Grace Mugabe dumps top allies

Hundreds of Zanu-PF women's league members yesterday called for the ouster of their deputy politburo secretary and Bulawayo Provincial Affairs minister Eunice Sandi-Moyo and treasurer Sarah Mahoka, accusing them of undermining First Lady Grace Mugabe.

The placard-waving women demonstrated at various centres throughout the country, accusing the two of sabotaging Grace and making it difficult for President Robert Mugabe's wife to carry out her functions as the women's league boss.

The demonstrators handed written petitions to provincial chairladies calling for the ouster of the two from the women's wing for various alleged crimes that included embezzlement of funds, in addition to disrespecting Grace and other senior party officials, including Vice-Presidents.

They accused Sandi-Moyo of setting up parallel structures and making decisions without consulting Grace, who is the secretary for women affairs in the ruling party.

Mahoka was targeted for challenging Grace in high-profile meetings and disrespecting Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Mugabe's spokesperson George Charamba.

Sandi-Moyo and Mahoka were selected at the party's last congress and will have to be removed by a congress of the full women's league executive.

NewsDay revealed last month that a meeting had been convened to dismiss Mahoka and Sandi-Moyo for trying to block the First Lady.

The organisers of yesterday's demonstrations were not happy with the turnout at some centres and accused party commissar Saviour Kasukuwere of sabotaging the demos.

Their next target would now be Kasukuwere, Harare provincial commissar Shadreck Mashayamombe, Masvingo commissar Jeppy Jaboon and Edson Takataka, acting Harare youth chair, among others who have all been linked to the G40 faction. Kasukuwere was not reachable for comment, but Mashayamombe said the programme was purely a women's league issue and was unaware of how it was organised.

G40 is fighting to torpedo Mnangagwa in the Zanu-PF succession race.

In Harare, about 100 placard-carrying protesters converged at the party headquarters singing liberation songs, pushing for the dismissal of the two senior party officials.

The placards carried various scathing messages: Mahoka Tapedza Newe, Undermining Amai is Treasonous, No to Sandi and Sarah Parallel Structures, Sandi Wemota dzeGamatox, We Will Clean the Party of all Sandists and Atuka maVPs Atuka vaMugabe, among others.

Mahoka allegedly challenged Grace at a meeting at the First Lady's orphanage in Mazowe.

Harare provincial chairlady Joyce Kasinamunda was handed a petition by Manyame district chairlady Sikhumbuzo Munyawarara and promised to hand it over to Grace. She chided Mahoka and Sandi-Moyo for sabotaging Grace and called for their dismissal from the party. Kasinamunda also castigated Mahoka for showing lack of respect to Mugabe's appointees, chief among them Mnangagwa and Charamba.

"She called the VP a duck. The VP was appointed by President Mugabe. We kept quiet and now she is sabotaging the First Lady, she has gone too far and should go," Kasinamunda said to wild cheers from the handful of women's league members who formed part of the protesters.

Yesterday, most women who attended the Harare demo were unaware of the purpose of the gathering. Some claimed they had been invited to be addressed by Grace, while others left when they saw placards denouncing Mahoka and Sandi-Moyo.

In Mashonaland East, protesters converged at the party offices in Marondera where women's league provincial secretary for administration Charity Manyeruke handed over a petition to national executive member Phoebe Vhareta for delivery to Grace.

Reading the petition in front of the crowd, Manyeruke said Sandi-Moyo and Mahoka were being accused of disrespecting the First Lady as well as the Vice-Presidents.

"Sandi-Moyo and Mahoka must go immediately. Mai Sandi-Moyo wants to take over the secretariat of the women's league, she is working in cahoots with some national members to fight the First Lady. Mai Sandi is creating parallel structures as well as running a women's factional structure," Manyeruke said.

Provincial acting women's boss Beata Nyamupinga was not present at the meeting.

In Bulawayo, the women's league was supported by members of the youth league and main wing at the provincial headquarters, Davis Hall.

Addressing the demonstrators, provincial women's league member Mavis Nhliziyo said Bulawayo had become unstable because of Sandi-Moyo and her alleged cabal. "Matabeleland South must take its person because if she sees someone who is working better than her, she fires that person. All the structures here have been destroyed by her. All people are being fired now and then," Nhliziyo said.

In Mashonaland West, about 300 protesters accused Mahoka and Sandi-Moyo of dividing the women's league, disrespecting the First Lady, seeking donations on behalf of the league without the committee's approval and demeaning Mnangagwa.

There was drama at the Zanu-PF provincial offices in Chinhoyi when members aligned to Mahoka were forced to recite a slogan denouncing her, but Maggie Chidarikire refused, countering with songs like League yaramba zvemadhisinyongoro (The women's league doesn't entertain this nonsense).

In Masvingo, the antagonistic Zanu-PF factions G40 and Team Lacoste had a rare show of unity as they coalesced against Sandi-Moyo and Mahoka at Chiefs' Hall. The two factions that held separate meetings at the weekend united in calling for the ouster of the pair.
The situation was the same in Mutare and other provinces.

The demonstrations were reportedly co-ordinated by Kadoma businessman and former central committee member Jimayi Muduvuri. Grace is reported to have a hand in it based on reports that she wants to minimise resistance as she paves her way up to the party vice-presidency.

Contacted for comment by NewsDay, Sandi-Moyo said she had just returned from Malaysia on government business and was not aware of the demonstrations.

Mahoka's phone number was not reachable.