Zimpapers Logo

Farirai Machivenyika Harare Bureau
THE Zanu-PF Women’s League members yesterday unanimously recommended to President Mugabe the appointment of the First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe to the position of Secretary for the Women’s League at the ruling party’s National People’s Congress to be held in December.
The endorsement was made at an event attended by thousands of women from the country’s 10 provinces at the Amai Grace Mugabe Children’s Home in Mazowe.

Zanu-PF Politburo member and president of the Senate Cde Edna Madzongwe set the ball rolling when she told the crowd that they had gathered for, among other things, to ask the First Lady to take over the leadership of the Women’s League at the congress.

“Zvataunganira pano chaizvo izvo…taunganira kuti isu tinodawo munhu anopihwa nzeve two minutes tabva kuchema kuti hwi-hwi kuti mwana arikuchema uyu aita sei? Taunganira pano kuti mai vatungamire madzimai, tati chikurukuru chataunganira pano ndechekuti amai vatungamire madzimai,” Cde Madzongwe said to a rapturous applause from the gathering.

Addressing the same gathering, Secretary for Women’s League, Cde Oppah Muchinguri, said it was time the First Lady became active in the party structures by assuming the position.

“Proposal yaitwa naPresident weSenate, vanachimbwido vataura kuti mai manga muchimbonzvenga nzvenga musangano uchirasika, vanhu vachishaya kwekuenda kuti tajingiliswa, tatorerwa zvigaro zvisirizvo,” she said.

“Mukaona vanhu vakudaro, kutsvaga kuti muuye muone maprovince enyu aya, muuye mutaure nemachairlady variko ava. Munzwe chitsotsi chiri kuitika.”

Cde Muchinguri then asked the women gathered whether they agreed with the proposal made or not and all of them unanimously affirmed by show of hands.

After the women showed their unanimous support for the recommendation, Cde Muchinguri then formally conveyed to the First Lady the request by the Women’s League.

“Mai zvanzi nevana venyu vandichikutungamira kusvika, ah munaDecember, zvanzi uyai kuWomen’s League mavawona mega, handiniba,” she said. “Wati hamungashungurudzwe kune pekutandara hanzi nhamo yakutakura Baba Mugabe handiyenyu. Regai titambe Chimurenga tichivaratidza kuti tiripo.

“Ndinoziva zvakarema, handinyore nekuti mai vaimboti handidi politics asi vakajoiniswa, kutambura kwese masanctions, takatadza kuenda kuBelgium nenyaya yavo mufunge vanyimwa Visa. Mai vana venyu vati titungamirei.”

Cde Muchinguri said during the time when the late First Lady Amai Sally Mugabe led the Women’s League, the problems of factionalism that were being experienced now were unheard of.

Amai Sally Mugabe was elected the Zanu-PF deputy secretary for the Women’s League in 1978 and was later elected secretary-general of the same organ at the party’s congress in 1989.

Cde Muchinguri said that they would assist Amai Mugabe if she took over the post.
In her response, the First Lady said she had been humbled by the request from the Women’s League, but asked for time to consider their request.

“Ini ndiri nanny, ndiri munhu anochengeta vana mananny amuinawo kumba vasikana vebasa, ndiri musikana webasa, ndiri munhu anochengeta vana nekubereka vana,” she said.

“Zvino zvamurikunditaurira izvi nanny agozvigona? yuwi! Makutopenga seveZLWACO (Zimbabwe National Liberation War Collaborators Association), asi mukati huya ubereke vana uchiwacha, ha, ndinozvigona.”

ZLWACO was the first organisation to recommend that Amai Mugabe take over the leadership of the Women’s League when they met at her Children’s Home.

Amai Mugabe jokingly said if joining the Women’s League was all about dancing and singing as exhibited by some of them during the event she would gladly join.

She, however, said she needed time to consider the request.
“Energy yekutamba nekubereka vana ndinayo asi yezvirikutaurwa nevavo nezvamuri kutaura mese madzimai zvinoda kumbofunga,” she said. “Ndazvinzwa veduwee zvamataura, ndanzwa zvamataura asi ndozvamurikuda imi hapana anokurambidzai ndo freedom of expression muZimbabwe.

“Asi munoziva kana uchinyengwa ka haungangoti ehe…haungangoti pfocho pfocho nekuti unofanira kunge uchipinda mazviri uri well informed, saka ini ndinoda kumboita well informed ndozouya ndichiti vasikana zvinoita mandidzidzisa Mai Muchinguri.”

Amai Mugabe, however, said if the proposal was acceptable to the party’s leadership and its members, it would be difficult for her to refuse to take up the offer, but thanked the women for considering her for the position.

“Ini ndakangoudzwawo ndovakangondiudza ava (Cde Muchinguri) kuti this is an appointed position, saka mataura, ini handingangoti ehe kana zvangonobvumwa kumusoro uko vanhu vakabvumirana tinenge takuona kuti zvicharambika here kana kuti zvinobvumika here munhu unenge wakungoshandisa common sense.”

Amai Mugabe thanked the women for considering her to lead them, but said the decision would be made by the appropriate authority.
“Shoko ndarinzwa asi decision inoitwa nevanofanira kuita decision asi ndinongotenda nekutondifunga kwamaita kuti ndingatokwanisa kushanda nemi,” she said.

ZLWACO deputy chairperson Cde Josephine Gandiya said they made the initial proposal.
“We proposed this, we took the matter to the Women’s League and the Women’s League had the same views. Our first First Lady (Amai Sally Mugabe) was in politics and things were moving well.

“The First Lady (Amai Mugabe) works hard and we want her to work hard from inside. When we first proposed it to her she was hesitant but we continued pursuing and she advised us to consult the Women’s League,” Cde Gandiya said.

Deputy Secretary for Women’s League Cde Eunice Nomthandazo Moyo said, “It is true President Mugabe appoints for this position but hatisi kudherera baba tirikukumbira.”

The Secretary for Information and Publicity in the Women’s League Cde Monica Mutsvangwa said, “We are a revolutionary party, we want our own mother leading the women. We see a lot of divisions. If we had this discord during the liberation struggle we would not have liberated this country.

“We need to move together and this is what the Women’s League is saying. She is the mother of the nation and she has demonstrated her political expertise.”

War veteran and representative for Makoni South in the National Assembly Cde Mandy Chimene said the appointment of Amai Mugabe was long overdue.

“This is a development which we were awaiting as war veterans. When we came from the struggle Amai Sally Mugabe took chair of the Women’s League and there were no squabbles. When Amai went due to natural causes people started fighting.

“Amai Muchinguri has done her best but we have held her on a similar position for too long. For Mai Muchinguri to see the President she needed an appointment, Amai Mugabe does not need an appointment and the system is back on track,” she said.

The event was attended by veteran Women’s League members that included Cde Shuvai Mahofa, female legislators and ministers’ spouses.