Zanu-PF and the MDC have been accused of protecting existing candidates at the expense of newcomers.
President Robert Mugabe is eager to hold elections in March, but first
he has to manage a growing row between his old guard and an emerging
younger crop seeking to stand for the party in the next elections.
It is a problem shared by Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan
Tsvangirai, who also faces criticism that he is trying to protect senior
allies by not subjecting them to party primaries ahead of next year's
general election.
Although neither Mugabe nor Tsvangirai faces any challenge to his
position, they are both caught between protecting their longstanding
lieutenants and allowing the new blood they need to appeal to the
all-important youth vote.
Zanu-PF expects to hold primary elections in December. Its annual
conference next week is expected to debate growing controversy over
proposed rules that may restrict the entry of a growing group of young
aspiring candidates.
Zanu-PF, whose presidential candidate, Mugabe, will be 89 in March and
which is led mostly by ageing struggle veterans, has struggled to
attract young voters.
But it has attracted several young businesspeople eager to stand
as Zanu-PF candidates for Parliament.
This is part of Zanu-PF's plan to appeal to younger voters, but it also
means many of its veteran politicians may have to give way, which they
are not ready to do.
"We welcome all these young and enterprising people who are coming from the corporate world to invigorate the party," Zanu-PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo said. The "young guns" needed only to show loyalty to the party, he said.
Tovuti ya Mail & Guardian
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