Delegates began arriving in Harare on Friday for a weekend conference at which opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai appeared certain to retain his post as leader of his faction of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
At least 10 000 delegates are expected to attend the conference that will see elections for all major party positions, said MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa.
The MDC, which six years ago burst onto Zimbabwe’s political stage as the strongest opposition to confront President Robert Mugabe’s then 20-year-old hold on power, has been weakened in recent months by a major split.
But Tsvangirai still remains popular and is not expected to face a challenge.
”The grassroots [supporters] are very strongly behind Tsvangirai,” said University of Zimbabwe political science lecturer John Makumbe.
”He is already nominated unopposed. There is therefore not going to be any challenge to him,” he added.
There has been speculation Tsvangirai could find his leadership opposed at the conference.
Chamisa played down the rumours, saying supporters ”seem to be quite happy” with Tsvangirai.
But he said: ”It shows how alive the MDC is. We have quality candidates. It’s up to the people.”
Another well-known analyst and civil rights lawyer, Lovemore Madhuku of the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) said he did not think Tsvangirai would see any real challenge.
”The way Mr Tsvangirai wants it will be the way it is,” he said in a telephone interview. ”It’s the Zimbabwean way of politics.”
Delegates will also elect office-bearers to fill lower positions left vacant after the MDC split late last year.
It’s at these levels that there could be ”surprises,” said Makumbe.
Former MDC secretary general Welshman Ncube is no longer part of Tsvangirai’s group. Key contenders for his position include Harare East Member of Parliament Tendai Biti, who is a lawyer by profession, and Eliphas Mukonoweshuro, a political scientist.
Roy Bennett, a coffee farmer who lost his farm during the controversial land reform programme has been tipped to take over the post of treasurer, although he is believed to have fled to South Africa after police said they were looking for him in
connection with some weapons found in the city of Mutare.
Meanwhile former Mugabe associate and ruling party stalwart Welshman Mabhena is rumoured to be ready to defect to the opposition and take up the vice presidency of Tsvangirai’s faction, the independent Financial Gazette newspaper reports.
Mabhena, who is from the minority Ndebele ethnic group was reportedly sidelined in the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF) for being too moderate towards the MDC.
In October a faction led by Secretary General Welshman Ncube and Vice President Gibson Sibanda broke away from the Tsvangirai-led group following disagreements over whether or not the party should take part in elections for a controversial new senate.
The breakaway faction held a conference last month and elected a new president – firebrand former student leader Arthur Mutambara. – Sapa-DPA