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Dr Grace Mugabe

Tendai Mugabe and Felex Share, Harare Bureau
Zanu-PF Secretary for Women’s Affairs Dr Grace Mugabe yesterday lashed out at some party members who unnecessarily stoke the succession debate in the ruling party by throwing around names of senior party members.

She also denounced some Cabinet Ministers who confuse the electorate and investors by issuing conflicting policy pronouncements.

Further, Dr Mugabe took a swipe on corruption, saying those engaging in graft should not cry foul when the long arm of the law catches up with them.

Dr Mugabe said this while addressing thousands of youths who attended the first of President Mugabe’s youths interface meetings held at Rudhaka Stadium in Marondera yesterday.

“There are some weaknesses that are there – infighting and factionalism,” she said. “Down with those fanning factionalism! That cannot drive Zanu-PF and the country forward. We must show other small parties that as Zanu-PF we are against factionalism.

“If it is about leadership, we should wait until the time comes and elect our leaders without fighting. If we do that, we confuse the electorate. Today we bring this name and tomorrow we bring another. I don’t think that can help us as a party.”

Dr Mugabe’s comments on throwing names in the succession ring come after Politburo member Professor Jonathan Moyo on Thursday publicly announced that Defence Minister Cde Sydney Sekeramayi was well placed to succeed President Mugabe, as compared to Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Prof Moyo launched the verbal onslaught against VP Mnangagwa during a SAPES Policy Dialogue in Harare.

Dr Mugabe called for consistency on policy announcements by Government ministers. “At times the ministers give conflicting policy pronouncements,” she said. “We request that our ministers should stop to give conflicting statements because it also confuses potential investors. We want things with cohesion.”

Dr Mugabe said corruption was not welcome.

“We have our deposits and if you are given a claim be it gold or land, utilise it yourself,” she said. “That is where we are having problems because some are already leasing the land to the former white commercial farmers.

“Corruption, we don’t want to talk about corruption every day – stealing people’s money. If you steal, (Zimbabwe) Anti Corruption is there and when it comes after you, you say people hate me.

“Down with corruption!  In the rural areas there are people who support us. We must do projects that we promise them. I am sure you are aware that there is the Women’s Bank and the Youths Bank that are coming. I want to talk about the Women’s Bank. It’s not like only women will access money from that bank. Youths also can access loans and I am saying this because we are already at an advanced stage in our quest to set up that bank. Soon we will be announcing where you can access the loans, but you should know that these are loans and you have to pay back at affordable interest rates.”

Dr Mugabe challenged the Zanu-PF leadership to deliver promises made to the electorate. “We neglect roads for a long time and only refurbish them when the President is coming here,” she said. “No, that’s not good. How many times does the President come here? Roads should be maintained all the time to show that we are here to represent the people.”

Dr Mugabe took time to explain the concept behind the introduction of bond notes. She said bond notes came into being after a realisation that some unscrupulous foreign business people were coming in to wipe out the foreign currency in the country.

“Still on the issue of money, I want you to understand why Government introduced bond notes,” she said. “Government realised that we are using currencies of other countries, especially the United States dollar and the South African rand and some people come here selling useless things and take away that money.

“They don’t bank it in our banking system and we end up having shortages because we don’t print that money here. It was pronounced clearly that one bond is equivalent to one US dollar. Foreign currency should be a reserve currency and that is what we want to hear as well,” she said