Zimbabwe's ruling party has dropped three key ministers as candidates for polls due in March in the latest sign that President Robert Mugabe was stamping his authority on the party after a row over the succession. The official Herald newspaper said yesterday Information Minister Jonathan Moyo, Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa, and Finance Minister Chris Kuruneri were missing from a list of ZANU-PF officials to contest the parliamentary polls.Businessman Philip Chiyangwa was also dropped from the list. Moyo has spearheaded ZANU-PF's political campaigns since a crisis developed in Zimbabwe over land reform in 1999 and has also acted as government spokesman. He and Chinamasa played a key role in the enactment of media and security laws critics say aimed to undermine Mugabe's political opponents. "It is understood that Professor Moyo's submission of candidature was left out as the Tsholotsho constituency, where he was campaigning, has been reserved for women contestants only," the paper said. ZANU-PF officials were not available for comment. Moyo helped organise a secret meeting which ZANU-PF says was convened to push Parliament Speaker Emmerson Mnangagwa for the post of party vice-president.