Mugabe risks expulsion from ruling party for dabbling in opposition politics: Official

Former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe risked being expelled from the ruling Zanu-PF party following his perceived dabbling in opposition politics, a Senior Party Official has said on Monday.

Secretary for legal affairs Paul Mangwana told state media that Mugabe risked losing his party membership and constitutional privileges for engaging former minister Ambrose Mutinhiri.

According to reports Mutinhiri, recently resigned from the party and went on to form the National Patriotic Front which has since registered to contest in forthcoming elections.

Mangwana said the constitution did not allow a former head of state to get involved in active politics and the ruling party would soon review Mugabe’s membership of the party,

“In the fullness of time, Zanu-PF will have to meet to discuss these new developments about the former head of state and government to review whether it is still necessary or not for him to continue enjoying the status we had given him,’’ he said.

Mugabe joined Zanu-PF soon after its formation in 1963 and was elected president in 1975.

He was removed from the position in November 2017 in a military action he has since described as a coup d’etat and therefore unconstitutional.

His wife Grace was expelled from the party for causing divisions with many party members describing her as loose cannon.

Mugabe earlier told mainly foreign media that Emmerson Mnangagwa’s presidency was illegal and that he was willing to discuss how the situation could be regularised.