VICE-PRESIDENTS Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko take notes each time they meet First Lady Grace Mugabe, in sharp contrast to ousted Joice Mujuru, President Robert Mugabe’s wife revealed yesterday.
BY OBEY MANAYITI
Grace told thousands of people at the commission of a housing project in Kadoma that she met the two VPs regularly, in an admission that would rekindle debate that she was directing government business.
Mnangagwa and Mphoko — who were elevated last December after the President’s 49 year-old wife led a successful campaign to oust Mujuru, accusing her of plotting against her husband — attended the Kadoma event.
“I am seeing that the calibre of the Vice-Presidents is now different. They are different in that just in the few months they have been in power I have lost count of the times that I have sat down with them one-on-one to talk about the development of Zimbabwe,” she said.
“This is the leadership that we want, servant leaders who know that they are there to work for the people and that they should sit down with the mother (First Lady) to discuss issues.”
The event was also attended by several Cabinet ministers, who skipped a question and answer session in the National Assembly. Grace, who stormed into the political limelight last year following her election as Zanu PF secretary for women’s affairs, was now believed to be the brains behind most decisions in Zanu PF and government announced by her 91-year-old husband. She does not hold any government post yet.
