‘No Sabbath for Zanu-PF’

The 99th Ordinary Session of Zanu-PF’s Central Committee in Harare last week was convened in line with provisions of the ruling party’s constitution, and not to address alleged factionalism, President Mugabe has said.
Addressing the Friday meeting, President Mugabe dismissed private media reports claiming factional divisions in Zanu-PF, saying the Central Committee’s indaba’s agenda was to review party business.
The private media have been awash with reports alleging there are two factions in Zanu-PF, one led by First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe and another by Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The publications then claimed that “emergency” Politburo and Central Committee meetings were called to address the “factionalism”.
President Mugabe exposed the lie to the claims by pointing out that the meetings were routine.
Said the President: “I address you as members of the Central Committee attending this 99th Ordinary Session of the Central Committee and that in fulfillment of our constitution which enjoins and bids us to hold such meetings after every three months.
“It is an ordinary session, ordinary underlined, because it falls within the scheduled timeline and has been convened for the general review of our party business.
“That would make this otherwise superfluous point in order to dispel claims by our detractors that this session is out of the ordinary, having as they allege and claim being triggered by the so called factional politics, these detractors allege are plaguing our party.
“Our constitution designates no day as Sabbath Day, in other words we can hold our meeting on any day. We can meet on any day in any place as is appropriate.
“We remain focused and working very hard for our people and the party that is the calling we have the calling to which we pay respect and a calling we obey.”
Zanu-PF’s constitution says the Central Committee should have full plenary powers to “meet every three months in ordinary session or at any time in special or extraordinary sessions”.
Both Amai Mugabe and VP Mnangagwa have repeatedly dismissed the private media’s factional claims.
President Mugabe on Friday also dismissed the unsubstantiated claims saying the VP and First Lady enjoyed cordial relations.