Mugabe tries to rally divided supporters

Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe sought to rally the increasingly dispirited and divided supporters of his once all powerful Zanu-PF party, claiming it was ready to fight new elections.

The country’s government of national unity had “a short life of 24 months”, he said, adding: “Perhaps it has outlived its life.” Zanu-PF, which governed unchanged from independence in 1980 until last year when it reluctantly formed a coalition with the Movement for Democratic Change, is now a “stronger, better focused party, ready and raring to take the enemy who has sought our ruin,” he said.

Only 24 hours earlier he had warned his followers that because of factionalism and internal squabbling the party was “eating itself up”. Fresh from his unopposed, unanimous, re-election as leader, Mr Mugabe, 85, was in combative mood, lashing out at his partners within the coalition government and re-affirming that land reform was “irreversible”. ”We took the land and we are not going to hand it to the white farmers.”

His ebullient remarks run counter to the views of most political analysts who are convinced his party would be routed in fresh elections. The most recent opinion poll – seven months ago – found Zanu-PF would win less than 10 per cent of the popular vote.

It is widely believed that both Zanu-PF and the MDC’s minority breakaway wing led by Arthur Mutambara want to delay fresh elections for as long as possible in an effort to rebuild their shaky political bases. The mainstream MDC of Morgan Tsvangirai, prime minister, is the clear favourite easily to win new elections, provided they are reasonably free and fair.

Mr Mugabe spoke after a week of frenetic media speculation of an imminent split within his party. But despite numerous reports of grumbling by unnamed party members, there were few surprises in the elections to top party positions in the central committee and politburo.

As expected, Joyce Mujuru, the frontrunner to succeed the president, was re-elected vice-president.

The party congress also approved a raft of resolutions suggesting it would be very difficult, if not impossible, to secure a breakthrough in the current talks between the three members of the coalition. It was set up in February to resolve long-running disagreements over key government posts, farm invasions, the rule of law and western travel, and financial sanctions against senior members of Mr Mugabe’s party.

One Zanu-PF congress resolution stipulates there should be no more compromises by the Mugabe party because the MDC has failed to secure the lifting of “illegal” western sanctions.