News / Local
The rise and rise of Grace Mugabe
03 Jan 2016 at 10:53hrs | Views
After a slow start to 2015 due to poor health, First Lady Grace Mugabe finished the year the same way she did a year ago when she first burst into the political scene.
Through her nationwide rallies, Grace tried to assert her authority not just in the women's league, which she leads, but the party as a whole.
As Zanu-PF went to its national conference in December, the First Lady made it clear that she will have a say on who succeeds her husband. She is likely to continue on that path as her husband becomes increasingly frail to influence events in Zanu-PF.
In 2015, Mugabe showed signs of ill health after falling at the Harare International Airport and struggling to walk during visits to India and Turkey, leading to fears that he no longer had capacity to lead the country.
Political analysts even speculated that Grace was pulling the strings, especially after she inadvertently revealed that vice-presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko took notes during briefings with her.
More Zanu-PF purges, worsening factionalism
Mugabe is getting older and anxiety over who will take over will remain a key issue in Zanu-PF. The veteran leader will continue to lose grip on the party with the escalation of infighting.
There will be more fights between factions linked to Mnangagwa and Grace (Generation 40).
Zanu-PF's succession wars failed to end with the purges of Mujuru's supporters and with the imminent formation of People First, the factionalism is only bound to get worse.
Members of G40 will likely push for Grace to succeed her husband, which would raise tension in the ruling party.
Through her nationwide rallies, Grace tried to assert her authority not just in the women's league, which she leads, but the party as a whole.
As Zanu-PF went to its national conference in December, the First Lady made it clear that she will have a say on who succeeds her husband. She is likely to continue on that path as her husband becomes increasingly frail to influence events in Zanu-PF.
In 2015, Mugabe showed signs of ill health after falling at the Harare International Airport and struggling to walk during visits to India and Turkey, leading to fears that he no longer had capacity to lead the country.
More Zanu-PF purges, worsening factionalism
Mugabe is getting older and anxiety over who will take over will remain a key issue in Zanu-PF. The veteran leader will continue to lose grip on the party with the escalation of infighting.
There will be more fights between factions linked to Mnangagwa and Grace (Generation 40).
Zanu-PF's succession wars failed to end with the purges of Mujuru's supporters and with the imminent formation of People First, the factionalism is only bound to get worse.
Members of G40 will likely push for Grace to succeed her husband, which would raise tension in the ruling party.
Source - the standard
