Grace Mugabe’s pictures raise storm

via Grace Mugabe’s pictures raise storm – NewsDay Zimbabwe September 10, 2014 by Silas Nkala

THE MDC led by Welshman Ncube yesterday attacked the State-owned Zimbabwe United Passengers’ Company (Zupco) for involving itself in Zanu PF’s succession politics by sticking large posters of First Lady Grace Mugabe on most of its buses, saying it was blatant abuse of State property.

A number of Zupco buses carry large posters of Grace written “In solidarity with Amai” while others have posters of her husband President Robert Mugabe.

Grace was recently nominated as the Zanu PF Women’s League’s new boss as well as into the party’s central committee, paving way for her husband to appoint her into the powerful politburo at the elective congress in December.

A position in the politburo would ensure that Grace has a say in her husband’s successor.

MDC Matabeleland South provincial chairperson Pilate Ndebele yesterday said it was sad that Zanu PF had gone to the extent of personalising State property by reducing Zupco into party property.

“The campaigning for Grace through Zupco buses is a violation, abuse and undermining of State property,” said Ndebele.

“Zupco is a parastatal whose funding is from taxpayers’ money. It is unfair for Zanu PF and the government to personalise State property and use it as a campaign tool for an individual worse,” said Ndebele.

“It is just like having pictures of political party leaders who have nothing to do with government displayed at court buildings and other government departments.”

Ndebele said the First Lady was not part of government and the display of her photographs on State-owned buses prompts people to think that the buses belong to Zanu PF when they do not.

“The only people who deserve to have their pictures displayed on public property are the likes of the late Vice-President Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo, Lookout Masuku and all those national heroes who contributed immensely to the liberation of Zimbabwe,” he said.

“Grace is doing a lot of good things for people, but that does not mean that State property must be abused to campaign for her entry into politics.”

He called for the immediate removal of the Zanu PF logo and Grace’s posters from all Zupco buses, saying they were not owned by the First Family.