News / National
'Grace Mugabe is our boss' - Mphoko
14 Oct 2015 at 17:05hrs | Views
Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko has declared himself and his core Vice President Emerson Munangagwa as juniors to the First Lady Grace Mugabe.
Speaking to over 7000 ZANU PF supporters at Rushinga where First Lady Grace Mugabe was addressing a rally at Chimhanda Secondary School in Mashonaland Central, Mphoko said he is bound by protocol to fall below the first lady and introduce her to the people and never vice versa. The Vice President was responding to media accusations that he was being undermined by being asked to introduce the first lady at her on going provincial rallies.
According to Mphoko, it is proper for ZANU PF to salute the first lady as "Her Excellency" and the Vice Presidents as just honourable.
"I want to correct a misconception once and for all. Myself and Vice President Munangagwa are just Vice Presidents and must only be addressed as Honourable but the first lady is as good as the President and must be addressed as her excellency."
"We must correct these naughty newspaper writers who claim that I am being belittled when I am being asked to introduce the First Lady. When I took oath as Vice President I swore to be loyal to President Mugabe and that does not end with him only but his wife and family. I am serving at the mercy of the President and his wife and so am bound to respect her in that order," said Mphoko.
According to world standards, the First Lady has no special form of address as the first lady is considered a private citizen and hold no elected office. The world standards recognise being first lady as a role not an office as opposed to the Vice President who is serving in an office.
Throughout the proceedings which were broadcast live on ZBC TV, speaker after speaker referred to Grace Mugabe as her excellency a title generally reserved for a sitting state president. The general belief around the country is that the first lady is being earmarked to take over from his husband President Robert Mugabe who is expected to retire from his position soon.
Speaking to over 7000 ZANU PF supporters at Rushinga where First Lady Grace Mugabe was addressing a rally at Chimhanda Secondary School in Mashonaland Central, Mphoko said he is bound by protocol to fall below the first lady and introduce her to the people and never vice versa. The Vice President was responding to media accusations that he was being undermined by being asked to introduce the first lady at her on going provincial rallies.
According to Mphoko, it is proper for ZANU PF to salute the first lady as "Her Excellency" and the Vice Presidents as just honourable.
"We must correct these naughty newspaper writers who claim that I am being belittled when I am being asked to introduce the First Lady. When I took oath as Vice President I swore to be loyal to President Mugabe and that does not end with him only but his wife and family. I am serving at the mercy of the President and his wife and so am bound to respect her in that order," said Mphoko.
According to world standards, the First Lady has no special form of address as the first lady is considered a private citizen and hold no elected office. The world standards recognise being first lady as a role not an office as opposed to the Vice President who is serving in an office.
Throughout the proceedings which were broadcast live on ZBC TV, speaker after speaker referred to Grace Mugabe as her excellency a title generally reserved for a sitting state president. The general belief around the country is that the first lady is being earmarked to take over from his husband President Robert Mugabe who is expected to retire from his position soon.
Source - Byo24News
