Grace Mugabe blasts Zanu-PF bigwigs

First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe yesterday roundly criticised Politburo and Central Committee members who back-stab other party officials and pay journalists to cause confusion in the party. She warned them that the sun would soon set for them.

Addressing thousands of people at Mushayavanhu High School here yesterday, Amai Mugabe said the power-hungry party officials should be busy making self-introspection to see if they have the qualities that make them viable candidates for leadership positions, instead of driving factional agendas.

She, however, said greedy politicians had no chance as it was the prerogative of the President to choose the team to work with, which he does on merit. Amai Mugabe said chickens would soon come home to roost for some Politburo and Central Committee members displaying double standards.

"Journalists do not dream about these things," she said.

"There are some who think they are very clever when in actual fact they are the opposite. Journalists are told what to write by people we spend time with in the Politburo and the Central Committee. We know it. There is someone among us, behind our backs who goes and corrupts the journalists.

"I don't blame the journalists, but those behind me who tell them wrong and bad things. Journalists spend time in your offices and because they also need food on the table and fear you, they write what you tell them to."

She added: "Sometimes we rush to shout at journalists yet it will be you (Politburo and Central Committee members) who would have told them. Ini ndinonzi mafirakureva. I first speak in riddles but kana zvandibata I will say it out. I will not hesitate. The time will come."

She said journalists simply reported what they would have seen or heard.

"We move around together and they write their stories, making you happy," Amai Mugabe said.

"For you to talk about G40, it's because they would have written about it. Why should they be afraid? You read and if you interpret it in your own ways, that's your own problem but they would have done their job. That is what brings food to their table."

The First Lady said party cadres should be content with their positions and should channel their energy to service delivery as President Mugabe was the only one centre of power in Zanu-PF.

"Be satisfied and carry out your duties. People will see and elevate you. Don't do it yourself. We need people who work for the development of the country. We chose President Mugabe to be our leader and we are endorsing him for 2018 (elections). He is the one who will choose whether or not to continue with someone. That is his prerogative."

Amai Mugabe went on: "It doesn't matter if you gossip to get favours. He knows your capacity. He chooses on merit. He doesn't elect you because you lead a faction. We ended factionalism and whoever is trying to rekindle it will go down."

She castigated non-governmental organisations pursuing various political agendas under the guise of aid.

"After all the food aid they doll out is a short term solution," Amai Mugabe said.

"Tell them to remove the sanctions and that we want to work for ourselves as we have the energy. By giving you food, some of them want to control you because they know there is no way you can refuse. The tractors you are receiving today are some of the machine guns we will use until we economically free ourselves."

Amai Mugabe paid tribute to the late Vice President Simon Muzenda, whose widow Maud attended yesterday's rally, for his contributions to the country.

She said because the late Vice President Muzenda was content and followed party regulations, he never thought of any nefarious plans against President Mugabe.

"Real cadres go quiet and never make noise," she said.

"If you see such people, then it needs investigation and you will see he or she did nothing during the war. Your works will make people respect you."

Amai Mugabe called for discipline in the party, especially among the youths.

She took the people through the progress Government had made on the implementation of Zim-Asset emphasising on the need for people to value add their products.

Amai Mugabe appraised the masses on the benefits of the Look East Policy, detailing some of the land mark deals sealed when Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the country this week.