'Go your way,' Mugabe tells Mnangagwa

PRESIDENT Mugabe yesterday said he was annoyed by some rogue party members who continue to insult the First Family using the name of Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, adding that those not happy with his leadership were free to leave Zanu-PF and form their own party.

The President said if the insults imply that he erred in appointing VP Mnangagwa as his deputy he was prepared to drop him immediately. President Mugabe said this while addressing thousands of party supporters at a Presidential Youth Interface Rally at White City Stadium. He read the riot act responding to suspended Bulawayo party member Magure Charumbira and a few others, who had heckled the First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe during her address. Charumbira was taken away by the police after.

"Ko ndinotukwa muzita ravaMnangagwa kuti kuno ndekwavaMnangagwa, ko ndakatadza here kuti ndiite appoint vaMnangagwa as deputy wangu?

Kana ndakatadza ndinovadonhedza mangwana chaiye. Kana vachida kuvamba musangano wavo neavo vanova-suppoter ndavavambe. Ndavavambe.

Hatingaite musangano wekunyombana pano. I don't like that," said the President.

President Mugabe said he had enough of the mischief by scoundrel party members in Masvingo and Midlands provinces, and a decision on the matter would be made at the Extra Ordinary Congress in December.

"Kana zvasvika pakadai tinoti zvasvika zvino pakuti tichiita final decision. Tirikuenda kuma elections, tirikuenda kuCongress. KuCongress ikoko ndiko kwaticha decider zvakawanda. Asi ndati ndizvitaure here because I'm annoyed," he said.

President Mugabe expressed displeasure at the silence while the renegade elements in the party use his name to insult the First Family.

"What annoys me is that our VPs have been silent about it. Variivo varikunzi tinoda kuti ndimi, kunoku ndekwangana. Iwe woti tonho, aiwa that I can't accept. Aiwa. Tingadai tisina kunzwanana but we will sit down and discuss these matters. Tinosungirwa kugara musangano wedu and we will straighten these matters," he said.

President Mugabe said he had been informed beforehand that some party members had been bussed to heckle the First Lady during her address. He said the First Lady would not be stopped by anyone from speaking the truth and warned rascal party members in Masvingo and Midlands provinces to desist from fanning divisions in the party. The President said party members who are willing to stand by him should continue doing so and urged those that want otherwise to leave the party.

"I don't like that. Vanoda kumira kushure kwangu, vomira kushure kwangu, vasingade ngavaende. Those who don't want let them go, let them go.

Hatinyengerere vanhu, hatife takanyengerera vanhu, it doesn't matter who. Zuva ranhasi ratirikuti tavakupedzisa Interface, tonzwa all this nonsense.

Handizvide," he said.

Added President Mugabe, "The First lady vanotaura zvechokwadi zviripamoyo. Hatinganyarare tirambe tichinyarara tichinzwa kuti kune vanhu nanhasi wese kuMasvingo kune vanonzi varikuti province ino haisi yavaMugabe, province ino ndeya vaMnangagwa, kuMidlands the same.

"Variko vanotiudza, there are members vaikoko. Asi vanhu vashoma ivavo vanonzi varikudaro, anotinyomba zuva nezuva, we are insulted. President anogara achitukwa ikoko nevanhu ivavo. Asi tine vanhu vedu, ruzhinji rwevanhu vanotevera gwara, vanoda kubatana nevamwe, havade hunyany'a ihoho.

"So, nhengo vanozviti tiri varume vemusangano vari kuMasvingo, be prepared to form your own party. We can't have you insulting us day in day out. Hazviite, vanaMatuke muri chii . . . Okay go your way, we go our way."

He said party members should remain steadfast on the principles of the party and not allow a few unruly elements to destroy the party.

"So I say to you, have in mind the need for us to be strong, and not to be cowed by the few vanofamba vachida kukanganisa musangano wedu. Ku-organiser mabus kuuya kuno kuzoita boo, boo who in the party? Vanhu vanotaura zviri different from you, I don't like that. I know where the buses came from. Ndokune hunyany'a ikoko kumarara."

President Mugabe said party leaders should be guided by the principles of the party and not put themselves ahead of the party.

He urged party members to remain united and urged those that do not want his leadership to find their own leader elsewhere outside the party.

The President said he would not stand in their way.

"So let's stay together those who want the party and my leadership and who believe in my leadership, fine. Kana vamwe vasingade kuti ndive leader wavo fine they should find another leader where they want and I won't stand in their way at all. I have been in the party on the basis of my belief in the party, in the principles of the party and that's what I still believe. We don't go against the rules and principles of the party. We don't put ourselves ahead of the party and say tinoda ngana, uyu anodiwa nevanhu hatimude. Uri ani unodaro? Aah come on. Anyway we will talk about this much more in the party nekuCongress kwese, Central committee kwese. We must straighten this thing up and kill it. Vanenge vasingade vachirambirira sticking to it let them go," he said.

On proposals by the Women's League of the party to amend the party's constitution to allow for a female Vice-President, President Mugabe said the matter would be discussed at the Extra Ordinary Congress slated for next month.

He said the party has always had a gender principle which seeks to allow for both men and women to hold leadership positions in the party.

"Kumadzimai, chichemo chenyu tirikuchinzwa. Tanga tichiti tonochiisa kuCongress. Imi mozvisarudzira wamunoda kuti vakutungamirirei. Kana pane vamwe vane mamwe mazano vanotipawo mazano ikoko.

"Asi tinoda madzimai kuti vave nemufaro wekuti hurongwa hwedu huri kucherechedza our belief in gender yatagara tinayo yatakataura, yatinotaura zvakare taenda ku-African Union kuti isu tine gender principle yekuti madzimai edu vave pamwechete nesu varume," he said.

The President also spoke on war veterans whom he said should toe the party line, in line with the principle of politics leading the gun which was adopted during the liberation struggle.