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Minister Dr Obert Mpofu

Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
FORMER First Lady Mrs Grace Mugabe’s attacks on President Emmerson Mnangagwa caused a lot of anxiety among senior Zanu-PF leaders who resorted to prayer before rallies in the hope of evading similar vitriol.

Mrs Mugabe used the Zanu-PF Presidential Youth Interface Rallies to attack Cde Mnangagwa who was then the country’s Vice President and party’s second secretary before he was sacked.

After his dismissal, Cde Mnangagwa left the country fearing for his life and only returned after the party had recalled former President Cde Mugabe as Zanu-PF’s First Secretary and seconded him to take over.

The party’s Secretary for Finance, Dr Obert Mpofu, yesterday revealed that fearing public vilification, he had to ask his wife Cde Sikhanyisiwe Mpofu to seek divine intervention in the hope that her prayers would protect him from a tongue lashing.

His wife is a devout Seventh Day Adventist and it seems the family’s prayers were answered as Dr Mpofu was never attacked. “We love the former president Cde Mugabe, not even one of us hates him. But there were weeds, malcontents and criminals in the party who did as they pleased. Before attending rallies I would ask my wife to pray because it could be me who would be insulted. What kind of a party is that? There were some difficulties in the party,” said Dr Mpofu.

He said the intervention by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces was justified as Zanu-PF had lost track.

Dr Mpofu said he played a vital role during the transitional period which saw Cde Mnangagwa taking over the party’s leadership.

“During that difficult period, I was at the helm of everything. I superintended over the transitional period when we held Central Committee meetings, I was in charge while cowards were hiding. His Excellency came back and he took over now the country is being loved across the world. We also want to urge everyone to support Cde Mnangagwa,” he said.

Cde Mpofu chaired the Central Committee meeting that resolved to recall Cde Mugabe as the party’s First Secretary while urging him to step down as the country’s President. He said Professor Jonathan Moyo, who was the kingpin in the diabolic scheme to insult President Mnangagwa, has been judged by political developments, hence his departure from the country.

Dr Mpofu said the party should not expel anyone but aim to mobilise more members as it was heading for elections.

Meanwhile, provinces will this weekend hold inter district meetings in preparation for the extra ordinary congress which starts on Tuesday.
Matabeleland North will hold its meeting today while the Bulawayo one will be held tomorrow.

Bulawayo provincial secretary for finance Cde Mlungisi Moyo said the main agenda of the congress was to endorse the resolutions made by the Central Committee last month.

Part of the resolutions include endorsing the recall of former President Robert Mugabe and the expulsion of members of the G40 cabal. “The main agenda of the Congress is to go and support the endorsement of President Mnangagwa as our presidential candidate ahead of the 2018 elections,” said Cde Moyo. — @nqotshili