Grace Mugabe defends Jonathan Moyo

First Lady Grace Mugabe has said fraud allegations raised by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission against Zanu-PF Politburo member Professor Jonathan Moyo are "lies", adding that only President Mugabe has the prerogative of removing him from his post.

Addressing tens of thousands of people at the fifth Presidential Youth Interface in Chinhoyi yesterday, Grace Mugabe also came to the defence of under fire Zanu-PF National Political Commissar Saviour Kasukuwere; while telling Presidential spokesperson Mr George Charamba that he was junior to ministers.

Grace Mugabe said she had no quarrels with Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, saying she had even thwarted an attempt by an unnamed individual to try and oust him from office. She reiterated her position from earlier in the week that President Mugabe should lead the process of choosing his successor when the time came that the Head of State and Government felt he no longer wanted to carry on with leading the ruling party and the nation.

The First Lady said, "Zvaitwa zvaMahoka naSandi ndakazowona vanhu vasimuka vachifunga kuti President zvavabvumira kubviswa kwanaSandi naMahoka yavanguva yeku victimiser Kasukuwere. Vanhu vago-mobiliser, vagoenda kuma-Provinces. Hatichade Kasukuwere; varikuda kubvisa President nemunin'ina wake. Vari three? Please, ngatitauriranei chokwadi. Inguva yekutaurirana chokwadi. Zvingaite izvozvo? Iko kamukomana ikaka . . . Muri vaviri imi mogo-displacer mudhara uyu, ane mhomho yese iyi?"

She said only President Mugabe could decide to fire Kasukuwere from the Politburo and Government. In apparent reference to Prof Moyo — the Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister accused of siphoning nearly US$500 000 from the Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund, Grace Mugabe said: "Ku-creator ma corruption cases against them, nhema dzega dzega. Nhema. It's too much.

"We have been quiet for a long time. This must be stopped. Aiwa ka, varume ka, kana musingiwirirane, garai pasi mutaurirane, muite iron out ma-problems enyu musati mabuda panze. Makabuda nema-problems panze saka tokudzidzisai panze vanhu vachinzwa."

The First Lady said she had told off a party cadre who wanted to use her to oust VP Mnangagwa.

"Pane imwe nguva yandikambofonerwa nevamwe vanhu gore rakapera zvikanzi handei mu-street tonobvisa VaMnangagwa, VaMnangagwa ndikavaudza ava, ndikunyepa? But inini ndika-confronter vanhu ivavo kuti munoda kuti tibvise vaMnangagwa, tisu here takambova appointa pachinzvimbo ichochi? Tikaenda mu-street tikaita ruzha, it means we are insulting the President because he is the appointing authority. Ndikaramba. VaMnangagwa vakaappointwa naPresident to be Vice-President. Saka inini ndikaita mudzimai wavo (President) I have no mandate ndoungana nevanhu ndoenda mu-street kunovabvisa, hazviite."

Turning to Mr Charamba, she said, "You are a prolific writer, you are an avid reader, I respect you for that, in your intellectual capacity. George ndakamuziva asati ambova nepost yaava nayo, inini ndisati ndambovawo zvandiri, tichishanda tese, but nhasi izuva rangu rekukuudza semwana wangu.

"George is employed at the President's Office as the Presidential Spokesperson. Uri Secretary for Information, George. Iye zvino, tinongoona muHerald, there are specific people vanotaurwa zvakanaka nezvavo vamwe vachiiswa. Unoti tinenge tisingawone here? Tinenge tichiwona. Don't do that … you cannot separate the President and his wife. Hazvikwanisike."

Amai Mugabe implored Mr Charamba to get the media to publish developmental stories like the work she was doing in various projects in Mazowe, Mashonaland Central.

"Ini ndinoita basa, ndichiita basa everyday. George uyu, ndiri mudzimai waBaba vake ava, haambofi akauyawo aone zvandiri kuita kuMazowe. Basa nderekunyora zvinhu zvisina nebasa rese, zvisiri zvedevelopment. Anozviziva uyu kuti ndiri kuita basa guru guru, asi haana basa nazvo."

The First Lady said she held no grudges and was only playing her motherly role in her criticisms. On the succession issue, she said there was no way anyone was going to take over from President Mugabe without the incumbent playing a key role in that process.