First Lady Grace Mugabe yesterday said she feared Zimbabwe could slip into turmoil similar to the uprisings that toppled dictators in North Africa.
Source: Grace Mugabe fears uprising – The Standard July 10, 2016
BY OBEY MANAYITI
Grace told a Zanu PF Harare inter-district meeting that Zimbabweans must learn from countries such as Libya and Iraq and stop entertaining forces that might lead to chaos.
Libya and Egypt were part of the countries affected by the so-called Arab Spring, a period of a revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests that ignited civil unrest in many countries to force their leaders out of power.
Last week Zimbabweans staged a hugely successful stayaway dubbed #ShutdownZimbabwe, which was coordinated by #Thisflag movement, Tajamuka/Sesijikile and Occupy Africa Unity Square.
One of their demands was that President Robert Mugabe must step down for failing to stop the country’s economic collapse.
#This Flag founder Pastor Evan Mawarire has called for another round of stayaways on Wednesday and Thursday to force Mugabe’s government to address their demands. The First Lady was at pains to persuade Zanu PF members not to join the protests.
“We must take a cue from what happened in Libya, Iraq, Egypt and other countries,” Grace said.
The First Lady said people were lied to that Iraqi’s Saddam Hussein was bad and had weapons of mass destruction and now there was no peace in that country anymore.
She said former British Prime Minister Tony Blair must go for trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the chaos that erupted in Iraq after the death of Hussein. Ironically, some Zimbabweans feel her husband should be dragged to the ICC for his role in the Gukurahundi atrocities in Matabeleland and Midlands provinces.
Grace said Zimbabwe must not be hoodwinked and engage in violence as it will bring untold suffering to the country.
“Let us not be hoodwinked by our detractors because we know there are some governments that don’t like us and they will give money to sponsor a stay away,” she claimed.
“If we embark on a stay-way they would be busy manufacturing and their economies prospering yet things will halt in our country. If we calculate how much we lost through the stay away you will be surprised how much we lost.
“Let’s not allow people who want to destroy us to come between us and do things without applying our minds fully.
“I am happy that a lot of people just stayed in their houses without engaging in violence. Let’s not destroy our properties.”
Grace defended the government’s decision to ban the importation of certain goods arguing the country could not continue being a consumer economy.
She said small to medium enterprises should be fully supported and that Zimbabwe needs to jump start the manufacturing sector so that they manage to create employment and build the economy.
“We cannot be a consumer economy, no, we cannot be buying from other countries to promote their economies,” she said.
“People should understand that. This (ban) is the only way we can create employment.
“We need the manufacturing sector to be working. We cannot allow Zimbabwe to be a supermarket economy.”
Grace also admitted that Zanu PF erred by allowing houses to be demolished. In Harare alone, hundreds of houses were demolished by Harare City Council.
Last year Mugabe ordered the demolition of houses along Airport road. But Grace said all that was irrational.
“Such issues are clear example that people are sleeping on duty. There are people sleeping on duty,” she thundered.
“You see everything happening, houses being built and then demolished.
“We know most councillors in Harare are MDC-T but why do we let (demolitions) to happen. We should take blame,” Grace added amid thunderous applause.
“I am also a builder and I cannot have a property I sweated for being demolished by a bulldozer. Are we building or destroying the party. We don’t want to pain each other to such levels.”
Grace urged Local Government minister, Saviour Kasukuwere to take heed and ensure that demolitions were not done again.
She described demolitions as unfair especially considering that the majority of people were struggling to build the houses.
“If I ask what became of those people whose houses were demolished?
“Why do we leave it happening, everyone see the houses being built and why then are the houses demolished afterwards. No please. We should admit where we erred and on this matter we erred big time,” Grace said.
Kasukuwere has donated land to Zanu PF youths and the women’s league where about 125 000 housing units are set to be built.
Grace also heaped praise on Zanu PF deputy secretary for youth Kudzi Chipanga and asked him to rescue the youth wing from wayward behaviour that was being exhibited when some youths insulted the First Family.
The First Lady also went into overdrive attacking Zimbabwe People First leader Joice Mujuru calling her a hypocrite.
She said Mujuru was not being clever by attacking Zanu PF yet all along she was part of the government that crafted policies she was now critical of..
Grace said Mujuru should tell the nation how she “stole” elections.
She claimed it was through Zanu PF’s mercy that she was let off the hook on numerous alleged crimes she committed as there was overwhelming evidence against her.
Grace said Zimbabwe must not be hoodwinked into engaging in violence as it would bring untold suffering to the country.
“Let us not be hoodwinked by our detractors because we know there are some governments that don’t like us and they will give money to sponsor a stayaway,” she claimed.
“If we embark on a stayaway, they would be busy manufacturing and their economies prospering yet things will halt in our country. If we calculate how much we lost through the stayaway, you will be surprised how much we lost.
“Let’s not allow people who want to destroy us to come between us and do things without applying our minds fully.
“I am happy that a lot of people just stayed in their houses without engaging in violence. Let’s not destroy our properties.”
Grace defended the government’s decision to ban the importation of certain goods, arguing the country could not continue being a consumer economy.
She said small to medium enterprises should be fully supported and that Zimbabwe needed to jumpstart the manufacturing sector in order to create employment and build the economy.
“We cannot be a consumer economy, no, we cannot be buying from other countries to promote their economies,” she said.
“People should understand that. This [ban] is the only way we can create employment.
“We need the manufacturing sector to be working. We cannot allow Zimbabwe to be a supermarket economy.”
Grace also admitted that Zanu PF erred by allowing houses to be demolished. In Harare alone, hundreds of houses were demolished by Harare City Council.
Last year Mugabe ordered the demolition of houses along the Joshua Nkomo Express Way (Airport Road) which Grace was complaining about.
But Grace said all that was irrational.
COMMENTS
COMPLIMENTS OF ZANUPF AND YOUR HUBBY!
Grace Mugabe knows that uprising is against all their ill-gotten wealth. She must realize that when she stirred the women’s league to remove VP Mujuru it was an uprising. The people of Zimbabwe are not rising up now, they been rising ever since 1963 and before. An uprising is a stand against bad governance, its a process of claiming legitimacy. Your kids are like to suffer most because you taught them that violence is life. Unfortunately its now across. We will rise up and claim our legitimacy has people. You have taken our respect as human beings. We have tried to respect you as fellow human being, but you took it as some weakness
It’s an interesting statement, and one that Mrs Mugabe has made before – that there is overwhelming evidence that Mujuru committed crimes, but that Zanu PF decided to let her off. Most people would realise that Zanu PF does not have the legal authority to absolve people of criminal behaviour, but apparently Mrs Mugabe is unaware of this. She might have been led into this belief when she has observed no action being taken against other senior members of Zanu PF against whom there has been ‘overwhelming evidence’ of crimes. Not many would think it prudent to make such utterances in public, however.
i think in the twisted mind of any such as grace mugabe, zanu-pf is the legal system and it is their right to determine legalities and be judge-juror-executioner.
what’s that saying… power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. it’s a worm that eats away at the brain until sensibilities, civilities, and reason no longer get in the way of ego and self-entitlement.
Here’s another saying “It’s a hungry worm that finds no brain to eat”.
Grace Mugabe is a stupid bimbo. She is clueless about the law, she is clueless about economics, she is clueless about trade, industry and commerce and she is nothing more than a common thief. She has every reason to fear civil unrest that leads to a change in Government as she will have seen what happened to Saddam Hussein, Muammar Ghadafi , Charles Taylor and others.
No wealth can sharpen the mind of a lunatic. Grace has just proved this. Am happy though that at least she knows about Arab Spring. Its coming Mrs Muugabe. Can you feel it?
Grace why did your grandchild was born on the other country, is there no doctors in Zim
But u a support ing the ban of goods shame on you
Firstly the author shouldnt address Grace as The First Lady because she is a first lady to an illegitimate president there that title I personally dont think should be used on her. Secondly I am quite impressed that disGrace whom I thought is brainless at least knows that those who break the law should face the consequences. I hope she will still stick to this belief when the long arm of the law finally catch up with her and malume Bob
We will never have free will we …oppression should have limits ….enough is enough ..what about my dreams of becoming the president of Zimbabwe one day mxm
.munobhowa
Zanu neads a coup de tat or else
This hag only speaks for herself and husband.She only knows of self gratification she is an opportinist just like mad Bob.The two are just a poisonous concorction
Grace lacks any moral authority to lecture we Zimbabweans on what to or not to do. She goes on to say that if people revolt, there will be suffering of the general masses, Grace, listen to me if you have ears: The people are already suffering much more than those who have gone through the so called Arab Spring and all we are calling for is for you, your old useless husband as well as your children to get out of our State House NOW. you are now staying in there illegally