Grace Mugabe confronts Mujuru allies

First Lady Grace Mugabe on Thursday confronted perceived Joice Mujuru loyalists ahead of her rally address and ordered them to end their fight against her or face a war that will terminate them, according to officials.

Highly-placed sources who attended the closed-door meeting convened ahead of the Bindura rally said Grace lashed out at members of the Mujuru faction for failing to mobilise villagers to her rally, accusing her perceived rivals of sabotage and starkly warning them to end factionalism that has turned violent in some areas.

Grace's attack left the Mujuru loyalists in Mashonaland Central shocked, disgraced, and vulnerable.

Grace, 49, said no adversary within her husband's ruling Zanu-PF had the means to block her march to power.

A former typist in the President's office, Grace  mocked the 59-year-old Mujuru for spearheading factionalism and corruption.

A torrent of harsh words spewed by Grace against  Mujuru in the faction-torn Zanu-PF have undermined the wider Zanu-PF campaign to close ranks as the party hurtles towards its December congress.

Grace, who is trying to consolidate her political standing by hitting out at her rivals, openly denounced Mujuru, declaring directly "Pasi na (Down with) Mujuru."

"The meeting was tense," our source said.

"She bolted in and did not greet anyone. She chanted pasi namai (down with Joice) Mujuru, pasi neGamatox and pasi nevanhu vavo (Down with Joice Mujuru's backers)."

Grace allegedly singled out the province's women league chairperson Dorothy Mashonganyika, accusing her of collaborating with Mujuru to ensure her rally flopped.

"She accused Mashonganyika of deliberately failing to mobilise women to come to the rally," our source said.

"She said Mashonganyika was working with Mujuru to try and embarrass her with a low turnout at the rally. She said it was evident that Mashonganyika did not like her and was against her.

"She also said Mashonganyika and the Harare provincial women chairperson Angeline Matambanadzo did not want to work with her. The first lady vowed that she would deal with the two and that if she fails, she will quit the Women's League."

The first lady is said to have upped the ante by attacking Senator Alice Chimbudzi and deputy minister of Justice Fortune Chasi, accusing them of being Mujuru lackeys.

"Chimbudzi and Chasi were not spared the diatribe," added our source, who preferred anonymity fearing victimisation.

Another source said: "Both of them (Chasi and Chimbudzi) were accused of trying to sabotage the rally.

The first lady said in no uncertain terms that Chasi and Chimbudzi had revealed to her that they hate her and don't want the first lady in the province.

"She declared that all those who belonged to the Mujuru faction would be dumped and everyone was left shell-shocked."

Grace then publicly declared that she would spearhead efforts to dump Mujuru, and that dogs and flies would resent her, assertions she later repeated in her rally speech.

While she did not mention Mujuru by name during her public address, her outburst during the briefing left many convinced that the thinly-veiled attacks were meant for the Vice President.

During her rally speech, Grace declared that the moment of truth was nigh and she would publicly name the woman faction leader and mobilise people to dump her.