Mugabe was speaking at the National Heroes Acre today at the burial of Stan Mudenge, who was Minister Higher and Tertiary Education.
Mudenge died on Thursday last week at a Masvingo hotel after collapsing in his room while he waited to officiate at an event at Great Zimbabwe University.
“In the party in Masvingo.You go to Masvingo, what is the leadership there? The top leadership? VaMudenge, vaHungwe – sometimes of course vaiitawo zvemafactions. Zvakangozara munyika handiko kwega (Mr Mudenge Mr Hungwe sometimes used to be involved in factionalism. It’s all over the country and not Masvingo alone)
Mugabe has repeatedly said he cannot appoint a successor as that would cause divisions in ZANU (pf).
Notwithstanding that defence minister Emmerson Mnangagwa and vece-president Joyce Mujuru are still frontrunners in the succession battle; securocrats led by military chief Constantine Chiwenga have also entered the fray ahead of elections slated for next year.
Mnangagwa and Mujuru have been gingerly shadow boxing to position themselves as possible successors to President Mugabe.
Youth Development, Indiginisation and Empowerment minister Saviour Kasukuwere leads another faction of young Turks loyal to Mugabe but ready to take over after him.
State security minister Sydney Sekeremayi and Mines minister Obert Mpofu are also among the top contenders to the presidency.
Post published in: News