Grace blasts Byo leadership, claims factionalism is rampant in the province

FIRST Lady Grace Mugabe has described Zanu PF leaders in Bulawayo as lazy and power hunger at the expense of suffering people arguing that the party was failing to dislodge the MDC-T party in elections due to what she described as ‘rampant' factionalism tearing the province apart.

Mugabe who was addressing her well subscribed eighth rally at Amazulu Sports Club this afternoon spent more than 30 minutes tearing into the party's leadership in Bulawayo which at some point she labelled as ‘donkeys who just go to a grinding mill without a clue of what is transpiring.

Grace was responding to sentiments by Zanu PF Bulawayo provincial chairperson Professor Callistus Ndlovu who said there was no factionalism in Bulawayo during his welcome remarks.

Responding to Ndlovu's sentiments, the tough-talking First Lady, reprimanded:

"You say there is no factionalism in Bulawayo…Lies, Lies, Lies," she lashed out at Ndlovu amid applause from the audience.

"We are aware that there are a hundred of you who jostle for positions. Is this not factionalism. We know that you buy youths to support you. Why don't you use this money to drive development programmes in Bulawayo," fumed the First Lady.

She further stated that some party big wigs were abusing the 1980 Unity Accord between Zanu PF and Zapu saying there was no need to distinguish between the two.

"You spoke of unity of purpose and the Unity Accord between Zanu PF and Zapu but why are you abusing the Unity Pact between President Mugabe and the late Vice President Joshua Nkomo," asked Grace.

"There are some of you who jostle for positions using their seniority and Zapu. That doesn't work. What matters is your capacity not your seniority, "said Grace.

She lashed out at lazy party officials from Bulawayo saying they were failing to dislodge MDC-T in the party's elections because they endorsed themselves into positions without the consent of the people adding that jostling for positions was the cause of the failure of the province in elections.

"Why don't you seat down and agree on one thing instead of jostling for positions? Bulawayo province put your house in order first before talking of leading the nation. You cannot lead the nation when you are failing to lead a province," she said.

Grace dismissed reports that Bulawayo and Matabeleland provinces were being marginalized by the Central government in Harare arguing the roots of the problems were within the party's Matabeleland leadership.

Shockingly the First Lady revealed that she was able to wreak havoc in Zanu PF using her influence as the first lady but would not do that because she did not want to divide the party.

"I cannot use my influence to divide the party but I don't want to abuse my powers like what some of you do. Please, please stop it," charged Mugabe.

She also said factionalism in the party was aimed at ousting her husband Mugabe but those who harbored such thoughts must forget because Mugabe is a God-given President.

Grace said her husband Mugabe was a hardworking and tolerant man but was surrounded by lazy ministers who were only obsessed with getting positions in the party.

"My husband suffers with a lot of work but we know ministers who do not work. We will shame them soon," said Grace. My husband is a very tolerant but they must be warned even though we greet them when we meet them.