First Lady tells President Mugabe to name his successor

First Lady Dr Amai Grace Mugabe has urged President Mugabe to name a successor, saying he had the final say on who will take over from him when the time comes.

Speaking during the Women’s League National Assembly meeting at the zanu-pf national headquarters in Harare yesterday, Dr Mugabe urged party members to shun factionalism while avoiding clandestine succession meetings.

She said the President had a role and right to choose his successor as a Zimbabwean citizen. “Hakuna succession inoitwa without the involvement of Mugabe. Hakuna! Vane say as a citizen of this country. I know President says, no, no, no, I don’t want to impose any candidate but I have always argued with him that you have the role, you have the right to be part of that process kuti ndiani achatora chigaro kana mabva imi President because we respect him. Saka his word will be final. Mark my words, his word will be final,” she said.

She cited the example of the late South African President Nelson Mandela who chose President Thabo Mbeki to take over when he retired. “Kune dzimwe nyika tirikunzwa kuti mamwe mapresident vanenge vachiti ndinosiya nhingi. Imimi President musatye, tiudzei wamunoda kuti bhiza iri ngatifambe naro.

“Fanike inini President mukandiudza kuti iri bhiza iri, unoonerera! Nekuti zanu-pf tinoda zvinhu zviripachena. President mukangotiudza kuti, nyeu, ndobhiza racho iri, aha, tasimuka naro bhiza, pachena munhu wese achiona.”

She said once the successor has been chosen there was no need for clandestine discussion of the succession issue. “Tinovigirei bhiza redu. Tinorivigirei? Rinovigwa richitaurwa nezvaro manheru. Harisi bhiza rechokwadi. Bhiza rechokwadi rinoratidzwa pachena kwakachena,” she said. She urged members of the Women’s League to heed her call and shun factionalism.She said President Mugabe was a quiet but wise man who knows what he would be doing. “Kana nguva yakwana President vachatitaurira isu tongoita zvatinenge taudzwa nemukuru wedu,” she said. “Hatibvume zve factionalism. Hatibvume zvekuti vamwe varikuti President vachembera. Ivo kana vachembera vasisagone vachatiudza,” she said.

The national secretary for women’s affairs denounced the culture of disrespect within the party especially on President Mugabe. “Hatidi vana vanoenda panze vachitukirira mukuru. Hazvina kunaka. Hazvisi part of our culture. Hatizive kuti zvirikubva kupi,” she said.

Dr Mugabe said she was aware of a party member based in South Africa dolling out money and denigrating President Mugabe. “Arikuuya kutora vanhu kuno achivapa mari achiti haa power ya shifta, chisiyanai naMugabe ini ndichinzi that woman. Hazvina basa! But I know Zimbabweans will not address me as ‘that woman’.

“Ehh zvirikuitika arikuuya achipa vanhu mari kuti, inini mari yangu follows power. Power ichina vaMugabe. Ndozvatinoziva isusu. Kana kurinerimwe power raarikufunga kuti power, wherever that person is, ngaazive kuti ifake power.“Tiripano isu seWomen’s League tichiita follow actual power rinavaMugabe ratakavapa isusu. Real, real power, authentic power. Power rinotaurwa muzvikona nemanheru risingazivikanwe nevamwe harizi power which is recognizable.”

Dr Mugabe accused the party member of anointing his own First Lady. “But it doesn’t make any sense at all. That’s stupidity. That’s ignorance because the First Lady is here. Munoziva kune vamwe vanhu vanozvinetsa zvavo.

“Let me tell you, even if you make a slogan and… unchindiomita hazvina zvazvinoreva because I am still your President’s wife. Inini ndirimunhu asinganyanye kunetsekana zvangu nezvakawanda kuti ukaita slogan ukati pamberi nanhingi, ukandisiya hazvina basa.

“I am still the First Lady, it will never change the status quo. Musazvinetsa asikana! Ndiripopano saMai Mugabe. Period! Aiwaka that’s the truth. Handisi kukumbira! Handisi kutsvaga but it’s the reality kuti ndini Mai Mugabe. Ndozvazviri.” She said when President Mugabe quits she will remain the former First Lady of Zimbabwe.She called for mutual respect within the party. “Zvinovamwe vanobva vada kutaridza kuti ndinosimuka ndoita slogan ndosiya Grace Mugabe, haa, chino chimbuya hauchizive ichi. Hachina mhosva. Chandinongoda ndechekuti ndatiitei basa. “Kana ndisingaite basa ndisvore but chimbuya chino munoziva kuti chinodhonza ndima. Ahh zvakanakawo, zvakanakawo.”

She expressed pity with people who lack respect. “I have been watching kuno kuchiitwa slogan kuchisiwa Mai Mugabe, ohh my God, sorry, I feel sorry for you. Inini vasikana. Iwewe urikuitirei slogan uchindisiya ndakakumirira kuti uwe pauri ipapo. Ndakakumirira kuti uwe pauri ipapo. Urikuzviziva kuti waita slogan ukandisiya ndiwe ani.

“Hazvina kunaka kuti udaro, ndinoudza munhu chokwadi, ukauya usina kupfeka uniform ndinokuudza kuti waureyi wakadaro. Ukauya usina kuita zvakanaka ndinobva ndakuudza ipapo.

“Asi ukandivenga kuti ndakuudzirei chokwadi, mangwana kana zvinhu zvokuomera uchanditsvaga. You may think that nhasi ndaapachigaro uchindinyepera kundisupporter, wachiwana chigaro saka handichamuneeder Mai Mugabe.“Inini I can say I still need you iwewe kana usingandinidhe uchandinidha chete. Mark my words, I bet, uchandinidha chete mangwana. Ndirikutaurira izvi semadzimai, ngatipananeyi respect,” she said.

The First Lady urged the Women’s League to work hard and avoid being overshadowed by the Youth which has successful Presidential Youth Interfaces in four provinces to date.

“Ende ndati madzimai hatiregei kukundwa nema youths nekuti madzimai nyaya ye factionalism yakunyanya mukati menyu. Vakadzi vakuru, you stop it, you stop it forthwith!”

She said there was no need for Presidential Interface for the Women’s League as they led the way through People’s Tours across Zimbabwe.

“Ndakati kuna Cde Chipanga, well done because zvangazvakungoita kunge kuZanu-PF kune Women’s League chete. Youth League maifanira kuita izvozvo kuti muonekwe.

“Asi mukufamba toda kufamba zvakanaka. Tinoda kufamba tichiwirirana tichiziva kuti objective yedu imwe chete yekusimudzira musangano wedu Zanu-PF,” she said.

The First Lady also took time to commend the success of the Command Agriculture programme saying this had put an advantage to the party ahead of the 2018 elections.She also hailed Government efforts to improve the status and integrity of the Zimbabwean women.

“This has given the Zimbabwean woman the confidence she has today. The Zanu-PF Women’s League hails such democratic governance and gender sensitive planning that culminates in gender representation and participation in key socio-economic and political sectors,” she said.

Amai Mugabe also reiterated the Women’s League’s support in the forthcoming elections.

She further called on for the implementation of the resolution made at the 2015 Victoria Falls and 2016 Masvingo Annual National People’s Conference for the amendment of the party constitution and reinstate the provision for a female vice president.

“This Your Excellence, the women requested that it be done in time for the 2019 National People’s Congress.

“In the same spirit, the women are calling for the re-alignment of the Zanu-PF constitution to the national constitution to allow for 50:50 representation in party positions.

“The women of this great nation, are passionately appealing to the Revolutionary Party to lead by example,” she said.The First Lady also formally introduced Cdes Thokozile Mathuthu, Caroline Mugabe and Judith Ncube who have been appointed as deputy secretary for women’s affairs, secretary for finance and secretary for information and publicity, respectively.

Cdes Mathuthu and Mugabe took over after the resignation of Cde Eunice Sandi Moyo and Cde Sarah Mahoka who resigned from their positions after a litany of allegations from party members.

Cde Ncube takes over from Cde Mathuthu.

BY Sydney Kawadza