Mingling among the tinsel and other trappings of Christmas, the men and women who constitute the backbone of Zanu-PF swayed to old party songs.Many wore the party's colours - black, green, yellow and red - and bore the image of President Robert Mugabe. Mr Mugabe - the man they have chosen to lead them for the past 30 years - this weekend received a mandate to continue for another five. With such a strong presence of Zanu-PF at the rally venue, it was hard to imagine that this was where last year's power-sharing deal was thrashed out. It was a deal born out of necessity, given Zanu-PF's dismal performance at the polls, and a deal which forced it into an unhappy marriage with opposition leader Morgan Tsvangarai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
Mingling among the tinsel and other trappings of Christmas, the men and women who constitute the backbone of Zanu-PF swayed to old party songs.
Many wore the party's colours - black, green, yellow and red - and bore the image of President Robert Mugabe.
Mr Mugabe - the man they have chosen to lead them for the past 30 years - this weekend received a mandate to continue for another five.
With such a strong presence of Zanu-PF at the rally venue, it was hard to imagine that this was where last year's power-sharing deal was thrashed out.
It was a deal born out of necessity, given Zanu-PF's dismal performance at the polls, and a deal which forced it into an unhappy marriage with opposition leader Morgan Tsvangarai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
President Mugabe has told Zimbabweans that he expects elections to be held "soon" - raising fears that he will mount a new campaign of terror and violence in his determination to hold on to power. He was speaking on Saturday at the end of his Zanu (PF) party's five-yearly congress that, predictably, endorsed him and his lieutenants to continue in office. There was no suggestion at the congress that he should retire. If he fought and won an election next year, he would be 92 at the expiry of his term of office. "Elections are not too far away," he said. "The inclusive government (shared between his Zanu (PF) and the Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change) was given a short life. Let's go out and drive the engine at top gear." The coalition agreement prescribes a two-year period for a new democratic constitution to be drafted and under which the country's next elections should be held, although it does not specify a deadline.
President Mugabe has told Zimbabweans that he expects elections to be held "soon" - raising fears that he will mount a new campaign of terror and violence in his determination to hold on to power.
He was speaking on Saturday at the end of his Zanu (PF) party's five-yearly congress that, predictably, endorsed him and his lieutenants to continue in office. There was no suggestion at the congress that he should retire. If he fought and won an election next year, he would be 92 at the expiry of his term of office.
"Elections are not too far away," he said. "The inclusive government (shared between his Zanu (PF) and the Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change) was given a short life. Let's go out and drive the engine at top gear."
The coalition agreement prescribes a two-year period for a new democratic constitution to be drafted and under which the country's next elections should be held, although it does not specify a deadline.
[Murdoch Alert] The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman
