I am already President says Grace Mugabe

Published: 2016 November 21 20:40:45 (13408 Views)

Zimbabwe's First Lady Grace Mugabe has again suggested that she is the de facto President.

Grace, who is the Zanu PF Women's League Secretary says she 'plans and does everything with President Robert Mugabe' strengthening her past claims as the mind behind her husband.

Mugabe has himself in the past admitted to being 'told what to do' by Grace who forced him to prematurely end his speech during the Zanu PF National Conference in Victoria Falls last year.

Mashonaland West women's league chairperson, Angeline Muchemeyi told a gathering over the weekend that Grace was already running State affairs and would not fight for lesser positions like the vice president post.

"Grace told an executive meeting that she is 'already the President' and would not want to be appointed VP, as it was a lower post. The First Lady said I'm the wife of the President, I'm the president already … I plan and do everything with the President, what more do I want, for now the position of the women boss is enough."

Muchemeyi revealed this after the Zanu PF women's league passed a resolution that Grace remains as the secretary for women's affairs in the party.

Zanu PF women's league has been pushing for a woman to hold the vice president's position ,but Grace has a greater ambition.

Last year Grace revealed that the two vice presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko took instructions from her, justifying former war veterans chairperson Jabulani Sibanda's claims that a 'bedroom coup' would lead to the destruction of the ruling
party.

'I am already the President' and would not want to be appointed VP, as it was a
lower post.

Meanwhile, the women's league has thrown its weight behind the embattled war veterans who have fallen out of favour with Mugabe.

Muchemeyi said the war veterans were principled cadres of the party unlike the newcomers who are bent on destroying Zanu PF.

"We have our war vets, who have a history in the party, they respect our President because they went to war, but the factions are created by handpicked members, who do not have liberation credentials," she said.

This somewhat turn of events has been viewed as a desperate ploy by Grace to extend an olive branch as she has been subject of attacks by war veterans who are perceived Mnangagwa sympathisers.

There are also reports that Grace's ambition of becoming Zimbabwe's deputy president has been "put on hold" after Mashonaland West Zanu-PF women's league said the issue of quota system in the presidium should be avoided, a report said on Sunday.

Source - Nehanda Radio