The British Broadcasting Corporation has come up with an interesting video entitled: Mugabe’s failed opponents in 90 seconds.
It lists the opponents as Joshua Nkomo, former leader of the Zimbabwe African People’s Union who formed an alliance with Mugabe after the 1980 independence elections but was sacked in 1982 after allegations of supporting dissidents fighting to topple Mugabe’s administration. Nkomo, however, later became Vice-President of the country and died in office.
Second is Edgar Tekere, Mugabe’s former number two, who was sacked in 1988 after disagreements over the formation of a one-party state following the merger of the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front and ZAPU. Tekere contested Mugabe in the 1990 presidential elections but lost. He died in 2011.
Third is Morgan Tsvangirai, the Movement for Democratic Change leader, who is dubbed Mugabe’s strongest opponent and has contested him three times winning once in 2008 but failed to form a government after his victory was ruled to be not enough to enable him to form a government.
Zimbabwe’s constitution said the winner must poll at least 50 percent of the votes plus one. Tsvangirai got just under 48 percent.
Fourth is Simba Makoni, who was sacked as Finance Minister in 2002 but continued to be ranked one of Mugabe’s potential successor until he left the party in 2008 to contest the presidential elections.
And finally is Joice Mujuru, who was catapulted to Mugabe’s number two in 2004 up to now but has now been kicked out of the party’s central committee after an acrimonious battle with Mugabe’s wife who has asked her to resign before congress accusing her of plotting not only to oust her husband but of killing him too.
The ZANU-PF congress is scheduled to start tomorrow.
See also our ebook: God, Mugabe and The West on how Mugabe has survived.
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