News / National
Mugabe speech ignores Grace fracas
28 Aug 2017 at 07:31hrs | Views
President Robert Mugabe's speech at the National Heroes Acre on Saturday completely ignored the diplomatic immunity granted to his wife by South Africa that enabled her to leave the neighbouring country after being accused of assaulting a model.
Accusations that the First Lady attacked model Gabriella Engels, 20, who needed 14 stitches did not find a place in Mugabe's long speech during the joint burial of George Rutanhire and Moudy Aloisia Muzenda on Saturday.
Engels accused Grace of whipping her with an electric extension cable as she waited with two friends in a luxury hotel suite to meet one of the Mugabes' adult sons.
But South Africa's opposition is challenging International Relations minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane's decision to grant Grace immunity — a move that could in theory affect any future plans to travel to the country.
Since the incident that attracted international headlines, Mugabe has made two public appearances at the Harare Agricultural Show and at the National Heroes Acre but completely ignored the issue.
In his Heroes Acre eulogy, Mugabe spoke of how children are spending time partying with girls.
Mugabe's two sons are back in town from South Africa.
Both 25-year-old Robert Mugabe Jnr and his younger sibling Chatunga, 21, returned home with their dad and mom Grace from South Africa last Sunday.
Speaking on the late Rutanhire, Mugabe said: "You could see he (Rutanhire) was not that very well. But still, he was coming to meetings, all our meetings at the politburo.
"To add to that, we still wanted him to head the Chitepo School of Ideology, which we had revived, for the benefit of our children to understand the ideals of the war of liberation.
"Many of our kids, oh no, they go to parties with girls. We want to redirect our youth. They should know," Mugabe said.
Opposition political parties are having a field day over Mugabe's woes.
Kurauone Chihwayi, the Welshman Ncube-led MDC spokesperson said: "The Zanu-PF leader has lost control of his party and family.
"Instead of talking about the (Vice President Emmerson) Mnangagwa's illness, Mugabe should tell the nation about his social life including the behaviour of his wife and the naughty children."
Tendai Biti's People's Democratic Party spokesperson Jacob Mafume said he feels sorry for Mugabe because of the situation that he finds himself in, owing to Grace's actions in South Africa.
"What he is feeling is beyond shame. I now understand why my mother used to say it's important to marry well.
"The man has married a wife who is so unlike him. If she can do this in public, imagine what she must do at home, in private.
"He has a family that does not want to live and work in a country he supposedly fought for, named and created.
"He has done such a bad job that his family would rather live in the Diaspora," Mafume said.
Accusations that the First Lady attacked model Gabriella Engels, 20, who needed 14 stitches did not find a place in Mugabe's long speech during the joint burial of George Rutanhire and Moudy Aloisia Muzenda on Saturday.
Engels accused Grace of whipping her with an electric extension cable as she waited with two friends in a luxury hotel suite to meet one of the Mugabes' adult sons.
But South Africa's opposition is challenging International Relations minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane's decision to grant Grace immunity — a move that could in theory affect any future plans to travel to the country.
Since the incident that attracted international headlines, Mugabe has made two public appearances at the Harare Agricultural Show and at the National Heroes Acre but completely ignored the issue.
In his Heroes Acre eulogy, Mugabe spoke of how children are spending time partying with girls.
Mugabe's two sons are back in town from South Africa.
Both 25-year-old Robert Mugabe Jnr and his younger sibling Chatunga, 21, returned home with their dad and mom Grace from South Africa last Sunday.
Speaking on the late Rutanhire, Mugabe said: "You could see he (Rutanhire) was not that very well. But still, he was coming to meetings, all our meetings at the politburo.
"To add to that, we still wanted him to head the Chitepo School of Ideology, which we had revived, for the benefit of our children to understand the ideals of the war of liberation.
"Many of our kids, oh no, they go to parties with girls. We want to redirect our youth. They should know," Mugabe said.
Opposition political parties are having a field day over Mugabe's woes.
Kurauone Chihwayi, the Welshman Ncube-led MDC spokesperson said: "The Zanu-PF leader has lost control of his party and family.
"Instead of talking about the (Vice President Emmerson) Mnangagwa's illness, Mugabe should tell the nation about his social life including the behaviour of his wife and the naughty children."
Tendai Biti's People's Democratic Party spokesperson Jacob Mafume said he feels sorry for Mugabe because of the situation that he finds himself in, owing to Grace's actions in South Africa.
"What he is feeling is beyond shame. I now understand why my mother used to say it's important to marry well.
"The man has married a wife who is so unlike him. If she can do this in public, imagine what she must do at home, in private.
"He has a family that does not want to live and work in a country he supposedly fought for, named and created.
"He has done such a bad job that his family would rather live in the Diaspora," Mafume said.
Source - online
