Grace Mugabe guns for Mnangagwa

FIRST lady Grace Mugabe has revealed that some senior Zanu-PF officials hatched a plot to sabotage her rallies and intimidate donors supporting her political activities as the ugly battle to succeed her husband unfolds.

Grace resumed her rallies on Thursday with a stop in Buhera where she made a thinly-veiled attack on Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

She said none of the people touted as President Robert Mugabe's potential successors could fill his shoes, suggesting Zanu-PF could still field the soon-to-be 93-year-old leader even after his death.

Grace told the Buhera rally that her enemies in Zanu-PF were writing letters so that she would not receive material support for her rallies.

"I, as your mother, I feel for you. I would love to continuously come and meet you," she said.

"I was telling others that there are people who don't want me to come and meet people. I am telling you.

"Letters have been written so that I will not be given anything to come and give you.

"I am the first lady and can I go to the people empty-handed? I don't think that is proper and I will not do that."
Grace said she knew her rallies were attended by hungry people, hence her donations.

"This is not like I am spoon-feeding people or I am just giving them food so that they become lazy, no, that is not true," she said.

"Zimbabweans are not lazy. I know that you want to work [on the fields)]but sometimes we don't control God to give us good rains. All we can do is to pray for him to give us enough rains.

"I know that even if people say don't give Amai Mugabe things, there are people who understand the programme I am doing.

"They will stand by me. They [can] choose to be beheaded while they support me to go to the people with something as the first lady."

She said her enemies were trying to block her from taking goods confiscated by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, which she hands out at her rallies.

She said as the secretary of women's affairs, her tenure must be different from here predecessor Oppah Muchinguri. Grace said she wanted to leave a mark as a the first lady.

University of Zimbabwe political science lecturer, Eldred Masunungure said Grace's utterances appeared directed at Mnangagwa.

"I think it's a bit obvious even though she didn't mention anyone's name but the inferences press forward that she was refereeing to VP Mnangagwa.

"It doesn't need much speculation I think she stopped shy of mentioning the name but it was clear."

Mugabe's wife said she had good rapport with ministers who always accompanied her or donated for the rallies.

Grace first embarked on her so-called meet the people rallies in 2014 which culminated in a campaign against former Vice President Joice Mujuru.

Mujuru was later fired from the party alongise hundreds of other Zanu-PF officials after being accused of plotting to kill Mugabe.

Last year Grace roasted Mnangagwa during a rally in Chiweshe after accusing the VP of plotting to topple Mugabe.

The rallies were temporarily shelved after concerns by the Zanu-PF that they would divide the party.