'I will not be used,' says Grace Mugabe

First Lady Grace Mugabe on Friday said she will remain vigilant against being manipulated by factions rocking the ruling Zanu-PF party.

She said this while addressing thousands in Mutare at a rally that earlier saw violent skirmishes between rival factions.

"In the short time I have been moving around, I realised that if I am not careful, I will be used. Don't try to use me to settle your personal scores," she said.

"I am old enough and at 49, turning 50 next year, I can discern what is good or bad, when you approach me, I want objectivity. I will not listen to those who come to spy against each other. I have to be careful with some of you because you are poisonous".

There have been claims that the First Lady, who last month made her grand entrance into politics after being approached by the Zanu-PF women's league to take over as the new boss ahead of the party's elective congress set for December, was being used by one of the party's factions.

With two distinct factions one reportedly led by Justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa and another by vice president Joice Mujuru locked in a bitter war to take over from Mugabe, the First Lady's entrance is said to have rattled one of the factions to the core.

On Friday, the First Lady took a swipe at provinces who were making endorsements of their preferred candidates, particularly the current presidium ahead of the elective December congress, saying people should be guided by the party's constitution and the code of conduct.

Her comments come amid reports that the party's Manicaland provincial executive early this week made a decision that it would support the current presidium comprising President Robert Mugabe, Vice-President Mujuru, Simon Khaya-Moyo as second vice-president and the party's serving secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa to the position of national chairperson.

The First Lady also alleged that she was aware of some women's league chairpersons who were planning to sabotage her after she takes over as boss.

Meanwhile, earlier in the day, there were nasty skirmishes involving youths allegedly aligned to Harare provincial youth chairperson Godwin Gomwe and a Manicaland youth official Sheila Mutsenhu over accusations and counter accusations of trying to play factional politics.

An exasperated First Lady said she had witnessed factionalism at play in Mutare and was worried why such was happening yet the province contributed immensely during the liberation war.

"It is not a bad thing when people advise each other. I have seen it for myself that factionalism is, indeed, at play. We are a family in dispute and it becomes a social problem. I have said factionalism should stop but it seems no one is listening to me," she said.

So bad was the situation that police had to be called to quell down tempers as marauding youths bayed for each other's blood.

Gomwe, who is allegedly in Mnangagwa's camp, was early this week forced by the First Lady to smoke the peace pipe with Harare provincial chairperson Amos Midzi, perceived to be in Mujuru's camp following violent confrontations in the capital.

The First Lady also donated 10 tonnes of maize seeds, 20 tonnes of maize-meal and food hampers to chiefs.