First Lady Mugabe 'pledges' to learn IsiNdebele

MATABELELAND NORTH - FIRST Lady Grace Mugabe says she is ready to learn the Ndebele language so that she is ostensibly able to converse with her supporters from Matabeleland.

Addressing Zanu PF supports in Somhlolo stadium in Lupane this afternoon ‘mama' Grace told her supports that her first language was Zulu hence she was determined to learn Ndebele so that she is able to use the language when she visits the region.

It has been suggested that if indeed, she could speak Zulu, certainly she would have been able to speak Ndebele as to two languages are quite similar.

Grace has been Zimbabwe's First Lady for nearly 20 years and in all that time she has controversially not learned one of the country's official languages.

Yesterday Grace willy-nilly used Shona - without any interpreter - to address her Gwanda rally, a development which was criticized by civil society in Matabeleland.

Her husband President Mugabe also uses Shona when addressing rallies in Matabeleland although he worked in Mangwe - where Ndebele is spoken alongside Kalanga.

However, it seems, Grace was also ready to use address Lupane villagers in Shona again until ex-Matabeleland North governor, uninvited, jumped onto the stage in a bid to interpret Grace's speech.

When Mathuthu jumped in, seemingly without prior arrangement, the First Lady exclaimed with shock saying "you scared me, but it's ok."

Today the First Lady did not talk much but alluded, as usual, to factionalism and succession battles within Zanu PF and reprimanded unnamed party big wigs urging them to be exemplary especially those jockeying for the VP post.

In a bid to cushion Lupane villagers whose roads are in deplorable condition, Grace blamed government's failure to repair roads on sanctions, a mantra she borrows from her husband Mugabe.