Robert Mugabe is doing all he can to reduce the damage his Zanu (PF) ruling party looks likely to suffer over the hotly disputed internal primary elections. After his rushed return from holidays in the Far East at the weekend, he has been holding a series of emergency meetings in a bid to deal with the explosive situation. (13-JAN-05)

This article was originally published in the South Africn newspaper Business Day 12 January, 2005. It has been edited for republication here.

The state-run Herald newspaper reported on Tuesday (11 January) that hundreds of protesters, some carrying placards, gathered outside Zanu (PF) headquarters on Monday to demand changes in selection procedures they said “imposed” candidates on some party districts. The ruling party has been rocked by infighting and demonstrations over the selection of candidates to contest primary elections due on Saturday. Analysts said Zanu (PF) faced its deepest split since Mugabe led the country to independence from Britain in 1980. The conflict pitting “young Turks” against party veterans erupted in December with a power struggle over the appointment of Joyce Mujuru as the country?s first woman vice-president.

-Your Party is being ripped apart
“President, the party has been ripped apart,” one of the placards read, and another: “Let people exercise their rights.” The weekend polls are meant to select candidates to represent Zanu (PF) in the general election in March. Reacting to the placards that said the party had been “ripped apart”, Mugabe put on a brave face and adopted a posture of denial. “The party is not dead, it is standing strong,” Mugabe said in his address to the demonstrators. “Are you aware that such things please the MDC (Movement for Democratic Change)? This is democracy in Zanu (PF). Please don?t worry, we have heard your complaints.”

-No, it isn?t
In an attempt to head off the protests, Mugabe said the process of compiling a list of candidates was not yet complete. He ordered his party to compile a new list that would be submitted to the Zanu (PF) presidium for vetting before being tabled at the party?s decision-making politburo for approval. However, Mugabe said officials on suspension and those facing disciplinary measures would be disqualified. He also said “mafikizolos” (newcomers) who splashed money like confetti to buy votes would be barred from the elections. Mugabe held further meetings on the issue yesterday after Monday?s discussions at Zanu (PF) headquarters in Harare to resolve the problem and stop demonstrations.

-Yes, it is
The feuding has been sparked by the elimination of senior Zanu (PF) officials, including Information Minister Jonathan Moyo, from Saturday?s primary elections . A number of senior officials were barred from contesting the primaries for reasons ranging from the need to accommodate women candidates to a lack of discipline. Moyo and officials such as jailed Finance Minister Chris Kuruneri, imprisoned provincial chairman Phillip Chiyangwa, Tony Gara and Kindness Paradza have been barred from the polls. Paradza is standing in the Makonde constituency against Mugabe?s nephew Leo. Apart from Leo, two other members of the Mugabe?s family, his sister Sabina and her son Patrick, are also vying for seats.

-HRH will continue to monitor the situation
-Zimbabwe has long been one of the country?s HRH has monitored, but at the moment, we do not see an opportunity to enter into a process of establishing a Human Rights House there. For that to happen, a certain degree of stability and predictability has to be in place, and whatever there was of this in the past, President Mugabe has effectively ruined, says Niels Jacob Harbitz, HRH?s Project Manager for East Africa. -Even so, HRH monitors the situation closely. Both directly and indirectly, we have lots of contacts into the country which we will continue to develop. The situation is grave, and it is the responsibility of the international community at large to maintain contact, especially now that the entire civil society in Zimbabwe is threatened with extermination. HRH will continue to draw attention to Zimbabwe?s predicament, not only through the distribution of news, but also through for instance the hosting of meetings and press conferences like the one that took place hre at the Human Rights House in Oslo last November, when MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai visited the country.