The current conflict in Zanu PF has far-reaching consequences for Zimbabwe as those vying for top posts in the party have the potential of changing the country’s constitution in the future to meet their political agenda, says Professor Welshman Ncube, leader of a formation of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
Reacting to the goings-on in the ruling party, which is holding its 6th congress in Harare, Ncube said his MDC is busy mobilizing its members for a bruising fight with a party which might be headed by Zanu PF hardliner Justice Minister Mnangagwa when President Robert Mugabe is no longer able to lead his party.
He said, “Any pretenses, any pretentions that this party is a democratic party have been totally jettisoned. What you witness, secondly, is the regression into complete mafia gangsters in the way the party is being organized.
“You can see a group of zealots who have absolutely no respect for anything called democratic tradition, zealots who will sink to any love in terms of lies, in terms of deception, in terms of violence, name just about any anti-democratic vice you will find in the zealots who have taken over Zanu PF at this particular moment.
Ncube said Zimbabweans inside and outside the ruling elite should be concerned about these machinations in the party, which has been led by President Mugabe since independence from British in 1980.
“So, Zimbabweans who do not care about Zanu PF should be concerned that if these zealots have taken over this party and it’s the ruling party … and it’s the party which historically already has a terrible record in terms of treatment of its citizens during election and as we move forward towards future elections, we should all be extremely concerned that if these people can do what they have done to some of their own in the manner in which they have done it, what are they capable of doing against those of us who oppose them openly, directly and making no apologies that they must not be anywhere near power …”
He further noted that his party does not have any immediate interest in working with discarded Zanu PF senior members like Vice President Joice Mujuru and deposed party spokesman Rugare Gumbo.
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Prof. Welshman Ncube Says Zanu PF Hardliners Will Destroy Zimbabwe
However, Zanu PF Politburo member, Godfrey Malaba, believed that the party is going the right direction as it was almost “hijacked” by Mrs. Mujuru and her colleagues.