Politics
Mugabe: ZANU-PF will be triumphant in the elections
He said violence and allegations of vote-rigging plagued three national elections in the past decade and that there still was no “level political playing field.”
Deep divisions in Mugabe’s party have emerged over the ability of the ailing leader to remain in control and stop infighting.
U.S. diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks earlier this year quoted several top party leaders saying they wanted Mugabe to leave office. Party hardliners loyal to Mugabe have called for such “sell-outs” to be punished and possibly expelled from ZANU PF.
The party’s 10 provincial districts in separate meetings have already endorsed Mugabe as its sole presidential candidate against Tsvangirai, 59, in the next elections despite fears over his health.
Mugabe has visited Singapore at least eight times this year for medical treatment. U.S. cables quoted associates of Mugabe as saying he suffers from prostate cancer.
Mavhinga of the Crisis Coalition said the party convention is unlikely to dare tackle leadership changes and was expected to “rubber stamp” Mugabe’s leadership
“The party has invested too much in one person and it’s inextricably linked to Mugabe. Without him things will fall apart,” he said.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.
