Mnangagwa calls Grace Mugabe 'Queen'

VICE President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday hailed mambokadzi (queen) Grace Mugabe for bringing Zanu-PF members together at a historic Women's League rally in Mberengwa and urged the party to remain united.

In a vote of thanks after the Women's League Secretary Mugabe's speech, VP Mnangagwa said unity was key to success and that no enemy could penetrate a united party.

"We want to thank you mambokadzi (queen) for visiting the (Midlands) province," he said.

"You've brought the party together in Midlands at a historic event here at Mataga. We've been gathering here, but today's gathering is a unique one.

"I've never seen such a huge crowd gathering here. May you continue with your good work. You've brought us food to eat, farming equipment, clothes and above all, the good message."

VP Mnangagwa said Zanu-PF was a people's party and no one had a right to personalise it.

He said all people were free to be part of the party because it accommodated everyone.

"Zanu-PF is for the young and old, short and tall, rich and poor, witches and christians and everyone else," said VP Mnangagwa. "No one can claim to personalise Zanu-PF, trying to put it into your own pocket. That's not possible."

VP Mnangagwa said unity was key to success.

"If we're united, no evil can come among us," he said.

"Nothing will be able to separate us. Here in Mberengwa, we're united and may you (Mugabe) take the good news to the President. Tell him that we're a united party here.

"We must work together in unity for the development of the nation. As you all know, we're our own liberators. We left for the war and we liberated this country through unity. We can still build our own nation together."

VP Mnangagwa said there was nothing wrong with the First Lady handing over to the masses tractors, part of the farm equipment sourced from Brazil under the More-Food Africa programme, on behalf of the President.

He said the MDC-T opposed the idea in Parliament under a wrong impression that Mugabe was donating the equipment when she was merely handing it over to the people.

"The tractors we've here came from Brazil," said VP Mnangagwa. "We were troubled in Parliament by the MDC-T members who were failing to appreciate the difference between handing over equipment and actually donating.

"MDC members threatened to take the matter up questioning why the First Lady should be allowed to distribute government equipment. They said she was donating it.

"But I said no, there's a difference between donating and handing over a donation.

"She's the First Lady of this country. It was the President's idea to source the tractors for his people and if he decides to send his wife to hand over the equipment to the people, there's no problem with that," VP Mnangagwa said to applause.

He commended Mugabe for her good work for the people of Zimbabwe.

He said people had not only benefited from agricultural mechanisation equipment and the food- stuffs that she had distributed but also the exhorting words that she delivered.

He gave the First Lady updates of the various developmental projects in Mberengwa and in Midlands province.

Speaking earlier, Zanu-PF Second Secretary and Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko, yesterday rapped the party's provincial acting chairperson for Midlands province, Kizito Chivamba, for failing to pronounce his name during introductions at the rally.

Chivamba had initially been asked to introduce members of the Zanu-PF provincial executive members and had made reference to Mugabe, Vice President Mnangagwa and VP Mphoko during salutations.

During his address, Chivamba was interjected by Zanu-PF national political commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere, who asked him to correctly pronounce VP Mphoko's name following expression of reservations by VP Mphoko.

This was after Chivamba had pronounced the VP's name as "Mboko."

When VP Mphoko was eventually asked to give a brief address and introduce Mugabe, he first had a go at Chivamba.

VP Mphoko first invited Chivamba, who was equally on the top table to come to the podium.

"Are you the chairman? You've insulted me. What does mboko in Shona mean? You don't deserve to be the chairman," said VP Mphoko.

The two were later seen together as Chivamba accompanied VP Mphoko who left the event earlier.

The First Lady, appeared to later diffuse the tension when just before her address she jokingly chided VP Mphoko for failing to know her MaNcube totem.

VP Mphoko had referred to the First Lady's totem as VaChihera.

In his speech, VP Mphoko castigated tribalism.

"Tribalism is the mother of corruption. For you to be a tribalist, you must be a fundamentalist. This country will not tolerate tribalists. President Mugabe isn't a Zezuru, he's President of this country."

"Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa isn't a Mukaranga, he's the Vice President of this country. I'm not a Ndebele, but a leader of this country," said VP Mphoko to rousing applause.

Mugabe handed over tractors to the community and donated food and clothing among other goodies.