News / National
Zanu-PF in tug of war over Grace
27 Aug 2014 at 14:32hrs | Views
First Lady Grace Mugabe is being betrayed by men in Zanu-PF who are refusing to back her recent appointment, but she is not going away, Oppah Muchinguri, outgoing secretary for the Women's league said yesterday.
Male party officials are said to be refusing to endorse a First Lady they see as a "wretched" and "bossy woman."
While Muchinguri's nomination of Grace as the new secretary for Women's League may have been warmly received by the Mugabes and female voters in the party, it faces a more difficult - perhaps crippling - test at the hands of a powerful counter-force: the men, according to Muchinguri.
The Women's League boss spoke to the Daily News as men in Zanu-PF reacted quite negatively by ratcheting up resistance against the First Lady.
A meeting held in Highfield last weekend saw members of the Harare Women's League accusing Amos Midzi and Tendai Savanhu of instigating the assault of Edison Takataka, the Youth League deputy chairperson for allegedly supporting the First Lady.
Politburo member Cleveria Chizema accused Midzi of being stubbornly opposed to Grace's nomination.
But Midzi told a news conference in Harare on Monday that his province was fully behind the First Lady and had expressed that position in a letter sent to party chairman Simon Khaya Moyo. He declined to entertain further questions from the media over the issue. Midzi yesterday told a press conference in Harare that the provincial elections directorate sat yesterday and decided to back Grace for a central committee post.
"We are pleased to also announce that as a province, in addition to supporting Amai Grace Mugabe for the position of national secretary for Women's Affairs, we have decided to reserve a central committee position for her," Midzi said.
There was talk that Harare was frantically trying to deflect criticism over Grace's recent appointment.
Muchinguri, however, vowed yesterday that the men involved would never get rid of Grace.
"We are not bothered by that," Muchinguri told the Daily News.
"As women, we are firmly behind Amai Mugabe and who is opposing this? That is the problem we are always talking about when we say men are meddling in the affairs of women.
"Women's affairs are for women and we do not want any interference. We do not want to be told what to do. It is the men who are interfering and they also use violence."
This is not the first time the fiery Women's League boss has spoken out against interference by men. Ahead of the Women's League conference earlier this month, she called on men to stop meddling in the women's congress.
"This is a women's conference, we do not want men to interfere, unless they want to wear dresses, they should not interfere," Muchinguri charged.
During the same conference, President Robert Mugabe also decried interference by senior party officials in women's affairs.
"What was most shameful was the interference by senior people from the politburo that was very dirty indeed," Mugabe said.
"At the December congress, all of us must resign so that new people are elected. The politburo and central committee, we must all resign."
Muchinguri, who will step down at the December congress, said Grace would take over as Women's League secretary despite mounting resistance.
"There is no difference," Muchinguri said.
"She will be doing the normal duties of the secretary."
According to the Zanu-PF constitution, the role of the Women's League is to "promote the rights of women and remove all impediments to their development as full and equal members of our society."
Amid escalating dissent over the fast tracking of the First Lady, officials said she does not meet the minimum requirements of a person aspiring for that post.
Others question why party rules, including the 15-year-rule, were being flagrantly violated to accommodate her.
Anyone aspiring to hold a position such as secretary must have been in the party structures for a consecutive and mandatory 15 years.
Her elevation is also viewed as a way to contain vice president Joice Mujuru who until recently was touted as the heir apparent.
Male party officials are said to be refusing to endorse a First Lady they see as a "wretched" and "bossy woman."
While Muchinguri's nomination of Grace as the new secretary for Women's League may have been warmly received by the Mugabes and female voters in the party, it faces a more difficult - perhaps crippling - test at the hands of a powerful counter-force: the men, according to Muchinguri.
The Women's League boss spoke to the Daily News as men in Zanu-PF reacted quite negatively by ratcheting up resistance against the First Lady.
A meeting held in Highfield last weekend saw members of the Harare Women's League accusing Amos Midzi and Tendai Savanhu of instigating the assault of Edison Takataka, the Youth League deputy chairperson for allegedly supporting the First Lady.
Politburo member Cleveria Chizema accused Midzi of being stubbornly opposed to Grace's nomination.
But Midzi told a news conference in Harare on Monday that his province was fully behind the First Lady and had expressed that position in a letter sent to party chairman Simon Khaya Moyo. He declined to entertain further questions from the media over the issue. Midzi yesterday told a press conference in Harare that the provincial elections directorate sat yesterday and decided to back Grace for a central committee post.
"We are pleased to also announce that as a province, in addition to supporting Amai Grace Mugabe for the position of national secretary for Women's Affairs, we have decided to reserve a central committee position for her," Midzi said.
There was talk that Harare was frantically trying to deflect criticism over Grace's recent appointment.
Muchinguri, however, vowed yesterday that the men involved would never get rid of Grace.
"We are not bothered by that," Muchinguri told the Daily News.
"As women, we are firmly behind Amai Mugabe and who is opposing this? That is the problem we are always talking about when we say men are meddling in the affairs of women.
"Women's affairs are for women and we do not want any interference. We do not want to be told what to do. It is the men who are interfering and they also use violence."
"This is a women's conference, we do not want men to interfere, unless they want to wear dresses, they should not interfere," Muchinguri charged.
During the same conference, President Robert Mugabe also decried interference by senior party officials in women's affairs.
"What was most shameful was the interference by senior people from the politburo that was very dirty indeed," Mugabe said.
"At the December congress, all of us must resign so that new people are elected. The politburo and central committee, we must all resign."
Muchinguri, who will step down at the December congress, said Grace would take over as Women's League secretary despite mounting resistance.
"There is no difference," Muchinguri said.
"She will be doing the normal duties of the secretary."
According to the Zanu-PF constitution, the role of the Women's League is to "promote the rights of women and remove all impediments to their development as full and equal members of our society."
Amid escalating dissent over the fast tracking of the First Lady, officials said she does not meet the minimum requirements of a person aspiring for that post.
Others question why party rules, including the 15-year-rule, were being flagrantly violated to accommodate her.
Anyone aspiring to hold a position such as secretary must have been in the party structures for a consecutive and mandatory 15 years.
Her elevation is also viewed as a way to contain vice president Joice Mujuru who until recently was touted as the heir apparent.
Source - dailynews
