Webster Shamu profess his undying loyalty to Grace Mugabe

Zanu-PF secretary for the Commissariat, Webster Shamu has hit back at people who are accusing him of undermining First Lady Grace Mugabe.

Shamu professed his undying loyalty to the First Family and threatened to sue Mashonaland West youth leader, Vengai Musengi for almost half a million dollars for allegedly defaming him.

Musengi during a demonstration against Shamu and Silvester Nguni and other perceived loyalists of Vice-President Joice Mujuru in Chinhoyi last week said: "Shamu was a sellout during the armed struggle and we no longer want him in the province. Shamu and Nguni [Sylvester] have shares in the province and they are protecting white farmers. Their time is up."

He added: "Shamu and Nguni hate Amai Grace. So how can they say they are behind President Mugabe yet they hate his wife? Why does a person change his name from Charles Ndlovu to Webster Shamu?"

In a letter to Musengi, Shamu's lawyers, Tavenhave and Machingauta legal practitioners said the statements which were widely quoted in local newspapers, online publications, television and radio, were false.

"Our client denies having any ill-feeling whatsoever towards the First Lady. This statement is a lie. Our client avers that all statements you uttered are untrue, incorrect and intended to defame our client's reputation," wrote the lawyers.

"Our client instructs us to put it on record that he was never, is not and never will be a sellout of any sort. He further instructs us to put it on record that he has no shares in companies in the province and he does not protect white farmers in any manner whatsoever."

Shamu said Charles Ndlovu was his nom-de-guerre during the liberation struggle to deceive Ian's Smith regime and protect his family from harm.

Tavenhave and Machingauta legal practitioners said failure by Musengi to withdraw the statements within seven days, would result in Shamu claiming damages to the tune of US$493 000.

Musengi could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Shamu is one of the ministers who used to heap praises on Mugabe, calling him "Cremora" - a popular milk product - and making utterances expressing his wish to have been the President's son.

But Shamu's fortunes have since turned in the run up to this week's Zanu-PF congress together with Mujuru and her allies following as yet unproven allegations that they wanted to topple Mugabe from power.