FIRST Lady Grace Mugabe’s new tone in the past week, while churning out another phase of her meet-the-people rallies, demonstrated the language of a person who is being cautious and aware of the procedures of the party, analysts have said.
BY SILENCE CHARUMBIRA
Grace has been consolidating her power base by preaching unity at the grassroots level although she had annihilated leaders at top levels in her past rallies with her venomous attacks.
At her rally in Mbare, Grace appeared to be acting according to a reverting script as she stepped out to save the situation from being an utter tragedy for the troubled Zanu PF.
She pursued the same trajectory in Mberengwa in Midlands, a province well-known to be the stronghold of Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, where she openly made a U-turn to suggest the latter was her boss instead of a rival.
Former adviser to MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai, Alex Magaisa, said the situation was fluid and warned there was nothing much to be read into what Grace said in Midlands as she was aware that she was in Mnangagwa’s stronghold and had to blend in.
“She was in Midlands, which is Mnangagwa’s territory, and I don’t think she had any other choice than to act nice and diplomatic,” Magaisa said, adding that the scenario was different from former Vice-President Joice Mujuru’s when Grace visited her stronghold after she had already been dismantled.
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“If anything, her conduct towards Mnangagwa was quite patronising, actually, given that she had been in attack mode before. Mnangagwa will know better than to believe that she is now firmly on his side.”
He said Grace had set the tone before going to Midlands when she addressed her rally in Mbare and she was likely advised that her attacks were worsening the party’s problems.
“Secondly, she has probably been advised that the attacks are adding to the problems and alienating many people. But it could just point to a personality issue —there are people who have that mental make-up, one day they are pleasant and the next day they are thoroughly hostile. Unpredictable is the word that best describes her,” Magaisa said.
Political analyst Blessing Vava said Grace had underestimated Mnangagwa, but had realised more purges would simply further hurt the already fractured party.
“Reality has dawned on her that there were no pushovers like was the case with Mujuru,” Vava said.
He said the First Lady was also aware that continued purging would weaken the party ahead of the 2018 polls hence she was now acting as a unifier for the candidature of her husband.
Takura Zhangazha said Grace was aware that after kicking out Mujuru and her allies through her purges last year, she could not achieve the same feat using the same tactics and was just demonstrating her awareness of procedures.
“After the purges of Mujuru and company, she knew she had to find a way of putting across her message. She is different. She has toned down,” Zhangazha said.
He said her mention of the issue of congress could also be used as a leeway for herself in the next election as she has proven she was aware of congress and the procedures.
