Grace Mugabe scoffs at ill-health rumours

ZANU-PF Secretary for Women's League and First Lady, Grace Mugabe yesterday said she was as fit as a fiddle and dismissed speculation of ill-health, saying she occasionally sought medical treatment like any other person.

The First Lady said she had the same energy as last year when she addressed rallies across the country in her "Meet the People" tours.

She said this in a welcome address to women at the start of the Zanu-PF Women's League national executive council meeting at the party's headquarters in Harare yesterday.

The First Lady's comments about her health put to shame reports in the private media in recent days which claimed, without an iota of evidence, that her absence from public life indicated she was not well.

"I'm happy we're meeting while we're all in good health. I'm very healthy," she said.

"I still have the same energy as I had last year. At times I have pain here and there but it can be treated, that's why I sometimes go for treatment and come back fully recovered.".

"That's why we thank God because at times you become ill and you don't know what it is and you end up with much bigger problems, but when you know and you're treated you become well and continue working for the country," said the First Lady

Turning to the state of the party, Grace Mugabe said the revolutionary party's Politburo should not be burdened with trivial disciplinary issues from provincial structures, some of which were motivated by jealous, gossip and malice.

She said it was time for people to unite and not pull each other down for self-serving purposes.

"It's us women who have the task to strengthen the party like mothers, so we don't want to be shouting at each other. We don't want to insult each other over untruths. I don't think it's right to do this kind of thing. We must have unity of purpose which I emphasised during my Meet the People tour," she said.

"Let's unite, Let's not gossip about each other. Those that left the party are now gone. Let bygones be by bygones and move forward. If we continue firing others and discrediting them when is the Politburo going to do its work.

"Politburo is there to make the country progress, so let's not burden it with trivialities like what we're doing now", she said.

Mugabe urged members of the Women's League to put their differences aside and work for the good of the party.

"We've a mammoth task ahead of us," she said. "I therefore urge you all to put aside whatever differences you might have among yourselves and work wholeheartedly for the party and, indeed for the women who've entrusted us with the role and responsibility to lead them and change their livelihoods," she said.

"We don't want any Judas Iscariots amongst us. I repeat, we don't want any betrayers."

Mugabe said the future of the party depended on a well managed Women's League. "I therefore appeal to you not to focus on trivial issues and to desist from factionalism, gossiping, dishonesty, lying and back-biting as these are counterproductive and only serve to divert our attention from real developmental issues that matter," she said.

"Under my leadership, ladies, this I'll not tolerate."

She urged all Women's League national executive members to be conversant with their portfolios and what they entailed.