Apart from the obduracy of President Mugabe and the ruling clique in ZANU-PF such as former Security Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa and current Security Minister Didymus Mutasa a principal obstacle to political change is the disarray on policy and personnel in the opposition camp...
Now the JOC and ZANU-PF's Politburo have both endorsed the Mugabe fight-back strategy as the most plausible they have launched what could be the heaviest round of repression since the Gukurahundi ('The early rain which washes away the chaff before the spring rains' AC Vol 45 No 23) campaign orchestrated by AVM Shiri and then-Security Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa...
He favours a Mugabe victory provided that he steps down shortly afterwards and makes way for Emmerson Mnangagwa who has maintained strong links with Zambia; some of Mnangagwa's family lives there...
In the heart of Masvingo where heir apparent Emmerson Mnangagwa holds sway Gutu is the sort of area where Mugabe would have expected the most rousing welcome...
These divisions within ZANU-PF ranks make matters more difficult for the party's Campaign Director and Legal Affairs Secretary Emmerson Mnangagwa...
Mugabe's heir apparent Emmerson Mnangagwa has been passing the hat around his foreign business friends including some of his old British-based arms dealing friends...
Emmerson Mnangagwa Mugabe's most likely successor has moved from the Kwekwe urban seat where he has been defeated twice to stand in Chirumanzi against three rivals all from Arthur Mutambara's MDC faction...
Yet last week the party's Legal Secretary Emmerson Mnangagwa announced that Makoni had 'expelled himself' by challenging Mugabe in the presidential and parliamentary polls...
Both Mujuru and his long-time rival in ZANU-PF Emmerson Mnangagwa command groups of loyalists in the military and intelligence organisations...
Alongside the main business of endorsing President Robert Mugabe as its flagbearer in next year's elections the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front Congress is this weekend expected to choose between sucession rivals Solomon Mujuru and Emmerson Mnangagwa...
Three years ago he ditched his preferred successor Emmerson Mnangagwa and catapulted Joyce Mujuru into the vice-presidency...