via Dongo attacks Grace’s entry into politics 11/10/2014
OUTSPOKEN politician Margaret Dongo has lambasted the ruling Zanu PF party for parachuting First Lady Grace Mugabe to the helm of the women’s league.
Dongo, the leader of the now defunct Zimbabwe Union of Democrats (ZUD) and a veteran of Zimbabwe’s 1970s bush war against Ian Smith’s settler regime, criticised President Robert Mugabe for flouting his own party’s rules.
She said Mugabe was now abusing war veterans to enrich his own clan.
“I am failing to understand how the first lady (Grace Mugabe) qualified to campaign for such a powerful position because as far as I know in Zanu PF one has to come from the structures, beginning from the grassroots up until to the central committee and then the politburo, something which did not happen to her,” Dongo told NewZimbabwe.com in Harare on Thursday.
“War veterans who fought for the liberation of the country, whose fruits Mugabe is enjoying today, if they want to go into the central committee they are told to follow the party procedures of joining the structures from the grassroots.”
Dongo, well known for speaking her mind, fell out with Zanu PF in the mid-1990s over her fearless defence of human rights and democracy.
Mugabe in August gave the green light to his wife to enter mainstream politics. Grace will likely boss the Zanu PF Women’s League after the party’s elective congress in December.
The decision by Grace to enter politics threw Mugabe’s Zanu PF party into further turmoil.
Zanu PF is currently split into two factions one supporting Vice-President Joice Mujuru while the other is backing Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa.
But Grace’s entry into politics has complicated matters with some critics saying she is now a dark horse to succeed her husband. Others say she is being used by the Mnangagwa faction to block Mujuru from ascending to the presidency in the event that Mugabe, who is now 90, steps down from power or dies in office.
Grace has over the past two weeks been holding whirlwind rallies across the country to drum up support for her political career ahead of the conference.
Dongo said the publicity Grace has been getting from the media has been amazing.
“There are a lot of women who have led the Zanu PF Women’s League but did not get that kind of publicity, why? Just because they did not have the political power Mugabe has,” she said.
“There are a lot of senior members in the party who participated in the liberation struggle but are being sidelined. We have a lot of people who were injured during the liberation struggle who deserve to occupy those positions but because they do not have anyone to speak for them they will remain in the wilderness.”
Dongo said she had a lot of respect for Mugabe’s late wife, Sally, who died in 1992.
Dongo said she had gone back to her rural home in Mhondoro which “I turned into a farm because I was not given a farm because they say I am too talkative.”
Dongo did not participate in the last two elections held in 2013 and 2008.
COMMENTS
The trouble is Margaret that you are tainted by continually boasting you were in this ” liberation ” saga. Whore vets started the meltdown in 1980 . Historical undeniable fact
Grace is going nowhere.
I sort of agreed with Dongo until she said “There are a lot of senior members in the party who participated in the liberation struggle but are being sidelined.”
I do not believe that having been a fighter in the war should be used as a reference point for leadership. People did not go to war for selfish reasons like’I want to lead’ It was to free Zimbabwe and give us all opportunities we didnt have before. Anybody who is Zimbabwean and capable should have a chance to lead Zimbabwe.
Of course Grace has the brain of a gnat and without her husband propelling her into the forefront she is incapable of leading anyone. Maybe she can lead a few men astray but thats about it.
so you see Dongo , of you had been honest and trustworthy from the beginning , the people of Zim may have tried to help you but you latched onto Mugabes Tit and now you cry like a child who has never left home, dog eat zanu dog—lololololol.
War ended 1980, and the sacrifices were made by all people who participate in that war civilians included since they provided shelter, food, clothes and sex to the same war veterans. They exercuted the war on full stomachs and dressed and no wives yet they never earned a salary for all the time they were in that war. Who provided those basci human needs. Its wrong and being un grettiful to forget. But any way thus just reminding them even though they do not want to acknowledge that even right from Mugabe to the last. Dongo you are wrong to give credence only tho those who fought the war. The challenges which Zimbawe is facing on leadership front is not about going to war, where we would say let have those with war experience to lead. Challenges is about economic development and growth, human rights, corruption, attracting foreign direct investments, providing houses, employment, schooling. Provinding financial resources for elderly and aged like in other morden day societies, these you have failed as war veterants. Since 1980 the country under war veterants you have failed. Check performance of Mugabe and his cabinet ministers. Harare is dying. No water from taps, roads are gravel and full of pot holes. What a country that has no currency of its on. No running industry except spaza/tuck shops all over town.
What ever it is , Grace must stop immediately and maybe look into options of going to exile when Mugabe dies because we can already see her intentions. She used to sleep with Mugabe whilst he was still married and now she thinks she can turn now her statehouse fornication into presidency. Never she will rather kill all Zimbabweans we can not be ruled by a king and there after by the wife/ or sons and daughters taking turns. She thinks sleeping with Mugabe gives her a ticket now to start behaving like Mugabe. Somebody doesn’t become a cook only because they married a cook, that would be a false cook. INSANITY IN ZIM IS COMING TO AN END AND AND ALL GREEDY PEOPLE THEIR TIME IS NEARING TRUST ME.