Mugabe faces Zanu-PF protest
2005-01-11 22:02
Special Report
The US says "thugs" from Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party killed a supporter of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and hurt several others at a weekend rally.
Harare - President Robert Mugabe faced a rare demonstration by supporters of his ruling Zanu-PF party accusing the party leadership of trampling over their rights, the state press reported on Tuesday.
Hundreds of party followers gathered late on Monday at the party's headquarters in the capital, carrying placards charging that the party has been ripped apart and demanding that people be allowed exercise their rights.
Observers say the 80-year-year-old leader's party, in its 25th year of autocratic rule, is facing unprecedented crisis as Mugabe and his old guard suppress a faction of younger party leaders.
The demonstrators on Monday were protesting against Mugabe's exclusion of scores of would-be candidates for parliamentary elections due in March. Many of them are seen as supporters of parliamentary speaker Emmerson Mnangagwa.
'This pleases the MDC'
In December Mugabe was accused of imposing loyalist Joyce Mujuru as vice-president, effectively sidelining Mnangagwa as his likely successor. About a dozen top party officials, including powerful cabinet ministers, were jettisoned from the party leadership for plotting to push Mnangagwa to the top of the list to succeed Mugabe.
Mugabe, who returned from holiday in Malaysia on Sunday, said he was surprised to see the demonstration, the state-controlled daily Herald reported on Tuesday.
"Do you know that this pleases the (opposition) Movement for Democratic Change?" he chided them.
Last week hundreds of women party demonstrators barricaded the national political commissar at the party headquarters, demanding that the party's praesidium comprising Mugabe, two vice-presidents and the party chairman allow them to choose their own candidates at the party's primary elections this weekend.
However, Mugabe indicated on Tuesday that he was taking little notice of the demonstrators.
All would-be candidates for the elections would be vetted by him first, he told them. He was quoted as saying that the party would always listen to the wishes of the people but will remain guided by its principles.
Observers say Monday's demonstration is a sign of unprecedented dissatisfaction within Zanu-PF, controlled by Mugabe since 1975. Discontent is aggravated by the last five years of economic collapse, marked by world-record inflation, critical shortages of fuel and basic foodstuffs, unemployment of about 80% and famine.
Mugabe blames the country's problems on alleged imperialist sabotage by Western governments. - dpa
- SAPA