FIRST Lady Grace Mugabe on Wednesday stole the thunder at a Zanu PF campaign rally, albeit in absentia.
By Moses Matenga
Her name and that of President Robert Mugabe featured prominently in the slogans, T-shirts and songs during an Epworth rally,which Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko officiated.
Scores of people sported regalia emblazoned with Grace’s face during the rally meant to garner support for Epworth constituency’s Zanu PF candidate, Zalerah Makari.
The by-elections will be held on September 19 following the death of former Energy minister, Amos Midzi.
One of the T-shirts had Grace’s face and an inscription that read:“Mother of revelations; Mother of Africa; Mother of the nation”,while jingles mentioning their names were belted out one after the other.
Mugabe is usually the only one saluted whenever party supporters chant slogans as he was considered the only centre of power.
But yesterday, Mugabe’s name competed for prominence with that of his wife, who is increasingly emerging as another centre of power in the Zanu PF succession matrix.
The two names were continuously saluted by party supporters given a chance to speak during the rally.
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Speakers, including Mphoko, Zanu PF commissar Saviour Kasukuwere, his deputy Omega Hungwe, and Health and Child Care minister David Parirenyatwa,chanted Grace slogans, saying:“Pamberi na President Mugabe, Pamberi na Dr Grace Mugabe” (Forward with President Mugabe,Forward with Dr Grace Mugabe).
During the rally, Kasukuwere, who is also Local Government minister, announced that Epworth had been granted town status.
Parirenyatwa announced plans to elevate Epworth hospital to district status with a mortuary.
Mphoko said Mugabe was against corruption and urged residents to vote for the Zanu PF candidate.
“You have the support of Amai (Grace) and Baba (Mugabe) on corruption,” he chanted.
“The President does not want to hear about corruption. You can read his lips and tell from his body language when he talks about corruption hat he does not like it.”
Mphoko also took the rally through the sitting arrangements in Cabinet, unwittingly disclosing the power politics in Zanu PF.
He said after Mugabe, Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa sat next to the President, then himself (Mphoko), followed by Home Affairs minister Ignatius Chombo, the Minister of Economic Planning Simon Khaya Moyo, Kasukuwere and Transport and Infrastructural Development minister Obert Mpofu.
