It appeared a given. Once chairman of the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front, the next step was to rise to Vice-President if a vacancy occurred. It happened to Joseph Msika then John Nkomo but people are now putting obstacles in Simon Khaya Moyo’s way with the most senior person from the former Zimbabwe African People’s Union, Naison Moyo, describing him as “just a schoolboy who takes minutes”. Ndlovu, who has pulled out of the race, has every reason to be bitter. He was outfoxed by John Nkomo who was his junior and again by SK Moyo. But Moyo is more of a victim of the succession squabbles in ZANU-PF where people from the former ZANU want to grab both the two Vice-President’s posts abandoning the tradition of having one from each of the former parties. And Mugabe is squarely to blame because he changed the delicate balance that had been maintained all along and, according to his wife, insisted that the other vice-president should be a woman. Within the old ZANU-PF, people are squabbling over whether Mujuru should retain her post or not. Grace Mugabe says she must go, but Mujuru seems to have substantial backing especially from those with business interests to protect. Moyo is not just a victim of squabbles within the old ZANU-PF but his former colleagues seem to have abandoned him as well. Though they are alleged to have endorsed him at a meeting last year, some of the senior party officials now claim they never backed him. Ndlovu went to the extent of saying the meeting itself was illegal because it was chaired by Cephas Msipa whom he claimed had left the former ZAPU. Time is running out for both Moyo and those who want to unseat him as there are now only seven weeks to the decisive congress. Everyone’s fate now seems to hang on the decision of the 10-member team appointed by the Politburo to supervise the Elective congress preparations. The team consists Emmerson Mnangagwa (Midlands), Sikhanyiso Ndlovu (Bulawayo), Cleveria Chizema (Harare), Dzikamai Mavhaire (Masvingo), Didymus Mutasa (Manicaland), Sydney Sekeramayi (Mashonaland East), Nicholas Goche (Mashonaland Central), Abigail Damasane (Matabeleland South), Obert Mpofu (Matabeleland North) and Ignatius Chombo (Mashonaland West). If it is true that Vice-President Mujuru and Mnangagwa lead factions, then Mujuru appears to have an upper hand as majority of the members of the team seem to be from her faction.
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