Mugabe lashes out over Grace

President Robert Mugabe has lashed out at Harare's Zanu PF provincial leadership for attempting to block his wife, Grace, from entering into mainstream party politics by claiming that she does not hail from the province.

Addressing scores of Zanu PF supporters who had gone to Harare International Airport to welcome him from his state visit to China, Mugabe said he was eager to know who  is ‘the king of Harare and who had made him such' to the extent of having powers to declare who should be in the capital.

Mugabe said this amid reports that Zanu PF Harare provincial political commissar, Shadreck Mashayamombe, had called Patrick Zhuwao and advised him to inform the president's wife to look for a political home, maybe in Mashonaland West, as she was not a member of the party in Harare.

"I want to hear why she should leave Harare, going where? I would also want to know where the emperor of Harare got his powers from," he said much to the applause of the

crowd shouting ‘weevils'.

"There must be that understanding that we are one in Zanu PF, it doesn't matter whether you are in Bulawayo, Mutare, or in Gweru, you should feel free, each part of the country in Zimbabwe is ours together. So that is what must guide us."

The matter came to light after the women's league complained the top brass in the party were opposed to the rise of Grace into mainstream politics.

The provincial leadership, led by Amos Midzi, had to call for a meeting last week to discuss the matter and resolved that the First Lady be given a slot in the central committee – the highest party organ outside congress.

Mugabe said the provincial leadership was  failing to bring unity in the capital and strategise how to win the majority seats from the opposition MDC.

"We are all in Harare, it is not your city alone, so we all belong to Harare. I am saying so because I heard someone sending my nephew to go and tell Mai Mugabe to leave Harare.  That's not how we do things; we don't want to boast like that. Even me, I will never say Harare is mine, it will never happen. Let us all have a sense of belonging," the president said.

The Zanu PF youth wing mobilised its members to give a heroic welcome to Mugabe after  a successful state visit to China, which saw him striking a number of investment deals that could help to revive the economy.

The youth wing took the opportunity to brief Mugabe on the goings on in the party and he said he would summon a politburo meeting and attend to all party grievances raised by the youths and do a post-mortem of the two conferences (youths and women) this week.

"We know the youths are not being handled well, we can't discuss it here," he said, adding: "This week we must have a meeting to examine what happened during our two conferences (youths and women). We want to see whether we are still together or not.

"We don't want to have people using the party to raise themselves. You want to use the youths to revive your political fortunes without approval? We don't want that, we are saying down with you."

The youth conference was marred by allegations of vote rigging and interference by senior party members who wanted to control the outcome of the top leadership of the wing,

Kudzanai Chipanga, from Manicaland, won the top electable post of the youth league after beating Tongai Kasukuwere of Mashonaland Central to become the deputy secretary of the league.

"We should never try to use the party for personal interest, never, ever," Mugabe said.

The losing team presented to Mugabe evidence of youths being told by some provincial chairpersons who to vote for on factional lines – a development that has irked Mugabe.

Zanu PF is embroiled in factional fights with two camps said to be leading the race to succeed Mugabe when he leaves.

Although the said factional leaders have denied harbouring interests to take over from Mugabe, Vice-President  Joice Mujuru and Justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa are said to be leading the two camps.

Turning to his visit to China, which saw a number of deals being signed, Mugabe said it was successful.

"China is ready to help us in everything," he said. "We went to China firstly to cement the relations that we built during our liberation struggle and on that basis, to seek assistance from them, assistance financially and assistance political and assistance diplomatic. China will provide to the best of its ability," he said.