Women's league 'pushing' for Mphoko's ouster

Zanu-PF women's league is reportedly pushing for Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko's ouster in order to make way for a woman deputy president.

According to New Zimbabwe, highly placed sources revealed that the women's league had not abandoned its calls for a woman to join the presidium.

They wanted Mphoko to be replaced by Provincial Affairs Minister Eunice Sandi Moyo.

First Lady Grace Mugabe, who was said to have been lined up for the vice presidency was reportedly no longer interested, the report said.

"The tide has turned against Mphoko as he will be replaced by Eunice Sandi Moyo. The first lady is content with her position of secretary because she already runs the show by virtue of being the wife of the president, that is why they want to elevate Sandi Moyo," the unidentified source was quoted as saying.

Grace is currently the Zanu-PF women's league secretary, a position she has held since 2014.

Reports over the weekend indicated that Grace's ambition of becoming Zimbabwe's deputy president had been "put on hold" after the Mashonaland West Zanu-PF women's league said the issue of quota system in the presidium should be avoided.

Grace said that she was already the southern African country's president as she "plans and does everything" with President Robert Mugabe".

Mashonaland West Zanu-PF women's league chairperson Angeline Muchemeyi said that Grace told them that there was no point for her fighting to be vice president, a lesser position, when she was already running State affairs.