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'Flies and dogs will resent her,' says Grace Mugabe

by Staff reporter
17 Oct 2014 at 12:44hrs | Views
First Lady Grace Mugabe shockingly declared yesterday that she would spearhead efforts to dump Vice President Joice Mujuru on the streets and that flies and dogs would resent her.

The remarks, made at a rally during her ongoing Meet the People tour in Bindura are likely to further unsettle Information minister Jonathan Moyo who criticised independent newspapers on Tuesday for correctly capturing that President Robert Mugabe's wife had openly attacked Mujuru.

In an emotional tirade pointed at Mujuru in Bindura yesterday, Grace said her blood pressure had shot up, adding she was fed up of a "faction leader" whom she described as divisive, ambitious, a gossiper, and mired in corruption.

Although Grace did not mention Mujuru by name, she said the woman hailed from Mashonaland Central, the vice president's home province and said she was a faction leader.

The First Lady said she gave her husband an ultimatum to chuck Mujuru out, or else she would do it herself.

Zanu PF is torn between two rival factions, one allegedly led by Mujuru and another believed to be led by Justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, with both sides locked in a bitter wrangle to succeed the nonagenarian president.

Mujuru and Mnangagwa have both rejected claims that they  harbour presidential ambitions.

"Mayouths vakambondikwenya vakati Amai, ngatiregereyi kuita zvemadimikira. Ari kuita nyaya dzefactionalism iyoyo vari kutumwa, ngavatitaurire kuti vari kutumwa nani timuyendere manje feya feya. Ndakati aiwa ngatimbomirai (Some youths came to me and said, 'mother, let's come out in the open and say who is behind this factionalism so that we confront them.' I said 'let's wait')," Grace said.

"Ndakati kunababa baby dumping munoiziva here? Zvikanzi ehe. Ndikati munhu iyeye arikutungamira factionalism ndoda kuti mumuite baby dumping imimi, kana mukasamudumper isusu tichamudumper. Tichaita isusu baby dumping nokuti zvinodivider musangano (I said to President Mugabe, 'do you know baby dumping?'  And he said, 'yes.' Then I said this faction leader must be dumped by you, if you don't do it we will dump her ourselves. We will dump her ourselves because she is dividing the party)," said Grace as a few delegates applauded her while the general crowd largely kept quiet.

In further thinly-veiled remarks, the First Lady said the target of her barbs was mired in factionalism and murky diamond deals and corrupt activities.

The Mujuru family holds a 20 percent stake in the Beitbridge-based River Ranch kimberlite diamond mine and is in partnership with Rani Investment, headed by the Saudi-based tycoon Adel Abdul Rahman al Aujan.

"Factionalism uri kuitungamira, diamonds uriko, kumacompanies unemashares. Ari corrupt ipapo ndini or ndiwe? Saka ndati baba vakasaita baby dumping tichaenda mberi nebaby dumping  isusu (You lead a faction, you are involved in murky diamond deals, you own shares in several companies. Who is corrupt me or you? So I told the President if he does not dump her, we will dump her our selves.)

"Ndatoona kuti ndoingangoshanda yekunodumper mwana kustreet agodyiwa nemagora mustreet imomo.  Ehe, nekuti kana takuita expose kana nhunzi chaidzo, kana wafa uchinhuwa hadzidi kusvika padhuze dzichitya corruption yako, kana nhunzi, kana imbwa chaidzo unenge uchinhuhwira munhu wega wega. (Dumping her is the only way forward, dumping the baby so that she can be exposed to the elements. If we expose her, even flies or wild dogs will be repulsed with her corrupt activities, which stink)."

The First Lady advised Mujuru, who had snubbed the rally that she should go and apologise to Mugabe if she dreams of averting her ouster.

"Ndati kana uri kuzvinzwa kwauri ikoko, une pfungwa dzakakwana nemaadvisors ako ikoko, simuka (If you are hearing me wherever you are, and you have working brains and advisors, stand up and) go to the president and apologise and admit that what you were doing is wrong," said Grace.

She also warned supporters of the faction leader to stop lending their backing as they also risked being dumped.

Grace accused the faction leader of peddling lies about her, and alleged it was in fact the vice president who was corrupt.

"Asi inini munhu iyeye mumwe chete  anoleader nyaya dzefactionalism ndiye munhu mumwe chete anotaura kuti wona mai Mugabe vane madiamonds avari kutengesa. Iwewe une mugodhi wemadiamonds. Woenderera mberi wotaura iwewe kuti  hanzi Amai Mugabe vanokara mari.

"Inini mabusiness angu andiri kuita ndakawatanga from scratch hapana chandakatorera munhu, iwewe manje unoita basa reextortion day and night uchiita basa rekundotora ma10 percent kumacompany wondiudza kuti Amai Mugabe vanokara mari, iwe uchipihwa ma10  percent ugere, hanzi kuripwa kugara. (That one faction leader alleges I am corrupt yet she is the one who is corrupt. You accuse me of selling diamonds yet you own a diamond mine. You say I love money too much. I started my business from scratch, I didn't seize anything from anyone, it is you who is mired in extortionate activities, seizing 10 percent stakes in companies while doing nothing)."

The emotionally-charged Grace, who was shooting from the hip, much to the delight of the delegation she came with, further accused the faction leader of attempting to evict her son Russell Goreraza from a mine.

The mine at the centre of the ownership wrangle is the Kadoma-based Tolrose Mine, formerly owned by Jameson Rushwaya and ex-banker Patterson Timba.

Timba is said to have sold his shares to Goreraza, which has seen the two parties in and out of the courts since 2010.

But rather than follow proper boardroom procedures, Goreraza has stormed the mine's premises, declaring himself the major shareholder.

"Iye munhu mukuru, mukadzi mukuru ndiye ari kuorganiser vamwe vanhu kunotorera vanhu mugodhi wavo...ngazvipere izvozvo (Are you not ashamed, a grown woman like you, organising people to seize their mines... this must end)," she said.

The First Lady said factionalism emanated from Mashonaland Central and spread out to the other provinces.

"Pandasvika pano apa, ndafamba eight provinces this is the ninth, muno tiri kunzwa kuti demon, demon refactionalism ndomarinotangira, demon iriro richibuda richienda kumwe. Zvino ndati kubva nhasi demon iro ngaaripere (When I got here, I had traversed eight provinces, and I have heard that the factionalism demon resides here and is going to other provinces. I am warning you that starting today, this must stop)," she said.

Grace further alleged Mujuru was fighting her and surreptitiously declaring that when Mugabe passes away, she will take over her Mazowe orphanage and other business interests.

The First Lady also warned Masvingo, Manicaland and Mashonaland East Youth League leaders that they will never do anything without her.

She also warned that soon she will expose who is the real "Gamatox", a derogatory term used to refer to Mujuru's loyalist Didymus Mutasa.

Grace, together with ministers, Jonathan Moyo, Saviour Kasukuwere and Josiah Hungwe and politburo member Patrick Zhuwao all chanted the "Pasi ne (Down with) Gamatox" slogan.

Source - dailynews