Mugabe breaks silence

Politics
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe yesterday strongly spoke about factionalism in Zanu PF, but skirted demands by his wife that Vice-President Joice Mujuru must resign.

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe yesterday strongly spoke about factionalism in Zanu PF, but skirted demands by his wife that Vice-President Joice Mujuru must resign.

Staff Reporter

The First Lady Grace Mugabe has been publicly calling for Mujuru’s resignation, accusing her of incompetence, corruption and dividing Zanu PF.

Grace told recent rallies that Mugabe was also tired of his deputy and she appeared to enjoy the backing of a Zanu PF faction. But at a luncheon to mark the official opening of the 8th Parliament, Mugabe only spoke of unnamed Zanu PF officials he accused of “abusing their positions”.

“In my party, people want positions, they want to push senior people out,” he said, adding that his post was not yet up for grabs.

“If you are in a position, use the position you have effectively, not wanting to push others out. It’s wasting our time, we should be in the field working and as we go to congress, we are going to see how we can be effective in our practical programmes, not to see who you can push out.”

He said people should appreciate positions given to them and stop abusing those positions to settle personal scores.

“We are going to congress and we must stop all that nonsense,” Mugabe fumed.

“People say Mugabe is old, I came a long with the party to be here, fighting whites, jails and the fighters only for a young person to say that.”

The Zanu PF politburo is expected to meet today to consider a report from outgoing women’s league boss Oppah Muchinguri on Grace’s rallies. Mujuru’s rivals used the rallies to denigrate her and introduce slogans such as “forward with Mazowe Crush” and “down with Gamatox”.