News / National
Grace Mugabe's absence raises eyebrows
29 May 2015 at 06:31hrs | Views
FIRST Lady Grace Mugabe was conspicuous by her absence at a field day at her farm in Mazowe yesterday, fuelling speculation she may have slipped out of the country again for medical attention in Asia, as she has not been seen in public for a while.
The First Lady was in no-show at her Grace Mugabe Foundation Farm in Mazowe where a high-powered delegation of Cabinet ministers honoured her for "outstanding farming activities" in Mashonaland Central province.
The Cabinet team was led by Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo.
Mashonaland Central Provincial Affairs minister and organiser of the event, Martin Dinha, professed ignorance over Grace's whereabouts.
"She was not part of it (the field day programme). It is the province and invited guests who are appreciating her farming prowess," he said.
Newsday claim that it is reliably informed that Grace missed last week's Zanu-PF politburo meeting and has not been to the ruling party's campaign rallies for the June 10 parliamentary by-elections.
It emerged yesterday that several candidates in and out of Harare had wanted Grace to officiate at their campaign rallies, forcing Vice-Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko, party national commissar Kasukuwere and administration secretary Chombo to stand in for her.
A scheduled meeting with provincial ministers last week was called off at the last minute, as Grace was not available to address them at her Mazowe Orphanage Centre.
Grace was also expected to officiate at the belated International Day of Families in Masvingo last Friday, but her prepared speech was read by Small and Medium Enterprises minister Sithembiso Nyoni.
In March this year, Grace's absence from the public scene sent tongues wagging before she resurfaced in early April and attended a crunch Zanu PF politburo meeting which expelled former Vice-President Joice Mujuru from the party on charges of plotting Mugabe's ouster.
Early this year, Grace remained in Singapore where she was said to be recuperating from an appendix operation, while Mugabe returned from his annual holiday.
The First Lady was in no-show at her Grace Mugabe Foundation Farm in Mazowe where a high-powered delegation of Cabinet ministers honoured her for "outstanding farming activities" in Mashonaland Central province.
The Cabinet team was led by Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo.
Mashonaland Central Provincial Affairs minister and organiser of the event, Martin Dinha, professed ignorance over Grace's whereabouts.
"She was not part of it (the field day programme). It is the province and invited guests who are appreciating her farming prowess," he said.
It emerged yesterday that several candidates in and out of Harare had wanted Grace to officiate at their campaign rallies, forcing Vice-Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko, party national commissar Kasukuwere and administration secretary Chombo to stand in for her.
A scheduled meeting with provincial ministers last week was called off at the last minute, as Grace was not available to address them at her Mazowe Orphanage Centre.
Grace was also expected to officiate at the belated International Day of Families in Masvingo last Friday, but her prepared speech was read by Small and Medium Enterprises minister Sithembiso Nyoni.
In March this year, Grace's absence from the public scene sent tongues wagging before she resurfaced in early April and attended a crunch Zanu PF politburo meeting which expelled former Vice-President Joice Mujuru from the party on charges of plotting Mugabe's ouster.
Early this year, Grace remained in Singapore where she was said to be recuperating from an appendix operation, while Mugabe returned from his annual holiday.
Source - Newsday
