[I also don’t take the Mugabe succession question seriously. I don’t even listen to it. I think Mugabe is doing it more to guage the reaction of those against him – using it as a kind of means of finding out who is DISLOYAL and then nailing them. I regard it as a kind of purge that is going on secretly. So anyone who wants to replace him, etc is then taken note of. I’m quite sure there is a trick to this because this so-called “discussion” has been going on for years now, and Mugabe himself encourages this – which makes it even more suspicious. Remember the talk was that he’s leaving in 2008 – but now its “postponed” to 2010… He’s not leaving… until he’s in a coffin. This whole discussion is a red herring – or worse. Jan]

Here’s something that is quite odd going on in Zimbabwe:

I’m not so sure about this and I kind of get the feeling that this is looking a whole like how the Polish Communists remained in power after the “fall” of Communism. I do not know if that’s the case with Zimbabwe, but I am quite suspicious anyway. MH, USA

Mugabe Proposes Succession Debate at December Party Conference By Blessing Zulu
Washington
09 October 2006

Interview With Simon Badza

President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe has said the ruling party’s membership will be allowed to weigh in his succession during the ZANU-PF annual conference scheduled for December in Goromonzi, a town about 40 kilometers east of Harare. But critics expressed doubt that Mugabe intended to resolve the matter as soon as that.

National Constitutional Assembly Chairman Lovemore Madhuku, a prominent figure in the opposition, said ZANU-PF’s annual conference does not have the power to select new leaders. Madhuku said that if President Mugabe were sincere about selecting his successor he would convene an extraordinary congress empowered to do so.

Madhuku added that if the issue is discussed at the conference, ZANU-PF youth and the war veteran wing would be likely to force nomination of Mugabe by acclamation.

Most observers consider Vice President Joyce Mujuru to be the strongest candidate to succeed Mr. Mugabe, who in late 2004 pushed through her nomination to the second slot and purged a number of senior party officials who opposed the appointment.

Acting Chairman Simon Badza of the University of Zimbabwe political science faculty told reporter Blessing Zulu of VOA’s Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that the president is on the correct track in proposing to take up the issue at the annual conference.

Source: Voice of America News
URL: http://www.voanews.com/english/Africa/Zimbabw…br>

VERENA Replied:
Hallo and thank you for your article.