The violent clashes that once again highlighted internal conflict in
President Robert Mugabe's once formidable ruling party pitted the
supporters of mines minister Amos Midzi and those of transport deputy
minister Hubert Nyanhongo.
The two were running for the provincial chairmanship eventually won by
Nyanhongo, who is also the only Member of Parliament from ZANU PF from
Harare province.
Eye witnesses said fighting between Nyanhongo and Midzi's supporters
broke out in the early hours of Tuesday and got so violent that the
police had to fire teargas and use water cannons – normally reserved
for use against opposition MDC supporters – to stop the fighting that
they feared could have resulted in lose of life.
Both Midzi and Nyanhongo had bused in hordes of supporters to the party
headquarters for the elections that wee held during the night,
according witnesses.
The election was held over the night, said a witness who is a ZANU PF
member and did not want his name published. Around 4am there were
running battles between the two camps' supporters. Riot police was
summoned and fired teargas and water cannons to end the clash.
According to the ZANU PF member, the two camps had initially quarrelled without engaging in much physical fighting.
But hell break lose around 4am when supporters from the Midzi camp
were told that their leader intend to pull out of the race citingÂ
irregularities, said our source. Midzi's supporters went haywire and
started assaulting people from Nyanhongo's camp and this spilled into a
big fight.
Violence had forced postponement of the ZANU PF elections in Harare but
party bosses were determined to ensure they happened on Tuesday ahead
of the party's annual conference on Friday.
Police spokesperson Wayne Bvudzijena confirmed the violence and said a number of people had been arrested over the clashes.
ZANU PF deputy spokesperson Ephraim Masawi condemned the violence and said the party would take appropriate action.
We don't condone violence of any nature and we are going to deal
firmly and decisively with those who were on the forefront of the
disturbances at the headquarters, Masawi said.
Midzi yesterday declined to comment on the violence, but said he would
appeal against his defeat to the party's national commissariat, while
Nyanhongo was not reachable on his mobile phone.
ZANU PF, whose power is on the wane after it was defeated by the MDC in
elections last March, is riven by factionalism much of it linked to the
unresolved issue of Mugabe's succession.
Two camps, one led by former army commander Solomon Mujuru and the
other by former parliamentary speaker Emmerson Mnangagwa, are fighting
for control of the party when and if Mugabe retires.
Intra-party violence rocks Zanu-PFBy Moses Muchemwa Bulawayo
(ZimEye)-Intra-party violence has rocked Zanu-PF as party members were
involved in violent skirmishes during Harare provincial elections.
There were violent clashes between supporters of former Zanu-PF Harare
chairman Amos Midzi and Harare South House of Assembly member Hubert
Nyanhongo, as power struggle reared its ugly head, on Monday night.
Midzi and his deputy Christopher Chigumba had to scurry for cover from
the election venue after an angry mob deflated their vehicle tyres and
beat up their supporters.
As violence escalated, some rogue Zanu-PF elements even threw stones at
policemen who tried to quell the rampaging Nyanhongo backers. The
police officers did not arrest anyone, letting the bloodthirsty Zanu-PF
member scot-free.
The polls were first slated for 30 November, but were postponed twice
on account of violent clashes between supporters of both Nyanhongo and
Midzi.
The typical violent Zanu-PF supporters fought over the composition of
the electoral college, which should be made up of members drawn from
the districts and the six district co-ordinating committees.
Zanu-PF deputy secretary for the commissariat Richard Ndlovu, later endorsed Nyanhongo as the Harare provincial chairman.
Analysts say the violence that erupted at the Zanu-PF meeting showed
that the party was the hand causing havoc throughout the country.
Scores of political opponents have been abducted and killed.- (ZimEye, Zimbabwe)