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Mugabe, Mujuru end alliance
The Standard (Zimbabwe)
March 16, 2008

View story on the Zimbabwe Standard website

Last Monday's meeting between President Robert Mugabe and Retired General Solomon Mujuru effectively ended their 30-year close relationship, The Standard understands. Sources close to Mugabe described the meeting as "frosty", saying it lasted "just five minutes". They met, the sources said, at Mujuru's request. He reportedly wanted to distance himself from Simba Makoni's initiative, in the same way Makoni had distanced himself from "the project" during the meeting he held with Mugabe, before announcing he was after the president's job. Mujuru told Mugabe that he was not the architect of the Mavambo formation. He reportedly said this was an initiative driven by Makoni, Ibbo Mandaza, Retired Major Kudzai Mbudzi, Dumiso Dabengwa and others. Mujuru reportedly told Mugabe he would not be involved because his wife, Vice-President Joice Mujuru, was a senior member of the politburo and was in the government.

The sources said a petulant Mugabe reportedly told Mujuru: "Okay, I have heard you. Is that all?" ending the meeting between two former allies. In describing the meeting with Mujuru to the State media Mugabe curiously used the phrase, "that's what he (Mujuru) told me", suggesting he was sceptical of Mujuru's explanation. Observers have said what is significant about this episode is that Mujuru has not himself said anything while the President, in desperate need of allies, purports to speak for him. It was not immediately possible to confirm with Mujuru the outcome of Monday's meeting as efforts to contact him were unsuccessful. Calls to him went unanswered. But sources told The Standard Mugabe's line of questioning indicated he had detailed information from security agencies on meetings that Mujuru had allegedly attended, during which the "Makoni project" had been discussed. "It was a frosty meeting," said the sources. "Mugabe wanted to contain the fall-out. The meeting was hostile and put pressure on Mujuru to come out in the open."

According to the sources, the meeting has left Mujuru in an untenable position ahead of next Wednesday's politburo meeting in Harare. But it has also sent Zanu PF into a tailspin because Mugabe is now said to believe that 50%-60% of his politburo members support Makoni. Publicly, these members pretend to campaign for Mugabe but are in fact urging voters to cast their ballots for the Zanu PF aspiring councillor, MP and Senator but to vote for Makoni for president, The Standard heard. The sources said Wednesday's meeting would be significant on at least two grounds: whether Zanu PF has any legitimate grounds on which to expel Dabengwa from the party, as some party hardliners are urging the party to do, and the matter of the severed nexus between Mugabe and Mujuru, clearly rendering redundant a friendship and trust dating back to 1975. When Mugabe arrived in Mozambique in 1975, Mujuru came to his rescue, persuading sceptical guerrillas to accept him, leading to Mugabe's election at the nine-day Chimoio congress in 1977, finally sealing his leadership of both the party and its armed wing, Zanla.

But that relationship ruptured at Monday's meeting, clearly demonstrating for the first time in more than three decades they were now on different paths. Dabengwa has not stood as an independent candidate and is not running for office and has therefore not, technically, breached any sections of the party's constitution. "Makoni's first statement said that the December 2007 extraordinary congress of the ruling party was a disappointment. So did Dabengwa," The Standard heard. "Effectively, what they have done is to take their fight to the public. If the public endorse Makoni they can bring in other forces working under the so-called National Authority, which Makoni has spoken of." Dabengwa had previously denied he was one of Makoni's supporters but a few days later he came out in the open at two well-attended meetings in Bulawayo to announce he had dumped Mugabe and joined Makoni. "Those who are not involved do not bother to defend themselves," said the sources. "[But] those who are strenuous in their denials end up confirming."

Observers have said what is significant about this episode is that Mujuru has not himself said anything while the president, in desperate need of allies, purports to speak for him. Others, such as Vice-President Joseph Msika, The Standard heard, are reportedly sympathetic to Makoni because of the flagrant manner in which suspended war veterans' leader, Jabulani Sibanda, was roped in through the backdoor to spearhead Mugabe's re-election campaign, particularly the leading the "solidarity marches" which culminated with the "one million men and women march" in Harare.

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