Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe who turns 90 on Friday says there is no need to talk about his succession because he is not about to retire.
According to extracts of an interview published by
the government owned media on Thursday, President Mugabe said he was
not happy with the jockeying for his post in his Zanu-PF party.
A full interview is set to be broadcast on state television on Thursday night.
The veteran ruler, in power since Zimbabwe’s
independence in 1980, said his retirement was not due and those raising
the succession issue would divide his party.
He said he does not want to leave Zanu-PF divided
along factional lines. “But why should it (succession) be discussed when
it is not due? Is it due?” he asked.
“The people can discuss it if they want, but the
moment they start they go into factions and then you find the party
dividing itself and so why discuss it when it is not due?
President Mugabe added: “When the day comes and I
retire, yes, sure the day will come, but I do not want to leave my party
in tatters. I want to leave it intact.”
He said those angling to succeed him risked expulsion from Zanu-PF as they were fanning factionalism.
Vice-President Joice Mujuru and Defence minister
Emmerson Mnangagwa have often been identified as leaders of faction
jostling to position themselves in the event President Mugabe decides to
retire.
However, the two have repeatedly denied the accusations.
President Mugabe said it was “terrible even to have your name mentioned as leader of a faction. It is shameful.”
The Zanu-PF factionalism played out during the party’s provincial elections held last December.
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