Grace looks East as Masvingo says NO!

via Grace looks East as Masvingo says NO! – New Zimbabwe 16/11/2015

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe’s wife, Grace, this weekend heads for the volatile Mashonaland East province as she picks up her nationwide tour of provinces in suspicious rallies whose motive has been questioned even in the ruling Zanu PF party.

The rallies have also infuriated the opposition as Grace is handed tractors secured by government from Brazil through State loans which she distributes to Zanu PF supporters.

The Zanu PF Women’s League boss, last week, reportedly bunked a rally she was supposed to address in Masvingo with reports suggesting that factional wars in the ruling party forced the cancellation.

Reports indicated Grace was warned of an impending humiliation by party structures miffed with her conduct which seen as usurping Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa who viewed as Mugabe’s heir apparent.

Masvingo province is understood to be pro-Mnangagwa. Senior Zanu PF officials privately indicated that Grace intended to travel to Masvingo.

The alleged snub was however, ridiculed by a state media columnist believed to be presidential spokesman George Charamba.

“I had a chuckle last week when the First Lady would not go to Masvingo as pre-arranged and reported by her willy-nilly protocol officers in newsrooms,” wrote Nathaniel Manheru.

“Mai Mugabe has become (the) focal point of a hostile private press venting the anger of those who realise Zanu PF cannot be wished away.

“In reality, Mai Mugabe had no business in Masvingo. Not to lose face, the headlines of those lying papers changed: Grace bunks her own fixtures!

“A lying press saving its face by blaming the victim of its fulsome lies!”

Meanwhile, Zanu PF provincial party chairperson, Joel Biggie Matiza, confirmed Grace’s impending visit to Mash East.

Mash East rivalries

“The First Lady is heading to Murewa next Saturday. The provincial leadership is currently running around to put things in place,” said Matiza.

“A provincial coordinating committee meeting was held to plan her visit this was for all members to take full ownership.

“Mobilisation is to be done by district based committees there is a unity of purpose I think we would be up to task and give her a resounding welcome,” said Matiza.

Matiza has been under the cosh of late with attempts to unseat him reportedly funded by senior leaders in the province among them Health Minister David Parirenyatwa and his Defence counterpart Sidney Sekeramayi.

Those opposed to Matiza are reportedly claiming that they have Grace’s backing.

But Matiza has stood his ground. After a night meeting that resolved to suspend him two weeks ago, the former provincial minister hit back convening a meeting of his own and suspending a few officials.

However, party commissar Saviour Kasukuwere quickly moved in to defuse tensions and reinstated all suspended officials.

Kasukuwere is reportedly the front-man of a group of party officials opposed to Mnangagwa’s taking over after Mugabe going by the name Generation 40.

Matiza is said to be at odds with his successor as provincial minister Ambrose Mutinhiri a member of Kasukuwere’s G40 faction.

Grace has already been to Manicaland at which she endorsed Kasukuwere and Mugabe’s nephew Patrick Zhuwao as the “vanguard of the party” Zanu PF. Kasukuwere and Zhuwao are leading figures in the G40 faction.

Another rally held in Mashonaland Central by Grace saw her lashing out at veterans of the liberation struggle and warning that “having participated in the war does not give you a right to everything. You were not forced to go to war”.

Zanu PF is preparing for its annual conference set for Victoria Falls in December amid reports it could be converted into a mini-congress as the succession struggles rage.