'God will curse those who insult Mugabe,' says Grace

Zanu-PF bigwigs and their allies who are in the habit of denigrating and insulting President Robert Mugabe will be cursed by God, First Lady Grace Mugabe has warned.

Addressing supporters at a Zanu-PF youth interface rally - the seventh out of a targeted 10 around the country's provinces - in Gweru, Grace, who was unusually mellow, said it was wrong to insult Mugabe because "he knew about God before he was conceived in his mother's womb hence disrespecting him will invite misfortune".

"If you see bad things happening to you, don't turn around and say  . . . Mugabe bewitched me. Listen to me because I am your mother. Those who insult the president and his family will not be blessed by God," she said.

Her remarks come as Mugabe's deputy, Emmerson Mnangagwa — seen as the 93-year-old leader's heir apparent — was allegedly poisoned at a similar Zanu-PF rally about a fortnight ago.

The vice president's allies insinuated that Mnangagwa, who was rushed to South Africa after brief treatment in Zimbabwe, had eaten ice cream from Gushungo Dairy which is owned by the Mugabes.

Grace urged the Midlands Province, Mnangagwa's home area, to be united in support of her husband as the party's endorsed presidential candidate in next year's general elections.

"I hope Midlands you are not involved in factionalism like you have said today but the information coming through suggests otherwise unless you are telling me that beginning today you have changed then I will be convinced," she said.

"President Mugabe probably thought that he would only become a teacher but God had other plans for him.

"He had a bigger job for him and he still wants him to lead. The president will tell us when he wants to step down."

Grace has never shied away from taking head on party officials who show ambition to succeed her husband, particularly war veterans led by Christopher Mutsvangwa.

The veterans of the country's 1970s liberation struggle have since last year been brazenly attacking Mugabe, commanding him to stand down for their preferred candidate — Mnangagwa, popularly known as Ngwena (crocodide)

They accuse Mugabe of dictatorial tendencies and say at the ripe age of 93, the nonagenarian is now difficult to market as a presidential candidate.

With the war veterans apparently realising that Mugabe was not about to hand over power, now  they have escalated their fight with the First Family — this time by poking fun at Grace  — whom they are portraying as a failed mother through T-shirts carrying disparaging messages.

Pictures of the T-shirts, emblazoned with Grace's face, have gone viral on social media and are worn by the ex-combatants led by Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association secretary-general Victor Matemadanda.

"Control your children first. Grace a failed mum; her sons unruly rogues failing only with two boys, can't mother 14 million," reads the message on the T-shirt.