via Grace flies into storm – NewsDay Zimbabwe November 7, 2015
First Lady Grace Mugabe is today expected to crack the whip in Masvingo, a perceived stronghold of Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, following the ouster – and subsequent reinstatement – of Zanu PF provincial chairman Paradzai Chakona, who is believed to belong to her camp.
By Tatenda Chitagu
Mnangagwa, who until recently appeared to be President Robert Mugabe’s heir apparent, now stands on slippery ground, as more are joining the free-for-all race to succeed the 91-year-old leader, including Grace herself.
Grace is expected to address former liberation war collaborators and thousands of Zanu PF supporters at Mucheke Stadium.
She flies into a storm, as Zanu PF Masvingo is torn between supporters of the Generation 40 (G40) faction, which is reportedly aligned to the First Lady, and the old guard linked to Mnangagwa.
Sources in the party predicted “gnashing of teeth”, as the omnipotent Grace is set to deal with Mnangagwa loyalists in the province.
“All is not well in the party here. Big men and women are quaking in their boots because of the Chakona fiasco. The bad thing is that some of the Cabinet ministers are sworn Mnangagwa loyalists and are expecting a backlash from the First Lady,” a Zanu PF source said.
Among those said to expected to be at the receiving end of Grace’s attacks are sworn Mnangagwa allies like Psychomotor minister Josaya Hungwe, who once described the Vice-President as “the son of man”, comments which were criticised by others in the party as blasphemous and an attempt to create a parallel centre of power to Mugabe.
Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister Shuvai Mahofa, who confessed that she got her appointment courtesy of Grace, sources said, belongs to the Mnangagwa camp, although she is said to be vacillating of late.
“Some of the key Mnangagwa faction members have already crossed the floor after seeing the shift in power in Zanu PF,” another source said. They said the major bone of contention was Chakona’s stillborn ouster.
Chakona, who was rescued by party national commissar Saviour Kasukuwere, refused to comment on the matter on Thursday.
The Zaka Central legislator was accused of “running the province like his tuck-shop” and apparently setting up parallel structures.
However, the decision was rescinded by Kasukuwere on Wednesday.
After his ouster, announced at Victoria Junior Primary School by organising secretary Ezra Chadzamira, who was flanked by Mahofa and other party bigwigs, Chakona refused to surrender keys to three party vehicles. The vehicles were driven to Harare, ostensibly to surrender them at the party headquarters.
Efforts by Mahofa, who is alleged to have called the police manning roadblocks to stop him and bring back the cars, drew blanks, as Chakona was said to have the blessings of “very senior party officials”.
Contacted for comment over the phone yesterday, Mahofa terminated the call.
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