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Tendai Mugabe Harare Bureau
President Mugabe yesterday exposed the NewsDay’s penchant for writing false stories about the First Family and the government, saying some sections of society should recognise that the work that he does is for Zimbabwe and the continent at large.

The President’s comments follow a recent story by NewsDay where it deliberately twisted facts by claiming that President Mugabe’s recent visit to Equatorial Guinea where he chaired an Ebola Follow-up Conference in his capacity as African Union chairman was aimed at promoting the First Family’s private business ventures in that country.

Speaking at a fundraising dinner held in honour of First Lady Cde Grace Mugabe’s Golden Jubilee early yesterday morning, President Mugabe said the private media had lied about his trip to Equatorial Guinea.

“For example, the last lie I was told about was in the Mail and Guardian, is it? That when we were going to Equatorial Guinea for the Ebola meeting the paper published that we were going there and we’ve a second objective of negotiating business.

“I’m chairman of Sadc and chairman of the African Union and this is a meeting of the AU and I was going to chair it as a chairman. So, when would I be discussing business and indeed we didn’t discuss business at all because there was no such business to discuss?

“You’ve 54 countries represented. We discuss business with whom? With the host government? When do you get the time? You don’t get the time for it and does it happen? Actually when we returned it was midnight. We got here at 1AM and it’s difficult work, but it’s difficult work we must do, but others must recognise that work is being done and being done for Africa and for the nation.”

The President Mugabe dismissed the NewsDay story as he was explaining how the First Lady joined the political fray. He said when Cde Grace Mugabe was approached by the Zanu-PF Women’s League to lead them she sought his advice.

The President said he told her that it was entirely up to her although he would advise her on certain issues.

He said he knew that the political field was not rosy and at times it could be difficult with opposition parties framing outright lies against people.

The false story on the Equatorial Guinea trip was the latest in a series of lies told by the NewsDay in recent days against the First Family and the government.

In one of the many lies, the paper published a story claiming that Cabinet had skipped nine sittings because President Mugabe was always out of the country.

President Mugabe has been busy as he has been on several occasions called upon to chair several meetings outside the country as the chairman of the AU and Sadc.

Although NewsDay editors were told through relevant government arms before the publication of the story that their facts were wrong, they went on to publish the story.

The paper later retracted the story after being shown proof that their story was a total lie.

In another fabricated story, NewsDay carried a supposed news item claiming that President Mugabe owed expelled Zanu-PF Mashonaland East provincial chairman Ray Kaukonde $30 million.

Presidential spokesperson George Charamba clarified the issue, saying the President does not borrow from private citizens.

On another occasion the paper wrote a story claiming that the First Lady was seriously ill and had been flown to Dubai for medical treatment.

The paper was embarrassed when the following day Cde Mugabe, who was in good health, was seen attending a Zanu-PF Politburo meeting.

Despite being caught out on several occasions, the NewsDay has been unrelenting in its camapign to cast aspersions on the First Family amid reports the cash-strapped AMH, publishers of NewsDay, was itching to provoke the law so as to cry victim in search of donor support.