Zimbabwe's Mugabe endorsed for 2018 vote

By John Cassim

Harare, Zimbabwe (AA) - President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, the world's currently oldest head of state, was endorsed Saturday by his followers to contest the 2018 polls.

Mugabe, who will be 94 years old then, has ruled the economically troubled Southern African nation since its independence in 1980.

The nonagenarian was endorsed unopposed Saturday during Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front’s (ZANU PF) annual conference held in Masvingo, 300 kilometers south of the capital.

The development comes amid concerns that by election time in 2018 the ruling party could be disintegrated due to factional fighting over the lack of a clear successor to Mugabe.

Already his deputy Emmerson Mnangagwa and extravagant wife Grace are poised for a take-over in the event that the aged leader dies while in office or resigns.

The absence of a succession plan has given rise to several factions, among which two led by Mnangagwa and Grace Mugabe are vying for prominence.

Speaking during the official opening of the conference attended by 10,000 delegates, Mugabe took a swipe at presidential aspirants whose actions have threatened to divide the party into two.

"Factionalism and the abuse of social media such as Twitter should be condemned at all cost as this is threatening the existence of our revolutionary party," Mugabe said.

Although the president has said he could retire at the end of his term in 2023, the fighting in his party is intensifying, with the fight between Mnangagwa-led Lacoste Grace Mugabe-led G40 stalling government business.

The infighting has reached such intensity that most delegates did not eat the food served at the conference for fear of food poisoning.