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Zimbabwe politicians argue over crocodiles, underwear theft

In this image taken on Wednesday Feb, 10, 2016 Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe addresses supporters at the party headquarters in Harare, while his wife Grace looks on. Mugabe, the world's oldest head of state, recently warned officials of his ZANU-PF party to stop insulting each other. A lot of the bitter quarrels, which come ahead of Mugabe's 92nd birthday on Feb. 21, happen on Twitter and other social media platforms, providing Zimbabweans with a stream of nasty, colorful and sometimes entertaining quips that would have been unthinkable not long ago. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)
In this image taken on Wednesday Feb, 10, 2016 Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe addresses supporters at the party headquarters in Harare, while his wife Grace looks on. Mugabe, the world's oldest head of state, recently warned officials of his ZANU-PF party to stop insulting each other. A lot of the bitter quarrels, which come ahead of Mugabe's 92nd birthday on Feb. 21, happen on Twitter and other social media platforms, providing Zimbabweans with a stream of nasty, colorful and sometimes entertaining quips that would have been unthinkable not long ago. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi) In this image taken on Wednesday Feb, 10, 2016 Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe addresses supporters at the party headquarters in Harare, while his wife Grace looks on. Mugabe, the world's oldest head of state, recently warned officials of his ZANU-PF party to stop insulting each other. A lot of the bitter quarrels, which come ahead of Mugabe's 92nd birthday on Feb. 21, happen on Twitter and other social media platforms, providing Zimbabweans with a stream of nasty, colorful and sometimes entertaining quips that would have been unthinkable not long ago. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

By Associated Press 4 min read

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) – Crocodiles, Lacoste shirts, DNA tests and accusations of stealing underwear and radios.

Sniping around these topics highlights the intensifying battles in Zimbabwe’s faction-ridden ruling party over who will succeed President Robert Mugabe, in power for 36 years.

Mugabe, the world’s oldest head of state, recently warned officials of his ZANU-PF party to stop insulting each other.

A lot of the bitter quarrels, which come ahead of Mugabe’s 92nd birthday on Feb. 21, happen on Twitter and other social media platforms, providing Zimbabweans with a stream of nasty, colorful and sometimes entertaining quips that would have been unthinkable not long ago.

None of Mugabe’s current close allies has challenged his rule, which began with independence from white rule in 1980 and has been marked by economic hardship and contentious relations with the West. The disputes within the ruling party are the result of Mugabe’s failure to groom an obvious successor, said Gabriel Shumba, a human rights lawyer and chairman of the South Africa-based Zimbabwe Exiles Forum.