The succession three

Since last October, plenty of column space has been devoted to the split in the MDC. The subject has been debated and discussed ad nauseam in the streets, on commuter omnibuses, and in the independent and government press. Not surprisingly, the government mouthpieces, the Herald and the Chronicle, have rapturously embraced this topic. Not surprising, we say, because the split was assisted by Zanu PF and the CIO, and has successfully diverted attention away from the shambles that this country is in, courtesy of the regime's consistent failure on all accounts. Zanu PF itself is riven by splits, as a careful reading of the newspapers will show; how convenient for them to be able to divert attention from their own splits by looking at the rifts in the MDC!

So, in defiance of their strategy, we draw our eyes away from the opposition, and refocus on the ruling party, Zanu PF, the true cause of the country's woes.

The cracks that are apparent have appeared along three main fault lines: firstly, the scapegoats or sacrificial lambs such as Christopher Kuruneri and even Philip Chiyangwa; secondly, there is a strong link to the succession debate as bigwigs jostle for the top job of President, and their minions line up behind them; and thirdly, the inevitable casualties from internecine warfare caused by personal ambition and regional turf wars.

The scapegoats

Christopher Kuruneri must be the shortest-lived Finance Minister ever: he was appointed in February 2004, and just a couple of weeks thereafter was arrested and charged with illegally exporting foreign currency, under the Exchange Control Act.