Mugabe for life: Zanu PF party

HARARE – Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu PF party could extend President Robert Mugabe’s term for life at an annual conference next week, party secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa told ZimOnline on Tuesday.

In a bizarre twist to the vicious struggle for power within Zanu PF as Mugabe’s term draws to an end in 2008, Mutasa – who is de facto party secretary general – said there was “a realistic chance” that the conference could appoint Mugabe party president for life and its permanent candidate in state presidential elections for as long as he was alive. Zanu PF, which has enough parliamentary majority to amend Zimbabwe’s Constitution, is pushing to alter the country’s fundamental governance document to postpone a presidential election due in 2008 to 2010 so it could be held together with elections for Parliament.Such a plan would allow Mugabe to rule for another two years after the expiry of his term.”When people talk about harmonising the elections and holding them jointly in 2010, they think we are using this to give the President a ticket to hold office till 2010.No.It could as well be that we might actually want him there for much longer than that,” said Mutasa, in a telephone interview with ZimOnline on the key issues to be discussed at Zanu PF’s conference beginning Friday next week.The conference is expected to, among other issues facing the party and the country, discuss the possible postponement of the presidential poll.For example, the party’s executive committee in Midlands province and its youth executive in Manicaland province last month resolved to ask the conference to endorse moving the presidential poll to 2010.Mutasa said Mugabe, 82, had done “so many wonderful things” for Zimbabwe but was still not showing any signs of tiredness despite his advanced age and it was possible delegates at the conference could elect to appoint him for life.He said: “There is a realistic chance that someone among the delegates or one of the provinces could come up with a proposal that Zanu PF should make him President for life and that he remains the party’s candidate in state presidential elections until Amen.”He has done so many wonderful things for this country and its majority population and he is not showing any signs of tiredness.So if it is raised, as I am sure it would be, why not (make him life president)?” This is the first time that anyone in Zanu PF has publicly suggested Mugabe be made president for life.As Zanu PF secretary for administration, Mutasa is a key player in organising the party conference and is in the know of what proposals provinces shall table at the key conference.ZimOnlineZanu PF, which has enough parliamentary majority to amend Zimbabwe’s Constitution, is pushing to alter the country’s fundamental governance document to postpone a presidential election due in 2008 to 2010 so it could be held together with elections for Parliament.Such a plan would allow Mugabe to rule for another two years after the expiry of his term.”When people talk about harmonising the elections and holding them jointly in 2010, they think we are using this to give the President a ticket to hold office till 2010.No.It could as well be that we might actually want him there for much longer than that,” said Mutasa, in a telephone interview with ZimOnline on the key issues to be discussed at Zanu PF’s conference beginning Friday next week.The conference is expected to, among other issues facing the party and the country, discuss the possible postponement of the presidential poll.For example, the party’s executive committee in Midlands province and its youth executive in Manicaland province last month resolved to ask the conference to endorse moving the presidential poll to 2010.Mutasa said Mugabe, 82, had done “so many wonderful things” for Zimbabwe but was still not showing any signs of tiredness despite his advanced age and it was possible delegates at the conference could elect to appoint him for life. He said: “There is a realistic chance that someone among the delegates or one of the provinces could come up with a proposal that Zanu PF should make him President for life and that he remains the party’s candidate in state presidential elections until Amen.”He has done so many wonderful things for this country and its majority population and he is not showing any signs of tiredness.So if it is raised, as I am sure it would be, why not (make him life president)?” This is the first time that anyone in Zanu PF has publicly suggested Mugabe be made president for life.As Zanu PF secretary for administration, Mutasa is a key player in organising the party conference and is in the know of what proposals provinces shall table at the key conference.ZimOnline