Unsettling Zimbabwe’s domestic politics

That the recent antics of ANC Youth League (ANCYL) leader Julius Malema are not only impacting South Africa was well illustrated by a report last week from Zimbabwe, highlighting how it has even caused tensions within President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party. Ironically, Malema's taking sides with Zanu-PF in the ongoing Zimbabwean political/constitutional dispute is what landed him in trouble at home.

The Zimbabwean The Independent last week reported that “President Robert Mugabe’s fractured Zanu-PF party last week emerged from its politburo meeting deeply divided over the issue of controversial ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema, who has created conflict within parties on both sides of the Limpopo.

“The fight in the stormy politburo meeting over Malema could heighten political tensions within the parties riddled with factions that support and oppose the militant ANC youth leader’s buccaneering leftist politics.

“Informed sources said the battle in the politburo over Malema started after Zanu-PF Women’s League head Oppah Muchinguri suggested the party show support for Malema, who was facing charges of misconduct in the ANC arising from his recent visit to Zimbabwe," the report said.

”Zanu-PF chairman Simon Khaya Moyo is said to have commented on Muchinguri’s remarks in a dismissive manner while disparaging Malema. This sparked fierce exchanges among senior party officials.”

The report claims that “Moyo was seriously attacked by senior politburo members over his remarks on the ANC and Malema. After Muchinguri said Zanu-PF must support Malema as the party’s Youth League had done, Moyo claimed he knew better what was going on in the ANC and tried to brush aside Muchinguri.

“Another politburo member who attended the meeting said Mudenge insinuated he was shocked Moyo was negative in his remarks on Malema, while complimentary of ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe, who was known to be critical of Zanu-PF.

“Mudenge indicated that Mantashe was anti Zanu-PF, including during the recent meetings of former southern African liberation movements in Dar es Salaam,” the source said.

“Mugabe attended the meetings in Tanzania. Sources said Mantashe, who was once deported from Zimbabwe during his days in Cosatu, suggested in one of the meetings in Dar es Salaam that the former liberation movements now in power must reject Zanu-PF’s propaganda on sanctions and instead press it to implement the global political agreement in full.”

The original report can be read at http://www.theindependent.co.zw/local/26619-zanu-pf-fights-over-malema.html