In a rebuff to vice president Joice Mujuru, 58, who just hours earlier won   enough support in provincial elections to be declared Mr Mugabe’s likely   successor if he retires or dies before the next elections, Zimbabweans were   told Mr Mugabe, 89, may run for the presidency again in five years’ time.

Didymus Mutasa, presidential affairs minister, who sees Mr Mugabe on a daily   basis, said people should control their “wild imaginations”.

Supporters of Mrs Mujuru won positions as chairmen of Zanu-PF in nine out of   10 provinces against justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa’s loyalists,   indicating that she will be senior vice president at the party’s elective   congress in a year’s time. If Mr Mugabe dies or retires ahead of the next   elections she would inherit the presidency.

But Mr Mutasa said Mr Mugabe’s health was good, and that he would be eligible   to fight another election in 2018 as the new national constitution limiting   presidents to two terms was adopted six months ago, making his victory in   the July elections his first term.

Mr Mutasa also said there were no “factions” in Zanu PF and blamed the media   for misinterpreting the provincial polls.

“Does the press determine his strength? Is it the press that has taken him   this far? If you read in the Bible, there are some people who went beyond   100 years but still ruled. Why can’t it be repeated?” he said.

Eldred Masunungure, senior political scientist at the University of Zimbabwe,   said he doubted Mr Mugabe would retire.

“He will, like traditional chiefs, rule until he dies,” he said. “He will only   leave State House after he has died.”

He said Mr Mutasa was “trying to subdue wild expectations” following Mrs   Mujuru’s resounding victory.

“Mugabe is very good practicing pendulum type of politics, raising this one   up, and as they reach the summit, he drops them down.

“So Mutasa was saying via the media to Mugabe, ’don’t worry, this is not   against you. We will support you, if necessary, until you die.’”