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From Felex Share in GUTU, Masvingo
First Lady Cde Grace Mugabe yesterday corrected media reports that insinuated she had said Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa was her senior.

Responding to a headline that appeared in our sister paper, The Herald when she addressed a rally in Mberengwa last week, Cde Mugabe said while she had great respect for Vice Presidents Mnangagwa and Mphoko, the pair was not senior to her.

She said this while addressing thousands of people at Mushayavanhu High School in Gutu during her ninth rally to connect with the people.

The First Lady has been to all the provinces save for Bulawayo.

“I said I respect VPs Mphoko and Mnangagwa and I didn’t say they’re my seniors,” Cde Mugabe said. “There are some mischievous people in the media industry. (The) Herald, what is it that you wrote that VP Mnangagwa is my senior? I never said that. I said he has more experience in politics than me. It doesn’t mean the First Lady is below the VP.”

She added: “I said I just got into Zanu-PF and the fact that I said that doesn’t mean I’m lower than someone. I’m the wife of the President. I humble myself and respect the people. VP Mphoko I refer to him as my father because he’s our Vice President, but despite the fact that I call him father, he knows my position that I’m the wife of their leader. It’s my right, and even in the Politburo that’s why I sit at the front.”

At the Mberengwa rally, Cde Mugabe said she had a lot to learn from VP Mnangagwa in politics and the pair enjoyed cordial relations.

She was responding to a spirited campaign in the private media that sought to cast her nationwide rallies as a pitch for one of the VP posts, ostensibly VP Mnangagwa’s, at Zanu-PF’s 15th Annual National People’s Conference that begins in Victoria Falls on Monday.

The First Lady also roundly criticised some Politburo and Central Committee members whom she said back-stabbed other party officials and pay journalists to cause confusion in the party. She warned them that the sun would soon set on them.

Cde Mugabe said the power hungry party officials should be busy self-introspecting to see if they have the qualities that make them viable candidates for leadership positions instead of driving factional agendas.

She, however, said the greedy politicians had no chance as it was the prerogative of President Robert Mugabe to choose the team to work with, which he does on merit.

Cde Mugabe said chickens would soon come to roost for some Politburo and Central Committee members displaying double standards.

“Journalists don’t dream about these things,” she said.

“There are some who think they’re very clever when in actual fact they’re the opposite. Journalists are told what to write by people we spend time with in the Politburo and the Central Committee. We know it. There’s someone among us, behind our backs who goes and corrupts the journalists.

“I don’t blame the journalists but those behind me who tell them wrong and bad things. Journalists spend time in your offices and because they also need food on the table and fear you, they write what you tell them to.”

She added: “Sometimes we rush to shout at journalists yet it’ll be you (Politburo and Central Committee members) who would’ve told them. I’m frank. I first speak in riddles but later on I’ll say it out. I’ll not hesitate. The time will come.”

She said journalists simply reported what they would have seen or heard.

“We move around together and they write their stories, making you happy,” Cde Mugabe said.

“For you to talk about G40, it’s because they would’ve written about it. Why should they be afraid? You read and if you interpret it in your own ways, that’s your own problem but they would’ve done their job. That’s what brings food to their table.”

The First Lady said party cadres should be content with their positions and should channel their energy to service delivery as President Mugabe was the only one centre of power in Zanu-PF.

“Be satisfied and carry out your duties. People will see and elevate you. Don’t do it yourself. We need people who work for the development of the country. We chose President Mugabe to be our leader and we’re endorsing him for 2018 (elections). He’s the one who’ll choose whether or not to continue with someone. That’s his prerogative.

“It doesn’t matter if you gossip to get favours. He knows your capacity. He chooses on merit. He doesn’t select you because you lead a faction. We ended factionalism and whoever is trying to rekindle it will go down.”

She castigated non-governmental organisations pursuing various political agendas under the guise of aid.

“After all the food aid they dole out is a short term solution,” Cde Mugabe said.

“Tell them to remove the sanctions and that we want to work for ourselves as we’ve the energy. By giving you food, some of them want to control you because they know there’s no way you can refuse. The tractors you’re receiving today are some of the machine guns we’ll use until we economically free ourselves.”

She paid tribute to the late Vice President Simon Muzenda, whose wife Maud attended yesterday’s rally, for his contributions to the country.

She said because the late Vice President Muzenda was content and followed party regulations, he never thought of any nefarious plans against President Mugabe.

“Real cadres work quietly and never make noise,” she said.

“If you see such people, then it needs investigation and you’ll see he or she did nothing during the war. Your works will make people respect you.”

Cde Mugabe called for discipline in the party, especially among the youths.

She took the people through the progress the government had made on the implementation of Zim-Asset emphasising on the need for people to value add their products.

Cde Mugabe explained the benefits of the Look East Policy, detailing some of the land mark deals sealed when Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the country this week.