Staff ReporterFirst Lady, Grace Mugabe on Saturday escalated her attack on besieged Vice President Emmerson Mnangangwa, accusing him of fomenting factionalism in the party as well as blocking her efforts to succeed her husband.
Addressing thousands of party supporters at the Zanu PF’s 9th presidential youth interface rally, Grace said as a member she was entitled to hold any position she wants including the presidency.
“I have said it before that vice president Mnangagwa propelled her wife to be the MP for Chirumhanzu-Zibagwe constituency. A precedent was set and no one complained about that.
So today if I am made the president of this country, what is wrong with that? Why should people complain when a precedent was set before,” said the First Lady.
Grace also accused Mnangagwa of bringing chaos into the party following his appointment as vice president in 2014.
“We had previous vice presidents like vice president Joshua Nkomo, John Nkomo, Joseph Msika and Simon Muzenda and we never had any problems in the party.
When these two people came in (Mnangagwa) and Vice president Phelekezela Mphoko) there was chaos and disorder in the party. But the chaos is not coming from VP Mphoko,” said a charged Grace.
She also accused Mnangagwa of masterminding the arrest of Tsholotsho North MP professor Jonathan Moyo whom the Zimbabwe Anticorruption Commission (ZACC) accuses of misappropriating more than $400,000 ZIMDEF funds.
“Jonathan Moyo has no charges to answer .When he was being accused of abusing ZIMDEF funds, the president set up a committee to investigate him. After the investigations, the president (Mugabe) instructed Chombo to write a letter to ZACC stating that the party was satisfied about how Moyo used the money. What I do not understand is that Cde Moyo once worked with vice president Mnangagwa. They once formed their party called the United People’s Movement,” said the First Lady.
Grace said Mnangagwa was apparently angered by Moyo who revealed their intentions to form a political party.
“Jonathan Moyo said a lot of things about VP Mnangagwa including the way how the two used to abuse party funds. So I think this is what angered VP Mnangagwa. Each time we are outside the country, VP Mnangagwa wants to cause the arrest of Jonathan Moyo. His only crime is to challenge Mnangagwa,” she said.
Grace also hinted that the Midlands strongman might be on his way out during the proposed Zanu PF congress.
“As women, we now want to reclaim our position in the presidium. VP Mnangagwa even knows that his current position is reserved for women,” he said.
