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Joice Mujuru

George Maponga Masvingo Bureau—
DAGGERS have been drawn out for ZimPF leader Dr Joice Mujuru, with party leaders here reportedly describing her as a “weak and indecisive” leader because of the way she handled her party’s participation in the just-ended Bikita West parliamentary by-election that was emphatically won by zanu-pf. The ZimPF provincial executive reportedly cautioned Dr Mujuru and the ZimPF national steering committee against participating in the Bikita West by-election as early as August last year, arguing that the newly-formed party would not withstand the ruling party juggernaut.

Dr Mujuru, allegedly at the instigation of Retired Colonel Claudious Makova — who has since quit active politics in the wake of the Bikita West by-election defeat — threw caution to the wind.

Cde Beauty Chabaya of zanu-pf emphatically won the Bikita West by-election after garnering 13 156 votes, while Mr Kudakwashe Gopo of ZimPF came second with 2 453 votes. The drubbing of ZimPF vindicated the party’s Masvingo provincial executive, which is now reportedly unhappy with Dr Mujuru, accusing her of “ineptitude”.

Sources in ZimPF in Masvingo said there was general disgruntlement owing to internecine factional fights, with the party also battling to hold a convention to elect substantive leaders. “The ZimPF project might suffer a stillbirth because there is a lot of infighting and there is a feeling that the president (Dr Mujuru) is weak and indecisive as evidenced by her poor handling of the Bikita West by-election.

“There is a feeling that Dr Mujuru is a hostage of some few senior leaders who were expelled together with her from zanu-pf. These leaders are giving her wrong influence in their bid to maintain control of the party,’’ said the source who preferred anonymity.

‘’Right now, Dr Mujuru led us to participate in the Bikita West by-election, but ZimPF had not even adopted guidelines and rules governing selection of party candidates in elections. The guidelines were supposed to be adopted at the convention so that the whole process becomes constitutional. That was not done and its not even known when the convention will be held,’’ the source added.

The ZimPF provincial executive in Masvingo is reportedly suspicious that Dr Mujuru was now a hostage of Messers Rugare Gumbo and Didymus Mutasa who purpotedly were positioning themselves to occupy key positions when the party finally holds its convention.

Zanu-PF’s magnanimous victory in Bikita West heightened tension within the ZimPF leadership structures in Masvingo after Dr Mujuru had been warned on the possible dangers of participating in the poll by the party’s interim provincial leadership led by Dr William Zivenge.

In a letter to Dr Mujuru dated August 12, 2016 that The Herald is in possession of, the ZimPF Masvingo interim provincial leadership said it was fiercely opposed to taking part in the Bikita West by-election.

They told Dr Mujuru that it was pointless to participate in only one by-election (Bikita West) while ignoring others that were pending such as the Norton and Chimanimani West by-elections.

‘’If we go into the by-election and lose, we give our opponent, Zanu-PF massive room to maneuver and ridicule ZimPF as a nonentity, and as if we are not a serious political player,’’ read part of Dr Zivenge’s letter to Dr Mujuru that was also copied to the interim heads of mobilisation, security and and chairpersons of national committees.

Dr Zivenge categorically told Dr Mujuru that the ZimPF Masvingo provincial executive would not participate in the Bikita West by-election until the party comes up with a national position on elections.

However, Dr Mujuru ignored the position by her party’s leadership and railroaded them into the by-election only for them to get a thorough hiding from Zanu-PF. The heavy defeat in the by-election amplified opposition to Dr Mujuru within the ZimPF provincial leadership in Masvingo.

ZimPF acting Masvingo provincial spokesperson Mr Jeffreyson Chitando confirmed that the leadership in the province was against participating in the by-election. ‘’We are 100 percent behind our president (Dr Mujuru) but on the issue of the Bikita West by-election, she was misled by (Rtd Colonel) Makova that Masvingo province wanted to contest. If a person is misled, it does not mean she is not a good leader,’’ he said.

‘’The Masvingo leadership however, actively participated in the by-election at the end because we are very obedient. We do what our leaders tell us to do,’’ added Mr Chitando.

Morale is rock-bottom within ZimPF after the party’s heavy defeat with analysts saying the Dr Mujuru-led formation was supposed to go back to the drawing board and re-strategise if they hope to make an impact in future polls.