Critics said the fact that the veteran leader had been endorsed is evidence that either the party had failed to groom capable upcoming leaders or Mugabe was power hungry.
The country needed an injection of fresh blood not a tired leadership to improve its standing they said.
“Although I am a Zanu (PF) supporter, I do not endorse such a move. I believe it is time for our president to call it quits and pave way for someone else. We have capable leaders within the party. How the decision was reached to endorse him for another term is shocking. I just hope it does not turn out to be an own goal,” said Silas Mugejo.
The ageing leader has been at the helm for 27 years, taking over the Bread Basket of Africa but steering it a begging bowl. He will be gunning for a sixth term when elections are held in March next year.
He fought off stiff resistance from some cliques in his party reportedly opposed to his candidature.
Qhubekani Ndlovu said endorsing Mugabe was testimony that the 83-year-old was power hungry.
“It does not need a rocket scientist to note that Mugabe has to go. We are grateful he and many others liberated the country. He has therefore played his part. It is shocking for the party to endorse him as its candidate as it justifies the belief that cronies are gaining from his misrule. Maybe they are scared of him,” he said.
Mugabe is the only remaining liberation leader in the Southern African region. Others like Kenneth Kaunda, Sam Nujoma and Nelson Mandela, have all called it quits and passed the baton to younger leaders.
MDC supporter Jacqueline Paradza said Zanu (PF) and Mugabe were now a laughing stock with their culture of recycling leaders.
“The recycling is legendary. However I am not concerned with what other parties are doing. It is none of our concern. I am concerned with voting for my party against whoever leader whichever party fields in the election,” said Paradza, one of an estimated two million Zimbabweans who fled the economic and political malaise plaguing their country to settle in South Africa. – Own correspondent Â
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