HARARE – She began her career young as a guerrilla, and then rose through the ranks to become a member of President Robert Mugabe’s inner circle and now Zimbabwe’s new Constitution has come as a blessing to her in the faction-riddled Zanu PF.
The 59-year-old Vice President Joice Mujuru is in line to be the country’s interim leader if the 90-year-old Mugabe was to retire or is incapacitated before the party’s congress.
With Mugabe at an advanced age and plagued by natural physical challenges associated with such an age, the Zanu PF succession battle could reach its climax this year with the party’s explosive congress set for December.
Justice minister and shrewd political schemer, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is locked in a perpetual succession duel with Mujuru, and the Chirimanzu-Zibagwe MP has emerged as one of the leading contenders to take over from Mugabe, but the veteran Zanu PF leader has not named a successor and has recently ruled out both “contenders”.
But Mujuru has long been a high-profile face in Mugabe’s administration, serving as acting president each time the Zanu PF leader travels outside the country.
The big question is what actually happens to Zimbabwe if Mugabe decides to retire or is incapacitated?
Bryant Elliot, a leading constitutional law expert, pointed to an article in the new Zimbabwe Constitution that explains what should happen when a president retires or is incapacitated.
The Constitution addresses two scenarios directly relevant to the president in office.
If Mugabe were to leave office, retire or be incapacitated, Mujuru, according to the new Constitution, is supposed to complete Mugabe’s term as that is the position set out in Section 101 of the new supreme law…
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