[allAfrica.com]  [Africa_2003]


Mugabe's Anointed Pushes for Presidency

Zimbabwe Independent (Harare)
NEWS
May 2, 2003
Posted to the web May 2, 2003

By Dumisani Muleya

AS South African President Thabo Mbeki and his counterparts from Nigeria and
Malawi prepare fortalks with President Robert Mugabe on Monday, Mugabe's
anointed heir Emmerson Mnangagwa has launched what political observers call a
primary campaign for the nation's top job.
Mbeki spoke on Sunday of "leadership renewal" within the ruling Zanu PF and
said Mugabe had spoken before of his willingness to go.
Mbeki's spokesman Bheki Khumalo yesterday confirmed Mbeki, Olusegun Obasanjo
and Bakili Muluzi were coming on Monday.
Initially there had been doubts whether the newly re-elected Oba-sanjo would be
part of the delegation.
"The president will get there on Monday morning," Khumalo said. "But he is not
coming there to impose a regime change."
Although Mugabe's office this week claimed the African leaders were coming to
update themselves on "our situation in the context of their protracted
mediation efforts between Zimbabwe and Britain", Khumalo said their mission
would be to discuss the Zimbabwe situation.
"Their talks will centre on the current situation in Zimbabwe. They would want
to discuss and see what can be done to assist the people of Zimbabwe to
overcome their difficulties," he said. "But the final decision lies with
Zimbabweans."
His careful language was thought to be aimed at soothing raw nerves in the
Mugabe camp where events appear to have overtaken official positions.
Diplomatic sources said the three regional leaders were initially expected in
Zimbabwe last Thursday but their trip was postponed due to the death of
Matabeleland South governor Stephen Nkomo.
It is understood the three leaders' talks with Mugabe and opposition leader
Morgan Tsvangirai would primarily focus on unlocking the political impasse. An
exit plan for Mugabe is expected to loom large within this context.
"If you deal with Mugabe's retirement issue first, everything else will fall
into place," a South African source said.
"Basically Mbeki, Obasanjo and Muluzi want to draw up a plan about how to
resolve the Zimbabwe crisis on that basis."
Sources said the three leaders - who are expected to make a vigorous push for a
final solution - want to bring Mugabe and Tsvangirai to the negotiating table
without preconditions.
The two Zimbabweans say they want to talk but have laid down terms of
reference.
"The issue of Mugabe's retirement will be dealt with in the context of a
negotiated settlement," the South African source said.
Zanu PF sources say Mugabe wants to quit but his personal security fears, the
fate of his family and property, and leadership rivalries within his party are
the main obstacles.
Mugabe has said in the past that his worry is that Zanu PF would disintegrate
if he left.
In his interview with state tele-vision last week, he admitted therewere
already "clandestine group-ings" of his lieutenants manoeuvring along ethnic
lines for the presidency.
There are three groups said to be scrambling for power behind the scenes in
anticipation of Mugabe's exit. Retired army general Solomon Mujuru, Zanu-PF
secretary or administration Emmerson Mnangagwa and Information minister
Jonathan Moyo are seen as the faction leaders.
But Mnangagwa is seen as Mugabe's anointed successor. Of late Mnangagwa, who is
also speaker of parliament, has been appearing at different functions around
the country in what observers view as a primary campaign. He has also been
getting a lot of state media coverage. Some are functions that have no
discernible connection to his party or parliamentary duties.
"He is building a profile," one observer said this week. "We are seeing a
president in the making."
Last December he represented Zanu PF at the ANC conference in Stellenbosch. It
is thought he has also met Mbeki because the ANC wants to see a reformed Zanu
PF rather than the MDC in office. However, Khumalo said he was not aware of any
such meeting.
But Mbeki seems to be following Zanu PF dynamics. This week he was quoted as
saying the ruling party was engaged in the process of renewing its leadership.
"We want to wait for them to finish that process before we can take matters
up," Mbeki said.

   

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