'I make mistakes, I am no saint,' says Mujuru

Vice-president Joice Mujuru says she is a human being who makes mistakes but should not be punished for crimes she did not commit.

Mujuru - who has been under fire from the First Lady Grace Mugabe and accused of being corrupt, incompetent and plotting to topple President Robert Mugabe - told thousands of party supporters, family friends and associates during her graduation party in Dotito-Mt Darwin over the weekend that she was not a saint though she was important in the eyes of the Lord.

"Ndinezvitadzo asi musanyepe zvandisina kuita (I am not perfect but don't lie about wrongs I have not committed," she said.

During the past three weeks, Mujuru has been a subject of acerbic attacks by the First Lady, who accused the country's second-in-command of being an extortionist who will soon be 'baby dumped' for plotting to ouster President Mugabe.

During the Dotito rally, Mujuru, though not directly responding to the First Lady, said the party should not waste time attacking each other but should instead strategise on how to win the 2018 elections.

In her entire address mostly punctuated by a narration of her war history credentials and how she acquired the doctorate, Mujuru skirted responding to allegations of being corrupt and an extortionist.

During her 'Meet the people rallies', the First Lady said Mujuru was demanding a 10% shareholding stake in most foreign owned firms, including a company - African Consolidated Resources (ACR) - the British company which held the rights to Marange diamonds.

For the first time since the First Lady launched "Meet the People" tour a fortnight ago, she mentioned Mujuru by name on Thursday while addressing war veterans at her Mazowe Orphanage. In earlier rallies she was just alluding to a faction leader.

"Today is the day for (the) final push. I'm no longer going to beat about the bush. The moment of truth has arrived. Mujuru should go and rest because she has failed," the First Lady said.

"It really hurts to be fired. It is better for Mujuru to resign. She should resign and go to farm tobacco and look after grandchildren".

But in her much awaited response, Mujuru chose to be diplomatic, claiming the event was not a political gathering-although Zanu-PF slogans were the order of the day.

She told the supporters-who were mostly showering her with praise that it was time to unite the ruling party and work on increasing votes ahead of 2018.

"Today is not a day to talk about politics; it is a day to thank President (Robert) Mugabe that I now have a PhD qualification and he should now expect me to unite his people," she said.

"Some people might hate me simply because they dislike my face. It is not my fault that I might have an ugly face, but God might be proud of me. I say, don't despise me because of how I look, but (consider) what I can do."

The rally was attended by top party officials, mostly believed to be in her camp which is fighting the other faction allegedly led by Justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Some of the senior members at the rally included Rugare Gumbo, Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, Tshinga Dube, and Sylvester Nguni among others MPs, some of whom travelled from as far as Chipinge in Manicaland.