Sekeramayi must be wary of Mugabe's doublespeak

The importance of social etiquette for First Lady Grace Mugabe cannot be over-emphasised. It is a given that one who aspires to the moniker mother of the nation must behave in a manner befitting such status.

While Zimbabweans have always known that Grace still has a long way to go in grooming terms, the citizens had never thought that she could sink as low as she did at the weekend when she opened wide the doors to State House to the public as a way of destroying Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa's reputation ahead of a likely Zanu-PF elective congress any time soon.

Grace accused the VP of overtly insinuating that he had been poisoned by ice-cream manufactured by the First Family's Gushungo Dairies.

But Mnangagwa recently issued a statement indicating that he had not eaten the Gushungo ice-cream.

Again the First Lady's revelations that President Robert Mugabe was taken ill with a bout of diarrhoea, forcing him to call for Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi, was one low moment, which left many wondering why she would expose her husband to that extent.

We have no doubt that her point was to introduce Sekeramayi as Mugabe's successor-in-waiting. It is our contention that these are matters that are best left to the privacy of their home, as it painted such an unwanted picture of the State President.

People, who are schooled in social etiquette for public office, know what to say, where to say it and how to say it. But not so for Grace. As far as she is concerned, anything goes as long, as it helps strengthen her cause and embarrass her foes.

Yet this only served to confirm public fears that Grace is not ripe for public office, and that she is better off keeping her mouth shut and focus her efforts on her charity initiatives.

Her stormy entry into Zanu-PF politics has only helped to demonstrate that she is not cut out for politics.

We do not hold any brief for Mnangagwa, Mugabe's Press secretary, George Charamba, Mashonaland Central Zanu-PF deputy provincial chairman, Kazembe Kazembe or any other of her victims, but their silence following these attacks, especially for the VP, one is left with no option, but to believe that the official statement he purportedly issued was forced upon him.

Ironically, it was signed by a senior officer in his office. Grace's rant could have been a deliberate ploy to reveal that Sekeramayi is Mugabe's preferred successor. We would like to warn the Defence minister that it may still be too early to conclude, given Mugabe's double-speak, especially after indicating that he had nothing to do with the selection of his heir, as that was unconstitutional.

Mugabe is a master of Machiavellianism, whose personality traits have seen him so focused on his own interests that he will manipulate, deceive, and exploit others to achieve his goals.

This is one of the traits in what is called the "Dark Triad", the other two being narcissism and psychopathy, that Mugabe has mastered to the detriment of this nation.

They can do their thing in Zanu-PF, but they should be careful not to drag the country into the abyss. Zimbabwe is not personal property, it's for the present and future generations.