Mugabe "Strengthens Structures In The Diaspora" As He Kidnaps The Presidency Once Again

Mugabe, seen here swearing-in Morgan Tsvangirai on February 11 this year, now wants to "strengthen" his structures in the Diaspora and is now certain to run again for President against Tsvangirai. He has said before that if the results are the same as last time, "we may continue with the arrangement" of having Tsvangirai as Prime Minister and he as President.

Robert "The Solution" Mugabe's party, ZANU PF, is "strengthening our structures in the Diaspora to ensure that they spread our message."

The statement was made on Tuesday by Savour Kasukuwere, the Minister of Youth and one of those accused by the MDC-T of being behind the disruption of the Constitutional Conference at the Harare International Conference Centre.

Those in Diaspora can rest assured that they will soon see some of their comrades living it up as money from the Diamond Fields is poured into their coffers in order for them to "spread the message."

This statement comes as Bulawayo Youth League for Mugabe's party endorsed him to continue as President at the ZANU PF Congress scheduled for December this year. So far, Manicaland, Midlands (where Mnangagwa, the heir-apparent, went overboard in labelling Mugabe "The Great Leader"), Masvingo and Harare Youth League have announced they will be backing Mugabe.

This is no spontaneous show of loyalty. It is carefully choreographed by Mugabe himself, just as he did with Jabulani Sibanda at the 2007 Congress, when the Chairman announced that the party had gathered not to elect anyone to the Presidium, but to endorse Mugabe.

No elections were allowed, as a result for the post of President and his Deputies.

It still remains a curious state of affairs for some of us that in places like Harare and Bulawayo, it is the Youth League that is doing the endorsing, and not the Provincial Executive.

As Dr Makoni said to me yesterday, Mugabe will almost certainly "force all the other provinces to endorse him." Still, it is telling that, while there is stampede by the youths (they get beer bought for them and bits of cash here and there in order to buy their loyalty), the leadership in the provinces remains silent.

Some of us have always thought of Kasukwere as a down-home sort of guy who clearly sees that Mugabe is well past his sell-by date and should be put out to pasture, but these latest comments make us think twice.

Mugabe's strategy for the coming Congress is now known. He will station henchmen called "youths" (some are over 40 years old) at the entrances and they will sing and chant his name to drive home the intimidatory point.

There is also discussion of a march in Harare and the town where the Congress will be held (probably Bindura) in support of Mugabe. Everyone will stay indoors, obviously, in case they get caught up in the melee.

What is important is for you to understand that, as I have said before, this is Mugabe's ploy to try and quell the succession dispute in ZANU PF.

He has already told his leadership team that he and he alone can win an election under the current circumstances. He is coupling this with the Kariba Draft (which MDC-T now have bought into, as I will explain in my next article) of the Constitution, dangling the possibility that he will step down soon after winning the next General Election and allow his successor to rule for four years without having to go for an election, as provided for by the Kariba Draft constitution.

JOMIC (and by implication, MDC-T, which sits on that body) has now endorsed the Kariba Draft as the basis of a new constitution.

No wonder Lovemore Matombo of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions said, "They are indicating left but turning right."