some of us are corrupt, no one will Emmerson Mnangagwa — for failing to interpreted through Mugabe’s dare raise the matter at any forums, use meetings such as the Central spokesperson George Charamba to including the Politburo. The best place Committee to challenge Mugabe head mean that we had endorsed Mugabe to debate the issue was at the Central on. as our candidate for the 2008 Committee.” elections. “General Mujuru and Mnangagwa Members of the ZANU-PF Politburo have let the people of Zimbabwe “We were taken by surprise, as we tried to have the issue debated when it down,” said the commentator. thought the matter would have been convened two days before the Central “Change can only come from brought up for discussion and then Committee meeting, but were brushed Zimbabwe — we should not expect it endorsed, or we would have charted off by Mugabe. ZANU-PF sources told to come from [South African president the way forward. But this was done IWPR that Simon Khaya Moyo, Thabo] Mbeki. They should tell the deliberately to make sure that no Zimbabwe’s ambassador to South man to go.” one stood up to contradict it at a Africa, asked Mugabe to clarify press meeting being chaired by Mugabe reports that he now wanted both elec- Nonthando Bhebhe is the pseudonym himself.” tions to happen in 2008 and that he of a journalist in Zimbabwe. ■ 2 ■ ISSUE 3 ZIMBABWE CRISIS REPORTS MUGABE PRESSURES MDC PRIOR TO TALKS Continued violence may be attempt to bring opposition to heel in advance of planned peace negotiations. By Nkosinathi Ndlovu in Bulawayo Security force intimidation and brutality continues unabated, despite proposed peace negotiations between the ruling ZANU-PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, MDC. Some believe the violence is an attempt by President Robert Mugabe to soften up his rivals prior Lazele Credit: to the talks, which are to be One-thousand Zimbabwean dollar bills lie abandoned and worthless in a drain in brokered by South African president Harare. Picture taken October 2006. Thabo Mbeki The climate of intimidation led to the activists arrested recently are still fresh This followed the widely failure of the two-day general strike in people’s minds. Mugabe has condemned brutal attacks on MDC organised by the Zimbabwe Congress succeeded in intimidating people and leaders while in police custody on of Trade Unions, ZCTU, on April 3-4 to this is why we have a cowed popula- March 11 for attending what the garner widespread support, say tion unwilling to participate in any government deemed a banned observers. mass action despite the hardships,” meeting. said Highfield resident Jonathan The ZCTU demanded a tenfold Ncube. The attacks prompted the convening increase in the industrial minimum of an emergency meeting of the wage to at least one million Southern African Development Zimbabwean dollars a month (about “Mugabe has succeeded in Community, SADC, in Dar es Salaam, 60 US dollars).