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From Felex Share and Walter Mswazie in Gutu, Masvingo
Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko yesterday said the G40 grouping, said to be a faction in Zanu-PF, is a myth.

He said this after a senior Women’s League member stirred up a storm at the First Lady Cde Grace Mugabe’s rally when she chanted a slogan which denounced the so-called G40.

Secretary for administration in the Women’s League Cde Esphinah Nhari provoked chaos when she denounced the G40, which most senior members at the high table seemed not to appreciate.

This opened-up longstanding divisions rocking the Zanu-PF Women’s League. Cde Nhari chanted a slogan saying: “Down with G40” when the wing’s national executive was being introduced.

This prompted the wing’s secretary for finance Cde Sara Mahoka to respond: “We heard Cde Nhari saying ‘Down with G40’ and we want her to come and explain what that is.”

Cde Nhari responded: “You heard us denouncing gamatox (former VP Joice Mujuru’s faction). Now we receive messages on our mobile phones about G40. We got the messages and so I’m saying to those sending them ‘Down with you.’ I don’t know them, but I’ve the messages.”

Cde Mahoka retorted: “Down with those who want to destroy other provinces. Down with those who talk about G40 while not explaining what that means. Down with those who talk about things they don’t understand.”

This forced the Women’s League secretary for security and Masvingo Provincial Affairs Minister Cde Shuvai Mahofa to intervene before Vice President Mphoko reprimanded Cde Nhari.

Said Cde Mahofa: “As Masvingo province we’ve prepared our event to host the First Lady. We don’t want to be disturbed. We want happiness. Cde Mahoka we don’t want dirty stuff here. We don’t want anyone who brings confusion in this province; we’re a united party. We won all 26 seats in 2013 and people should know what they’ve come here for.”

G40 is a fictitious faction propagated by the private media linked to some Zanu-PF officials.

Speaking just before introducing Cde Mugabe, VP Mphoko said Cde Nhari’s actions were tantamount to attacking the First Lady.

Quoting a Shona adage which says if one wants to reach for a big target you don’t go directly towards it, VP Mphoko said. “If I want to attack the President, those who think they’re clever will say First Lady leads a faction. There’s no difference between the First Lady and President Mugabe.”

He added: “The problem is people over evaluate themselves and see themselves as big people. If you do that you live artificially, be very careful.”

VP Mphoko called for discipline in the party, describing G4O as a “myth”.

“You (Cde Nhari) are a grown up person and a lot look up to you for guidance,” he said. “Now you are attacking the President. G40 is a myth, there is nothing like that.

“If I ask you what G40 is, you don’t know. As a leader assist the First Lady. You were so close to disrupting the rally but you have no evidence of what G40 is.”

Barely two weeks ago, members of the Women’s League had different positions on whether or not the wing had resolved to sent a team to Manicaland to probe its spokesperson, Cde Monica Mutsvangwa, who is being accused of participating in an illegal meeting that tried to overturn a vote of no confidence that had been passed on Cde Happiness Nyakuedzwa.

A team was later sent to the province and the Women’s League members openly clashed during the meeting.

VP Mphoko also took a swipe at the elements “bent on causing confusion in the province.”

He called on Politburo secretary for youth Cde Pupurai Togarepi to control the youths who he said were responsible for circulating messages meant to divide the party.

“In the war of liberation, I learnt a high level of discipline. If we were not disciplined, we were not going to liberate this country.

“That is what I’m telling Cde Togarepi because I do have a conviction that the youths are responsible for all these things,” VP Mphoko said.