THE intrigues and simmering tensions that played out last weekend over the nominations to the presidium exposed yet again the political shenanigans within the various factions in ZANU-PF that are repositioning themselves to influence the party's succession.

Nine out of the country's 10 provinces unanimously nominated President Robert Mugabe to remain at the helm of the party, and consequently the country, signifying the dominance the 85-year-old nationalist enjoys in ZANU-PF.

While the Midlands Province deferred its nominations to Saturday citing irregularities, it is a foregone conclusion that it will throw its full weight behind the President although surprises cannot be ruled out on the other three positions in the presidium; the two vice-presidents and that of national chairman.

Barring any surprises at the ZANU-PF congress scheduled for next month, the party has already cleared the way for President Mugabe to face Morgan Tsvangirai, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) leader, in the next elections for the third time since 2002.

In the 2002 election, the ZANU-PF first secretary narrowly won the race against the MDC-T leader, but came second in the March 2008 poll. A run-off that was meant to separate the two after Tsvangirai failed to wrap up the contest in the first round, gave birth to the current inclusive government, after it was declared a sham due to the systematic violence that resulted in the former trade unionist pulling out of the race.

Joice Mujuru also retained her position at the weekend after eight provinces rallied behind her. She secured nominations from Matabeleland North and South, Mashonaland West, Central and East, Harare and Manicaland provinces.

While the Midlands Province is unlikely to nominate her because of the rivalry between Mujuru and ZANU-PF legal affairs secretary, Emmerson Mnangagwa, an influential figure in the area, Mashonaland East, where her husband hails from, endorsed her candidature early in the week bringing the number of provinces supporting her to nine.

Masvingo province broke ranks with the rest of the provinces by selecting women's league boss, Oppah Muchinguri, to replace Mujuru as Co-Vice-President.

Secretary for administration, Didymus Mutasa, was proposed by Manicaland and Mashonaland Central to take over from John Nkomo as ZANU-PF national chairman. Nkomo must be heaving a sigh of relief after securing nominations from Bulawayo, Mashonaland Central, Manicaland, Masvingo and Matabeleland South and North to emerge victorious from an overcrowded race for the second vice-presidency that had seen the former PF-ZAPU elements failing to agree on a single nomination.

Monday's decision by Mashonal-and East, West and Harare to support Nkomo's candidature came as the icing on the cake.

One needs the nomination of not less that six provinces to sail through to the presidium.

While as many as four people had thrown their hats into the ring for the chairmanship, further mudding the waters, Zimbabwe's ambassador to South Africa, Simon Khaya Moyo, shrugged off competition on Monday after securing the backing of Mashonaland East, West, Central and Harare provinces to add onto the other nominations he had received over the weekend.

While it has become the norm that the post of national chairman goes to members from the former PF-ZAPU, this unwritten rule has been a major talking point in ZANU-PF. Previously, that post has been held by Vice-President Joseph Msika (now late) and then Nkomo. But in 1999 and 2004, that post was challenged by non-former PF-ZAPU members who subsequently lost.

The 1987 Unity Accord signed between President Mugabe and PF-ZAPU leader Joshua Nkomo (now late) is silent on which party to the agreement should permanently fill that slot.

There has been heated debate in the politburo, the party's supreme decision-making body in-between congresses, over the issue soon after Msika's death in August, but it remains unresolved.

Home Affairs Co-Minister, Kembo Mohadi, and Mines Minister, Obert Mpofu, had also been selected for nomination to the position while deputy president of the Senate, Naison Ndlovu, was chosen by Matabeleland North (along with Nkomo) for Vice-President.

Mohadi exited from the race on Monday to support Moyo.

Ndlovu lost ground after Nkomo secured the support of six provinces over the weekend. The outcome of the nominations from Harare and Mashonaland East put Nkomo in an unassailable lead.

In Matabeleland South, Moyo outpolled Mohadi and Mpofu.

Observers say Muchinguri and Mutasa's nomination, which stunned all and sundry, underline the discord in ZANU-PF over the manner its leadership has been selecting candidates to fill top positions within the party.

ZANU-PF had clandestinely tried to whip the provinces into line to ensure there was no opposition to Mujuru and Nkomo as the two Vice-Presidents. The party had also attempted to block non-PF-ZAPU members from vying for the chairmanship.

But in total defiance of a ZANU-PF politburo decision to stick to the doctrine of seniority, Masvingo showed its opposition to Mujuru by nominating a rank outsider to challenge the country's first woman Vice-President.

Manicaland also played its card too quickly when it tried to hoist Mutasa for the chairmanship, disregarding a gentleman's agreement between ZANU-PF and the former PF-ZAPU.

The principle that it is democratic to compete against any member in elections was also put to test in both the ZANU-PF youth and women's leagues conferences earlier in the year where factionalism and violence reared their ugly heads.

Muchinguri's challenge indicates that whereas there has been guided democracy in ZANU-PF in the past, the party is now faced with a new challenge where members are now questioning this wisdom.

Equally, the unveiling of Mutasa further strengthens suspicions that there is much more than meets the eye. There seems to be a strong force behind his nomination.

This begs questions such as: What is going to be the character of the ZANU-PF congress come December? What are the alternative power bases saying to this?

Analysts this week said last weekend's nominations are likely to be a precursor to what could finally transpire at the party's congress.

The divisions seen during the run-up to the weekend nominations might characterise the indaba as respective factions seek to outwit each other in support of their candidates.

Observers say President Mugabe does not want the provinces to tamper with Mujuru and Nkomo's nomination at this juncture to minimise friction within the party ahead of the next elections where his party will face a resurgent MDC-T.

In the March 2008 synchronised polls, the combined MDC factions, for the first time since independence, upset ZANU-PF's majority in Parliament because of the party's disconnection with the grassroots.

Political analyst and academic, Ibbo Mandaza, said the current jockeying for top positions in ZANU-PF is reminiscent of the 2004 power struggles where known factions were at each other's throats to reconfigure the presidium.

"It's repeat of 2004 where factions were fighting fiercely," Mandaza said. "At the moment, the issue of hierarchy will dominate. It would be very difficult to see how Mujuru and Nkomo would be disturbed.

"The hierarchy factor will dominate and the position of national chairman will again go to the former PF-ZAPU. All this jockeying is not going to go anywhere. I don't think ZANU-PF would want to go against its own rules of engagement."

University of Zimbabwe lecturer, Joseph Kurebwa, said the current tussle for power reflected the internal democracy within ZANU-PF.

He said: "These battles for power and jockeying for positions merely reflect the democracy within ZANU-PF, which allows aspirants to be nominated.

"Between now and the December congress, there is going to be a lot of anxiety within ZANU-PF. ZANU-PF congresses are always lively and characterised by a lot of jockeying for positions.

"I do not think the so-called faction politics will play out at the congress in my opinion."