Grace Mugabe advised to emulate Sally

Newly-crowned Zanu-PF Women's League boss Grace Mugabe should emulate the life and work of President Robert Mugabe's first wife, the late Sally, who stood for the poor and unity in Zanu-PF, firebrand war veteran Margaret Dongo has said.

In an interview with the Daily News, Dongo - who joined the liberation war at the tender age of 15 - also said although as a First Lady, Sally had been privy to sensitive information, she never acted recklessly with such information or abused her proximity to power.

Dongo also called on Zimbabweans to honour the late heroine more as she led an upright and exemplary life, including protecting "young girls and women" from bullies and abusive men during the struggle.

"She looked after freedom fighters as if they were her own children, as if she had given birth to us.

"She looked after the welfare of comrades, visiting their rented rooms, helping them to build their own houses, using her car to take them to the clinic, paying for food and medicines when we couldn't pay.

"She was indeed the mother and sister of all comrades," said a nostalgic Dongo.

Commenting in the wake of Zanu-PF's recent controversial naming of a road in Harare after Grace, Dongo said it was a travesty of justice that the Harare City Council had not named one of the metropolis' streets after Sally who passed away in 1992.

"As freedom fighters, we request that the City of Harare names Fourth Street after Sally. This is to honour the role she played before and after independence," Dongo said.

The Ghana-born Sally has seemingly faded into oblivion since her death, with many praise singers in the ruling party keen to curry favour with the influential Grace who had an affair and bore her first child Bona with Mugabe while the president's first wife was on her death bed.

Dongo, who says she was mentored in politics by Sally, added that the late former first lady's contribution to Zimbabwe during and after the liberation struggle was "beyond comparison".

She said the formation of the ruling party's powerful women's league, for example, was to a large extent the result of the work of the late heroine.

"We freedom fighters were looked after by Sally. I was only 15 when I joined the struggle, leaving school to go to Mozambique.

"We young girls suffered from all sorts of deprivation and abuse. Sally provided us with help in so many daily and practical ways.

"She bought lots of khaki material so that we could sew our own clothes. She protected us from sexual predators. She was really our mother," Dongo said.

Even in post-independent Zimbabwe, Sally had remained a "first lady for the poor".

"She identified with the poor and weak. She helped the handicapped to get jobs in industries in Ruwa. She built houses for leprosy victims. She was the first lady for the poor, always looking after their welfare," Dongo added.

The former legislator added that while every first lady could be privy to sensitive information, Sally was not the type to spill salacious and scandalous details in public.

"She never displayed any dislike for a person and was a motherly figure. She was very polite and respectful. She was action-oriented.

"When she was confirmed as the secretary for the women's league, her aim was to ensure that every woman should have a job or dependable income," Dongo said.

In contrast Grace, has gloated over having single-handedly destroyed Joice Mujuru and has on many occasions displayed a penchant for confrontation.

"When she was alive she (Sally) always reminded His Excellency not to forget the poor. Now the poor believe they have been forgotten. They no longer have a representative in high places.

"They hope and pray that first lady Grace will represent their interests. That is why Grace has received so much support since her recent entry into politics. The poor want her to fight for them and not to be involved in dirty politics," Dongo said.