VICE-PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa on Saturday reportedly confronted President Robert Mugabe in protest over his verbal battering by First Lady Grace at a rally in Chiweshe last Friday.
BY Everson Mushava/blessed mhlanga
Although both Mnangagwa and Mugabe’s spokesperson George Charamba were not picking calls yesterday, NewsDay was reliably informed that the meeting took place at Mugabe’s residence on Saturday where the VP reportedly complained that Grace had publicly accused him of plotting to oust her soon-to-be-92-year-old husband.
The development came as NewsDay was told last night that Mugabe’s party had called for an extraordinary politburo meeting tomorrow to discuss the internecine fights between its top officials.
“Yes, the VP met President Mugabe, who offered to deal with the VP’s concerns. Mnangagwa raised issues regarding the attacks on his person,” a well-placed Zanu PF source said. “The VP made the move to push the President to intervene and avoid an embarrassing ouster like what happened to former Vice-President Joice Mujuru.”
The source told NewsDay that after last Friday’s unexpected attack by Grace and the G40 faction, Mnangagwa and his sympathisers, including security advisers, allegedly held an emergency meeting in the capital where others urged him to resign in protest.
“Members of Team Lacoste (Mnangagwa’s faction) had a crisis meeting in Harare on Friday night. They were shocked by the developments. Some were of the opinion that Mnangagwa should simply resign while others opposed it,” the sources said.
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“Right now, members are mobilising to stage massive demonstrations at the Zanu PF headquarters to implore Mugabe to rein in his wife. The President assured him (Mnangagwa) that he would address his concerns and there will likely be an extraordinary politburo meeting on that this Wednesday (tomorrow).”
Mnangagwa has lately been on the receiving end from G40 members opposed to his bid to succeed Mugabe.
Despite the verbal assaults from key G40 members – who include Higher Education minister Jonathan Moyo, Mugabe’s nephew Patrick Zhuwao and Zanu PF national commissar Saviour Kasukuwere – Mnangagwa has not publicly responded, preferring to use “quiet diplomacy”.
