Blow for Zimbabwe challenger as vice-president backs Mugabe
HARARE (AFP) — Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's deputy Joyce Mujuru has thrown her weight behind the veteran ruler's bid for a sixth term, dispelling speculation linking her to Mugabe's rival Simba Makoni.
Mujuru was quoted by the state-owned Herald newspaper on Monday as saying at a rally: "Firstly, you should vote for Comrade Mugabe, our presidential candidate, then ZANU-PF (the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front) councillors, MPs and senators.
"You should vote for ZANU-PF."
Mugabe, in power since Zimbabwe's independence in 1980, is facing a challenge from former finance minister Makoni whose campaign got a boost at the weekend when ruling party heavyweights including two former cabinet ministers publicly endorsed him.
Since Makoni announced early February he was challenging Mugabe for the presidency at a general election on March 29, there has been widespread speculation he enjoyed the tacit support of Mujuru as well as her influential husband Solomon Mujuru, a former head of the armed forces.
Joyce Mujuru was at one stage seen as Mugabe's chosen successor before the 84-year-old decided to seek another term in office.
Before declaring his candidacy, Makoni had been a member of ZANU-PF's politburo and has since claimed that he has the backing of many disillusioned party cadres in a country where annual inflation is now over 100,000 percent.
Mugabe has likened his former finance minister to a prostitute.
