The founders of the two main Karanga factions are also dead the late Vice-President Simon Muzenda who ran Midlands and the late Justice Minister Eddison Zvobgo who ran Masvingo and aimed to replace Mugabe...
The Karanga groups – one led by ailing firebrand Eddison Zvobgo and Air Marshal Josiah Tungamirai and the other bigger and richer led by parliamentary Speaker Emmerson Mnangagwa Zvinavashe and Foreign Minister Stan Mudenge...
Vol 43 No 25 |
- KENYA
- ZIMBABWE
Only a brave few such as former Attorney General Eddison Zvobgo openly question Mugabe's wisdom...
He was Mugabe's choice for the party's national chairmanship two years ago but former army commander General Solomon Mujuru and former Attorney General Eddison Zvobgo pushed through their candidate John Nkomo Home Affairs Minister (and himself Ndebele)...
Some say Eddison Zvobgo could do it with dignity but he is in disgrace and is known to have political ambitions which rule him out...
Two senior people kicked off the Politbureau were the party's Secretary for Legal Affairs Eddison Zvobgo and Transport Secretary Welshman Mabhena...
At present the Politbureau is dominated by Mugabe's lieutenants from the liberation struggle of the 1970s: Robert Mugabe (President and First Secretary) Simon Muzenda (Second Secretary and Vice- President) Joseph Msika (Second Secretary and Vice-President) John Nkomo (Chairman) Didymus Mutasa (Administration) Emmerson Mnangagwa (Finance) Moven Mahachi (Commissariat and Culture) Stephen Nkomo (External Affairs) Sydney Sekeramayi (Security) Nathan Shamuyarira (Information and Publicity) Welshman Mabhena (Transport and Welfare) Tenjiwe Lesabe (Women's Affairs) Josiah Tungamirai (Youth) Naison Ndlovu (Economic Affairs) Eddison Zvobgo (Legal) Joyce Mujuru (Education) Oppah Rushesha Muchinguri (Health) Vacant (Production and Labour)...
Masvingo 's ZANU-PF activists are split: those supporting Deputy President Simon Muzenda (who said that ZANU-PF members should vote for a baboon if that 's what the party demands); those behind Eddison Zvobgo the Minister without portfolio and putative successor candidate; and a breed of young turks eager to replace both the above veterans...
A fellow Karanga the still-ambitious Minister-without-Portfolio Eddison Zvobgo was less involved in the Matebeleland atrocities and has publicly said sorry to the Ndebele...
Eventually the faction of Minister without Portfolio Eddison Zvobgo won the day...