Students to meet 'Dr' Grace Mugabe

Students around the country will on Monday meet the First Lady Grace Mugabe at her Mazowe Children's Home to show their solidarity following her nomination and endorsement to assume leadership of the Zanu-PF Women's League.

War veterans, youths, members of the Zanu-PF Women's League, religious and traditional leaders have all been to Mazowe to endorse Mugabe's elevation.

Zimbabwe Congress of Students Union national treasurer-general Tonderai Chidawa yesterday confirmed the planned visit by the students, drawn from the country's 10 provinces.

"Tertiary institutions students will on the 17th of November converge at Mazowe Children's Home to show their solidarity with the First Family, especially First Lady Grace Mugabe following her recent achievements," he said.

"This is a remarkable achievement worth celebrating and we have seen it fit to be part of the celebrations to show that we are with her all the way."

Chidawa said students would also take the opportunity to endorse President Mugabe as the President and First Secretary of Zanu-PF ahead of the party's elective congress slated for December 2 to 7.

ZICOSU national organising secretary Tichafara Mumbijo said as students, they would stand by President Mugabe as he had shown great leadership qualities.

"As the student community, we have confidence in his leadership (President Mugabe)," he said.

"We are also beneficiaries of the education policies that he fought for, that is why we are rallying behind him."

Since being nominated to lead the Women's League and in the wake of her endorsement by the Women's League Conference, Mugabe has gone around the country meeting and thanking the people.

She has packaged her message on unity, development and enterprise.

The First Lady also took the opportunity to expose some of the sordid deals by some senior Government officials, principally Vice President Joice Mujuru, whom she rapped for illicit diamond dealings, demanding 10 percent bribes and extorting shareholding from companies.

Mugabe has also warned that members who continued associating themselves with factionalism risked being left behind by a united grassroots.