Harare — Zimbabwe’s new president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is expected to use a conference of the ruling Zanu-PF party on Friday to consolidate his grip on power after Robert Mugabe’s shock ouster last month. Mnangagwa took office after the military forced Mugabe to resign, ending a 37-year reign marked by brutal repression and economic collapse. The new president will address a one-day extraordinary congress in Harare, where he will be confirmed as the party’s presidential candidate in next year’s general elections. The military stepped in to clear Mnangagwa’s route to the presidency after a long-running struggle with supporters of Mugabe’s wife Grace, who had emerged as Mugabe’s chosen successor. "The purpose is to consolidate President Mnangagwa’s position within the party and to ensure that (Grace’s supporters) are put firmly in their place," lawyer and opposition politician David Coltart told AFP. "Many people see this administration as a thin veneer over a military junta and the q...
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