Target on Mnangagwa. . . First Lady says VP must go before Congress

VICE-President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his lieutenants accused of fanning divisions within Zanu-PF, must be expelled before the party’s extra ordinary congress to be held next month, Women’s League leader Dr Grace Mugabe has said.

Addressing members of indigenous apostolic sects during the “Super Sunday” rally in Harare yesterday, the First Lady said those who are pushing the “Team Lacoste” agenda must be shown the door before the extraordinary congress to cleanse the ruling party of factions.

“The snake must be hit on the head. We must deal with the real snake behind the factions and discord in the party.

“We are going for the congress as a united party. Women who are involved in the Lacoste project, I say to you, ‘you are dead’. Chipanga, those youths who are aligned to Lacoste are gone.

“They must all be dropped before the congress,” said the First Lady.

Dr Mugabe said Zanu-PF must be united ahead of the extraordinary congress.

“We are going there as a united party speaking with one voice. People must understand that we have only one centre of power,” she said.

The First Lady said before the start of the extra ordinary congress, all the party office bearers will step down except the President who has since been endorsed as the party’s First Secretary and candidate for 2018 election.

We are all going to step down except for the President who has since been endorsed. Some will get positions while others will lose them. Those who lose their posts will just go into farming. We are fortunate enough to have pieces of land to do our farming,” she said.

She urged youth to desist from being roped into VP Mnangagwa’s factional agendas.

The First Lady said in Bulawayo on Saturday VP Mnangagwa hired some youths to boo her when she took to the stage but she was not moved “even an inch”.

“In Bulawayo, he had bought some youths who booed me when I took to the stage. I could not be moved because I know how to deal with such situations. I do not even care,” she said.

Dr Mugabe said she was prepared to take disciplinary action against Mnangagwa on her own if the other Politburo members refuse.

She emphasised that President Mugabe was a good leader and that she will always give him the necessary support.

“I stand by the President to the grave. He is my President. He is an honest man. A man of integrity. He is the kind of man who tells the truth. He is a loving man and I will defend him to the end,” Dr Mugabe. said.

Women, she added, now want their VP’s position back and that the Zanu-PF constitution must be amended to provide for a female VP.

“Constitution provided for two VPs, of which one was supposed to be a woman. It was only amended to accommodate VP Mnangagwa when Mujuru (Joice) was expelled.

“We now want our position back. The constitution must be amended to provide for a woman VP. As Women’s League, we will decide on the candidate to take up the VP position.

“The initial amendment was a mistake and we will never allow that to happen again,” said the First Lady.

BY DANIEL NEMUKUYU