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NewsDay

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Stop this rot!

Opinion & Analysis
The Zanu PF succession battle has not only become a national issue, but has paralysed government work programmes and become an unsustainable drain on the fiscus.

The Zanu PF succession battle has not only become a national issue, but has paralysed government work programmes and become an unsustainable drain on the fiscus.

It is a fact that Zimbabwe’s eyes are fixed on how the succession matrix in Zanu PF plays out.

To start with, business is interested in what policies the government will pursue in the post-Mugabe era.

This may attract or further isolate the country as an unsafe destination for foreign direct investment depending on the perception surrounding the would-be Mugabe successor.

But, going by recent developments where First Lady Grace Mugabe has become the centre of attraction in Zimbabwe’s succession politics, it is high time the country looks itself in the mirror for obvious reasons.

Grace was elevated from a mere First Lady to the intellectual Dr Grace in circumstances that border on the scandalous.

Her doctorate has in one large and swift stroke hastened the debate on the quality of education in the country especially in the recent past when politicians have woken up with degrees at one level or another.

Dr Grace is traversing the country’s provinces campaigning for “her faction” under the guise of “Meet the People Tour” for her contrived endorsement to the Zanu PF politburo.

Sadly, with reckless abandon Dr Grace recently tore her opponents with the relish of majestic anger fully aware that her adversaries have neither the platform nor space to publicly hit back.

Her combative mood is reminiscent of the dark days of July 31 2013 campaigns which were full of threats and public chastising to persons who held different political beliefs to Zanu PF.

For fear of being labelled “enemies”, “sellouts” or “counter revolutionaries” our once busy Cabinet ministers have cleared their desks and each day make a beeline to attend Dr Grace’s rallies across the country.

The ministers travel in company of their protocol aides in their luxurious six-cylinder Daimler vehicles or any of the top SUV’s at State expense to attend a meeting of a “wing of the ruling party”.

Zimbabweans are wondering who is sponsoring this political fete each week playing before the impoverished people in a struggling economy.

Dr Grace in her newly-acquired imperial elegance has a presidential helicopter and motorcade at her disposal to dispense party business as the Women’s League boss-designate.

One wonders if her position will not be equivalent to a senior minister and some form of ministerial staff will be seconded to her office that she may well serve Zanu PF women after the congress.

It is time to cut this waste now. A distinction between the State, Zanu PF and government is more important than ever before in the face of this nonsense.

For starters, it is common cause that Zanu PF is broke according to their last publicly announced financial statement.

So it cannot afford any of these extravagant expeditions except if some shady businessmen or the State is paying.

It is time Zanu PF redeems itself by publicly stating who is funding this jamboree and call on Cabinet ministers to concentrate on their sworn constitutional mandates than serving partisan interests.

Mugabe must stop the rot now to save the country.