Zimpapers Logo

Cde Grace Mugabe

THE First Lady Cde Grace Mugabe’s entry into the jungles of politics has stirred and shaken the ruling Zanu-PF party and refreshingly ushered in an air of honesty and decency in the manner the vanguard movement conducts its business. Since launching a campaign to rid the party of the corrupt putschist cabal led by former Vice President Joice Mujuru — which she successfully did — the First Lady continues to pull no punches as she works to ensure that the revolutionary party sticks to the ideals of the struggle.

As secretary of the Women’s League — a key wing of the party — Cde Mugabe is well placed to articulate the views of a crucial constituency which is a pillar of the nation. Her philanthropic work aside, the First Lady is driving key developmental projects such as the Bulawayo Kraal Irrigation scheme in Binga and the reopening of Nehanda primary school at Melfort farm in Goromonzi.

The Bulawayo Kraal project is especially strategic as it will benefit the people of Binga and ensure that they are self-sufficient in terms of food production. Non-governmental organisations have been active in Binga where they have been using food as a campaign tool for the opposition MDC.

In cities such as Harare, Cde Mugabe has been vocal against land barons who are parcelling out State land to unsuspecting home-seekers — telling them to stop the practice henceforth. Some land barons applied for farming land near towns, but ended up subdividing it and allocating residential stands. The First Lady’s crusade against corruption and other nefarious activities being conducted by party officials is welcome as it will ensure that Zanu-PF rids itself of bad apples and goes into the 2018 general elections on a clean slate. Her call for unity is also telling, coming as it does when the ugly face of factionalism is beginning to rear its head again.

Addressing villagers in Binga when she toured the Bulawayo Kraal project recently, Cde Mugabe called on Zanu-PF members to end factionalism. “We don’t want to hear of that word in the party again. Factionalism is the reason why former Vice President Joice Mujuru was fired.”

During the just-ended inaugural Zanu-PF Women’s League National Assembly meeting in Harare, the First Lady slammed some misguided elements in the party whom she accused of attempting to set her up against the country’s two Vice presidents — Cdes Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko — in furtherance of their sinister agendas. She said the country’s leadership was aware of such nefarious ploys and machinations and the people behind them would never succeed.

Cde Mugabe said she respected the two VPs who were appointed by President Robert Mugabe to assist him in executing his duties. “Let me repeat what I said yesterday that Vice Presidents Mnangagwa and Mphoko are being singled out for undue criticism. Everyone doing this must stop it. You’ll never succeed in your attempts to set me up against these two men.” She dismissed as false, claims in some quarters that the two Vice presidents wished the President dead so that they take over. Cdes Mnangagwa and Mphoko, the First Lady said, were appointed to assist the President and people should let them do their job.

“The other time I visited Kadoma with the two vice presidents and the President was impressed seeing them working together in harmony,” she said. Cde Mugabe said contrary to lies being peddled by detractors, there was unity and peace in the party. Differences were there last year but President Mugabe dealt with the scourge decisively.

We applaud the First Lady’s candid remarks regarding her relationship with the two VPs and hope her clarification will shame the prophets of doom who were keen to see her at loggerheads with the two gentlemen. We also urge other organs of the party to support her crusade to steer developmental projects particularly those targeting women and the youths.

Party cadres should also heed her call for unity and peace within Zanu-PF because the movement needs to close ranks and work with a single-minded determination to vanquish its opponents in the 2018 poll which is not far off.

Petty squabbles and factionalism will not only derail the party’s chances of increasing its majority in both Houses of Parliament but may actually reverse the gains made in 2013. The rank and file should therefore keep its eyes on the ball and not be distracted by mindless sideshows being driven by power hungry individuals with selfish agendas.