FIRST Lady Grace Mugabe has told the Zanu PF politburo to concentrate on more serious issues affecting the country instead of purging party members linked to former Vice-President Joice Mujuru.
BY RICHARD CHIDZA
Grace on Wednesday told the Zanu PF Women’s League national executive council that expulsions and suspensions were now threatening the stability of the ruling party.
She was making her first public appearance in over a month and dismissed speculation her absence was due to health problems. The 49-year-old Grace, who is also secretary for women’s affairs, shook Zanu PF last year when she launched a campaign against Mujuru that thrust her into the race to succeed her 91-year-old husband.
Her tough talk on Wednesday could be an indication she was now keen to reassert her authority in post-Mujuru Zanu PF after the health scare that saw her spending months in Far East Asia.
“We should unite and stop gossiping about each other. Mudslinging is not a good thing. Let us look forward,” Grace told her executive.
“We cannot continue to purge each other and make unfounded allegations. Those who were kicked out were kicked out.”
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She argued that the party’s politburo, which has been used in the past few months or so to expel and suspend top leaders suspected to have been sympathetic to Mujuru, should not be turned into a disciplinary committee.
“We should not burden the politburo with petty issues and if the politburo is to be turned into a kangaroo court, then when is the real work going to be done and by who? The politburo is there to make policies that move the country forward,” she said.
The Zanu PF politburo last month expelled seven former ministers and suspended 13 other officials for allegedly working with Mujuru.
Most of the officials said they were expelled by a kangaroo court and did not recognise the punishment.
Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya-Moyo yesterday said the ruling party could not ignore Grace’s concerns.
“She is correct and I agree with her, we cannot run a party and a country on factionalism,” Moyo said.
“Her words are wise and welcome. She is a leader of the party and we cannot afford to ignore her. It is time to concentrate on implementation of party policies than to remain stuck in who is wrong or right.”
But, the First Lady’s sentiments sharply contradicted recent Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s statements at the weekend pledging more purges.
Mnangagwa was seen trying to strengthen his position as President Robert Mugabe’s likely successor after seeing off Mujuru’s seemingly formidable challenge.
Mujuru was expelled from the ruling party for allegedly plotting to assassinate Mugabe with assistance from Western powers.
She was forced through the trap-door along with former party secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa, former party national spokesperson Rugare Gumbo and a host of others, including no less than nine provincial chairpersons.
This week, Mujuru apologised for her role in “the failure of the country” over the 35 years of Zanu PF’s misrule.
Analysts said the apology was a clear sign she was ready to take on the might of Zanu PF and Mugabe’s State machinery under the banner of a political outfit referred to as People First.
