Succession battle hots up as Zisco scandal unfolds(07-12-06)

pt of Parliament.
In 2004 Mpofu alerted President Robert Mugabe about a clandestine meeting at Dinyane High School in Tsholotsho organized by Mnangagwa and some provincial chairpmen aimed at scuttling the elevation of Joice Mujuru to the position of Vice President in favour of Mnangagwa. Mpofu’s exposé resulted in Mnangangwa being demoted and completely removed from the succession ladder.
Two years later, at the instigation of Mnangagwa, Mpofu has now been hauled before the House of Assembly to answer charges of contempt of Parliament and lying under oath before the portfolio committee on Foreign Affairs, Industry and International Trade on the wholesale looting of Ziscosteel by top government officials.
The report, which Mpofu sought to suppress, curiously named Joice Mujuru, who was also at the center of the Tsholotsho storm, as one of the top government officials who pillaged Ziscosteel through underhand deals.
Mnangagwa has taken the unprecedented step of calling for the jailing of everyone involved in the scandal and for the impeachment of Mpofu.
Speaker of Parliament John Nkomo, who last month declared an interest in taking over as President from Mugabe, has okayed Mpofu’s impeachment, which will be the first such case in post-Independence Zimbabwe.
The impeachment of Mpofu is also going to result in action taken against all the officials implicated in the Ziscosteel report. By effect, said ruling party sources, the Ziscosteel saga threatens to take down Mujuru and Joseph Msika, leaving Mnangagwa to plot a final assault on power as the succession battle hots up.