Zimbabwe's vice president has been ousted from the ruling party's leadership after a sustained campaign led by Robert Mugabe's wife Grace, as the battle to succeed the long-serving president heats up.
Joice Mujuru came under attack after Grace Mugabe accused her of corruption and fomenting factionalism which is threatening to tear apart the ruling ZANU-PF party.
She has also been accused of plotting to assasinate the president, as factions within the party jostle for power when 90-year-old Mugabe steps down or dies.
On Wednesday, it emerged that Mujuru's bid to seek reelection to the ruling party's central committee was foiled when ZANU-PF rejected her election papers ahead of a key party congress next week.
"A number of other ZANU-PF bigwigs linked to her nefarious activities to oust President Robert Mugabe also (failed) to make it," the Herald newspaper said.
Mujuru and powerful Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa were seen as the leading contenders to replace Mugabe, the firebrand who has been in power since independence from Britain in 1980.
But several of her close aides have been suspended ahead of the congress, in what appears to be a purge.
The battle escalated following Grace Mugabe's surprise nomination to lead the powerful women's wing of ZANU-PF, prompting speculation that she wanted the top job herself.
Robert Mugabe, Africa's oldest leader, is expected to be confirmed as party chief at the congress, but the fight for positions on the powerful politburo could be decisive for the campaign to succeed him.
- 'Something strange' in ZANU-PF -
Mujuru's failure to win a place in the central committee means she all but ceases to be in the party's top leadership even before the congress starts on December 3, although she remains vice president at least until then.
"We are witnessing something strange in ZANU-PF where all of us who were in the struggle are being accused of trying to assassinate the president," said Rugare Gumbo, a party veteran who was suspended as spokesman after being accused of conspiring with Mujuru to topple Mugabe.
"Mai (Mrs) Mujuru is like a daughter to President Mugabe. How can she decide to kill him now? She knows no other leader except president Mugabe."
Mujuru, 59, went by the name Teurai Ropa (Spill Blood) when she served in Mugabe's guerrilla forces during the war against white minority rule in the former Rhodesia.
After independence in 1980, she served in a series of ministerial posts until being appointed vice president in 2004.
Mugabe hinted then that Mujuru was destined for higher things.
But in recent months the country's most powerful woman has been displaced by Mugabe's 49-year-old second wife, a former secretary, amid speculation that he could be grooming her to take over.
At the December congress she is set to become a member of the politburo -- the party's supreme decision-making body -- and would play an active role in the choice of her husband's successor.
Along with Mujuru, several other long-serving party heavyweights and cabinet ministers -- mostly her supporters -- failed to make it into the central committee after decades in the top echelons.
They include Didymus Mutasa, party secretary for administration and minister of state, Foreign Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and Transport Minister Nicholas Goche.
Mumbengegwi, a cabinet minister since independence in 1980, was earlier this year accused by his deputy of bungling when Mugabe's wife was denied a visa to attend a UN telecommunications union conference in Geneva.
"ZANU-PF structures are being decimated and real ZANU-PF people are being marginalised," Gumbo said.
"Look at Goche. He has been standing by the president and ZANU-PF and has been a pillar of strength. Now he is being abused like this."
Goche, a renowned Mugabe loyalist, has served in various capacities in Mugabe's government including as minister of state security.
Zimbabwe’s vice president has been ousted from the ruling party’s leadership after a sustained campaign led by Robert Mugabe’s wife Grace, as the battle to succeed the long-serving president heats up.
Joice Mujuru came under attack after Grace Mugabe accused her of corruption and fomenting factionalism which is threatening to tear apart the ruling ZANU-PF party.
She has also been accused of plotting to assasinate the president, as factions within the party jostle for power when 90-year-old Mugabe steps down or dies.
On Wednesday, it emerged that Mujuru’s bid to seek reelection to the ruling party’s central committee was foiled when ZANU-PF rejected her election papers ahead of a key party congress next week.
“A number of other ZANU-PF bigwigs linked to her nefarious activities to oust President Robert Mugabe also (failed) to make it,” the Herald newspaper said.
Mujuru and powerful Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa were seen as the leading contenders to replace Mugabe, the firebrand who has been in power since independence from Britain in 1980.
But several of her close aides have been suspended ahead of the congress, in what appears to be a purge.
The battle escalated following Grace Mugabe’s surprise nomination to lead the powerful women’s wing of ZANU-PF, prompting speculation that she wanted the top job herself.
Robert Mugabe, Africa’s oldest leader, is expected to be confirmed as party chief at the congress, but the fight for positions on the powerful politburo could be decisive for the campaign to succeed him.
– ‘Something strange’ in ZANU-PF –
Mujuru’s failure to win a place in the central committee means she all but ceases to be in the party’s top leadership even before the congress starts on December 3, although she remains vice president at least until then.
“We are witnessing something strange in ZANU-PF where all of us who were in the struggle are being accused of trying to assassinate the president,” said Rugare Gumbo, a party veteran who was suspended as spokesman after being accused of conspiring with Mujuru to topple Mugabe.
“Mai (Mrs) Mujuru is like a daughter to President Mugabe. How can she decide to kill him now? She knows no other leader except president Mugabe.”
Mujuru, 59, went by the name Teurai Ropa (Spill Blood) when she served in Mugabe’s guerrilla forces during the war against white minority rule in the former Rhodesia.
After independence in 1980, she served in a series of ministerial posts until being appointed vice president in 2004.
Mugabe hinted then that Mujuru was destined for higher things.
But in recent months the country’s most powerful woman has been displaced by Mugabe’s 49-year-old second wife, a former secretary, amid speculation that he could be grooming her to take over.
At the December congress she is set to become a member of the politburo — the party’s supreme decision-making body — and would play an active role in the choice of her husband’s successor.
Along with Mujuru, several other long-serving party heavyweights and cabinet ministers — mostly her supporters — failed to make it into the central committee after decades in the top echelons.
They include Didymus Mutasa, party secretary for administration and minister of state, Foreign Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and Transport Minister Nicholas Goche.
Mumbengegwi, a cabinet minister since independence in 1980, was earlier this year accused by his deputy of bungling when Mugabe’s wife was denied a visa to attend a UN telecommunications union conference in Geneva.
“ZANU-PF structures are being decimated and real ZANU-PF people are being marginalised,” Gumbo said.
“Look at Goche. He has been standing by the president and ZANU-PF and has been a pillar of strength. Now he is being abused like this.”
Goche, a renowned Mugabe loyalist, has served in various capacities in Mugabe’s government including as minister of state security.
