Zanu considers life after Mugabe

Younger Zanu-PF members are keen for a change

Zimbabwe's political elite is beginning to face the reality that President Robert Mugabe cannot be around for ever.

The state news agency, Ziana - normally marked by its adherence to the ruling party line - has reported the existence of a group of "kingmakers" who have set out to groom new party leadership ahead of the 2002 presidential election.

Leadership contenders

Parliamentary Speaker Emmerson Mnangagwa

Home Affairs Minister John Nkomo

Finance Minister Simba Makoni

Zanu-PF is trying "to identify someone who can command total support in Zimbabwe and can beat any MDC candidate", according to a party source quoted by Ziana.

But Mr Mugabe himself has avoided any obvious moves to groom a successor, and his spokeman denied the reports concerning the "kingmakers".

Reports suggest divisions within the party - and even among the supposed kingmakers - over who should succeed Mr Mugabe.

Generation gap

The older members of the party - including the president himself - are believed to favour party chairman John Nkomo or finance secretary Emmerson Mnangagwa as the future leader.

Both are senior figures in a rigid party hierarchy.

Mr Mnangagwa, formerly minister of justice, lost his seat in the elections, and his cabinet post in the subsequent reshuffle - but was voted in as parliamentary speaker, a post which does not have to be held by an MP.

Younger party members believe it is time for some fresh blood - and their preferred candidate is said to be Finance and Economic Development Minister Simba Makoni.

The state of Zimbabwe's economy is the most pressing source of discontent within Zanu-PF.

A former businessman, Mr Makoni was appointed in an attempt to signal that the party was prepare

New leadership

Meanwhile, the Financial Gazette, a respected independent paper in Zimbabwe, suggested that the cabinet shake-up announced on 15 July had been designed to fit in with Mr Mugabe's plans for a new party leadership structure.

Mr Mugabe apparently wants next month's party congress to promote certain figures within the politburo, while retiring others.

There is speculation that first in line for replacement may be the party provincial leaders, whom Mr Mugabe blames for Zanu-PF's dismal showing in the elections.

But the Financial Gazette also suggests that this issue could cause a further split within the party, with some stalwarts insisting that the politburo be elected rather than appointed.