Without naming them, Mugabe said some Zanu PF provincial chairpersons were questioning his appointments.
The veteran leader was addressing the ruling party’s central committee in Harare ahead of the national conference to be held in Victoria Falls at the weekend.
“You, as provincial chairman, by what authority do you question my appointments?
“To hell with you,†the 91-year-old leader charged.
“I choose people according to my knowledge of them, what I think their capabilities amount to and whatever experience, I think you have.â€
The decisions and appointments he makes must be accepted, the Zanu PF leader added.
“They (appointees) may not be your friends, but they are party members and they must be accepted,†he said.
Mugabe confirmed media reports about deepening divisions in the ruling party over his succession.
He wondered why his lieutenants were fighting when the next elections are not due until 2018, warning that the divisions risked rapturing the former liberation movement.
“We have a problem at the moment that threatens to split the party,†said Mugabe.
“Some are looking at the forthcoming elections, yet they are still far. They come in the year 2018.
No confidence votes
“But the ambitious ones are working, some openly, some behind the scenes in all kinds of ways in order to place themselves in positions which they think will make them to be elected.
“Some want to be in those positions now, hazviite, just now! Elections take place once in five years, at the end of the five years, we all resign and the ambitious ones can line up.â€
The divisions have seen officials subjecting rivals to so-called no confidence votes.
The latest to be affected include reported allies of vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa who were, this week, axed from the national executive of the Women’s League which is chaired by Mugabe’s wife, Grace.
President Mugabe blasted “abuse†of the no confidence votes, insisting party disciplinary procedures should be respected and followed.
“The rules of the party apply and must apply in an orderly manner, a just manner to everyone, don’t discriminate,†said President Mugabe.
“The party has all kinds of individuals. It has individuals we like and individuals we dislike. It’s not everybody we like. We don’t like the manners of so-and-so perhaps.
“We don’t appreciate the habits of the person next to you, but he is a member of the party and he must be tolerated.â€
Post published in: Featured
Zanu PF members used to elect the two VPs but Mugabe has since taken this away, he appoints everybody now. He has absolute power and he is abusing it!
The real big issue here is that no one else other than Mugabe himself has any meaningful say in Zanu PF. Party members were supposed to elect provincial leaders but we have all seen how all provincial leaders considered unfriendly have been ruthlessly purged out of the party in stage managed vote-of-no-confidence.
Provincial leaders then elected those who went on to be in the Central Committee.
Provincial leaders are supposed to nominate who they wanted to fill the presidium posts by popular acclaim and time and again only Mugabe’s name has been put forward for the top job. If there was a secret ballot, I am sure the result would have been different.
Mugabe has always managed to deny the party members a vote to fill the other presidium posts, he has always appointed whoever he pleased – the less competent the better.
Mugabe has appointed politburo members and everyone else with any power and authority in government, civil service and security sector.
There is no doubt that Mugabe has absolute power and he has been abusing it. If we are serious about good governance then we must move to end this culture of leaders wielding dictatorial powers and give ordinary people more meaningful say in the governance of the party and country.