‘Grace-mania’ hits Harare streets

via ‘Grace-mania’ hits Harare streets 08 September 2014

THE Grace Mugabe mania has gone a gear up with some motorists in Harare now jostling to outdo each other in campaigning for the First Lady as the ruling Zanu PF party heads towards a key congress in December.

Grace is expected to be officially elected the Zanu PF Women’s League boss after she accepted nomination at the party’s women’s conference last month.

Her entry into formal politics has however seriously divided the ruling party with a faction backing Vice-President Joice Mujuru said to be opposed to her political ambitions.

Ronnie Danga, who said he is a staunch Zanu PF supporter from Goromonzi, said they felt it was their duty to campaign for the First Lady as a way of thanking President Robert Mugabe.

“We see nothing wrong in us in the party using our resources to campaign for the First Lady. She is the wife to our President and we need patriotic Zimbabweans to respect the First Family,” he said.

“This is also a sign of showing confidence in our leaders and the president’s leadership. Everyone is grateful for the good things he has done for us and only a witch would not want to see good things.”

“It is my choice and no one has a right to tell me who to support and why I have chosen to advertise the First Lady using my car,” Muzondo said.

The development also comes after President Robert Mugabe lambasted Zanu PF officials said to have been trying to block the First Lady from joining structures in the capital.

“I want to hear why she should leave Harare, going where? I would also want to know where the emperor of Harare got his powers from.”

But a political commentator, Vince Musewe, said most of the people openly supporting Mugabe were doing so for “survival reasons”.

“Those people using their resources to campaign or advertise Mugabe’s wife are not doing that from their hearts. They fear for their future survival politically ahead of the congress and this is not new in Zanu PF,” he said.