Zimbabwe's ZANU-PF Endorses Mugabe to Run in 2012 Election
Political analyst Effie Dlela-Ncube said that the ZANU-PF resolutions look to the interests of the party and not to those of the people
ZANU-PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo said the party resolved unanimously that its leader, President Robert Mugabe, should seek re-election in the next national ballot Zimbabwean political observers were on Monday still digesting the slate of resolutions passed by President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF at its just-ended annual conference while the party itself said its next step is to take up some of those positions with its partners in the unity government. The party resolved unanimously to have President Mugabe continue as its leader and seek re-election in the national ballot. But the resolution that those elections must be held in 2012 is sure to spark further debate within the unity government, given the positions already taken by the Movement for Democratic Change formations that significant reforms must be put in place before elections can be held. ZANU-PF also wants the Zimbabwean dollar, suspended for its lack of value in April 2009 amid crippling inflation, re-introduced into the multi-currency regime currently in place as a way of tackling general liquidity problems. The former sole-governing party warned non-governmental organizations to stay out of politics and cautioned the media not to announce unofficial election results. Those that do so, the party warned, will lose operating licenses. ZANU-PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo told VOA Studio 7 reporter Jonga Kandemiiri that the party will sit down with its ruling partners to discuss some of the resolutions affecting the power-sharing government. But Douglas Mwonzora, spokesman for the MDC wing led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, said his party was not troubled by the ZANU-PF resolutions as there was nothing new. His position was shared by Nhlanhla Dube, spokesman for the MDC formation led by Industry Minister Welshman Ncube who said ZANU-PF's resolutions, if implemented, would take Zimbabwe backward. Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU) has castigated President Mugabe for calling for early elections and an end to the government of national unity saying he wants to “bulldoze” his way back to power. ZAPU spokesman Methuseli Moyo told VOA Studio 7 reporter Sithandekile Mhlanga that the constitutional referendum and national elections can’t be held in 2012 as fundamental political and electoral reforms have yet to be implemented. Independent political analyst Effie Dlela-Ncube commented that the ZANU-PF resolutions look to the interests of the party and not to those of the people.