News / National
VP Mujuru woes continue to mount
08 Nov 2014 at 08:55hrs | Views
Vice-President Joice Mujuru's woes continue to mount with about 2 000 Zanu PF supporters in Bulawayo on Friday denouncing her as well as party spokesperson Rugare Gumbo and war veterans boss, Jabulani Sibanda.
Welcoming President Robert Mugabe at the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport, the supporters denounced Mujuru and party members perceived to be plotting to oust the veteran politician.
President Mugabe was in Bulawayo to officiate at the National University of Science and Technology graduation ceremony and was accompanied by the Zanu PF secretary for education, Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, when he touched down at the airport at 10.20am aboard an Air Zimbabwe plane. Raising his fist as he came out of the plane, in true Zanu PF fashion, President Mugabe was greeted by the enthusiastic supporters, most of them in the party's regalia, who sang songs lauding him.
Some of the supporters who had formed a queue on the runway to meet their leader were carrying placards affirming their loyalty to the president and his wife, First Lady Grace Mugabe, who is the Women's League secretary designate, while subtly denouncing Mujuru and openly rebuking the deposed Sibanda and Gumbo who was recently savaged by Zanu PF politburo member, Obert Mpofu, for issuing "misleading" statements.
One of the placards had the message: 25 % world of diamonds, but 100 percent benefit to Dr Extortionist and Zero percent to the people, a thinly veiled attack on Mujuru.
The state media has carried stories alleging ‘extortion' by Mujuru and underhand dealings in diamonds, but the allegations have been disputed.
During her whirlwind tour around the country, the First Lady, who claimed to have been behind the ascendancy of Mujuru, took her gloves off and accused her of being corrupt and plotting to dislodge her husband from power.
There were also placards with messages directly attacking Sibanda who sprang to Mujuru's defence during Amai Mugabe's tour, denouncing the First Lady for plotting a "boardroom or bedroom coup" earning himself the wrath of his fellow former freedom fighters and some Zanu PF members in the process.
One of the placards read: Bulawayo Youths – your battalion against little Jabulani.
The message was a play on the former war veterans leader's threat to march to State House in Harare to explain to President Mugabe what was happening, which prompted a rebuttal by the president who branded Sibanda a ‘Belzebub' and dared him to march "against the army".
Gumbo, who has fervently argued that he has done nothing wrong, was branded a sell-out in one of the placards through the message: Once a Mtengisi always a Rugare Gumbo.
Another placard read: "Don't mislead us Rugare Gumbo."
On the other hand, some supporters carried placards lauding President Mugabe like the one which read Tongai pamada, which meant he should rule in the manner he wants, while another said Ngwenya sizaqedelana labo ku Congress.
The First Lady received her share of praises, with some branding Bulawayo as Graceland, a play on her first name, Grace, while another placard read Okungela mama akuyiwa.
Part of the group, which went to receive President Mugabe included several ruling party leaders led by Provincial Affairs Minister for Bulawayo, Eunice Sandi-Moyo, Transport and Infrastructural Development minister Mpofu, Sports, Arts and Culture minister Andrew Langa and former Bulawayo mayor, Joshua Malinga.
Vice presidential aspirant, former Zipra commander and prominent businessperson, Phekezela Mphoko was also part of the president's welcoming party.
Welcoming President Robert Mugabe at the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport, the supporters denounced Mujuru and party members perceived to be plotting to oust the veteran politician.
President Mugabe was in Bulawayo to officiate at the National University of Science and Technology graduation ceremony and was accompanied by the Zanu PF secretary for education, Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, when he touched down at the airport at 10.20am aboard an Air Zimbabwe plane. Raising his fist as he came out of the plane, in true Zanu PF fashion, President Mugabe was greeted by the enthusiastic supporters, most of them in the party's regalia, who sang songs lauding him.
Some of the supporters who had formed a queue on the runway to meet their leader were carrying placards affirming their loyalty to the president and his wife, First Lady Grace Mugabe, who is the Women's League secretary designate, while subtly denouncing Mujuru and openly rebuking the deposed Sibanda and Gumbo who was recently savaged by Zanu PF politburo member, Obert Mpofu, for issuing "misleading" statements.
One of the placards had the message: 25 % world of diamonds, but 100 percent benefit to Dr Extortionist and Zero percent to the people, a thinly veiled attack on Mujuru.
The state media has carried stories alleging ‘extortion' by Mujuru and underhand dealings in diamonds, but the allegations have been disputed.
During her whirlwind tour around the country, the First Lady, who claimed to have been behind the ascendancy of Mujuru, took her gloves off and accused her of being corrupt and plotting to dislodge her husband from power.
There were also placards with messages directly attacking Sibanda who sprang to Mujuru's defence during Amai Mugabe's tour, denouncing the First Lady for plotting a "boardroom or bedroom coup" earning himself the wrath of his fellow former freedom fighters and some Zanu PF members in the process.
The message was a play on the former war veterans leader's threat to march to State House in Harare to explain to President Mugabe what was happening, which prompted a rebuttal by the president who branded Sibanda a ‘Belzebub' and dared him to march "against the army".
Gumbo, who has fervently argued that he has done nothing wrong, was branded a sell-out in one of the placards through the message: Once a Mtengisi always a Rugare Gumbo.
Another placard read: "Don't mislead us Rugare Gumbo."
On the other hand, some supporters carried placards lauding President Mugabe like the one which read Tongai pamada, which meant he should rule in the manner he wants, while another said Ngwenya sizaqedelana labo ku Congress.
The First Lady received her share of praises, with some branding Bulawayo as Graceland, a play on her first name, Grace, while another placard read Okungela mama akuyiwa.
Part of the group, which went to receive President Mugabe included several ruling party leaders led by Provincial Affairs Minister for Bulawayo, Eunice Sandi-Moyo, Transport and Infrastructural Development minister Mpofu, Sports, Arts and Culture minister Andrew Langa and former Bulawayo mayor, Joshua Malinga.
Vice presidential aspirant, former Zipra commander and prominent businessperson, Phekezela Mphoko was also part of the president's welcoming party.
Source - The Zim
