'I am already President,' says Grace Mugabe

FIRST Lady Grace Mugabe reportedly told the Zanu-PF women's league that she "plans and does everything with President Robert Mugabe" and, therefore, was already President of the country, validating the long held suspicion that she was running the State's affairs with her ageing husband.

Mashonaland West women's league chairperson, Angeline Muchemeyi said Grace told them that there was no point for her fighting to be Vice-President, a lesser position, when she was already running State affairs.

Muchemeyi revealed this after the Zanu-PF women's league passed a resolution that Grace remain secretary for women's affairs in the party.

Contrary to speculation that there will be a push by women to have the Zanu-PF constitution changed to allow a woman Vice-President, a move that has been viewed as paving the way for Grace, Muchemeyi said the First Lady had said she was comfortable steering the women's wing because she was already running the affairs of the State.

Asked if the Mashonaland resolutions were in a way a sign of ditching Grace, Muchemeyi said: "Grace told an executive meeting that she is ‘already the President' and would not want to be appointed VP, as it was a lower post.

"The First Lady said I'm the wife of the President, I'm the president already … I plan and do everything with the President, what more do I want, for now the position of the women boss is enough."

Last year, Grace said Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko took instructions from her.

Grace has been linked to the G40 faction that is said to be opposed to Mnangagwa succeeding Mugabe.

The women's league had been pushing for a female Vice-President, a move viewed as aimed at toppling Mnangagwa and have him replaced by Mugabe's wife.

In a surprise turn of events, the women's' league spoke highly of war veterans, saying women respect the former freedom fighters because they are principled, unlike newcomers in the party, who are bent on destroying Zanu-PF for money, but Muchemeyi did not elaborate on this.

"We have our war vets, who have a history in the party, they respect our President because they went to war, but the factions are created by handpicked members, who do not have liberation credentials," she said.

Grace has been a subject of attack by war veterans, who are viewed as Mnangagwa's backers in the succession race.