FIRST Lady Grace Mugabe is emerging as a powerful political force in Zanu PF with information emerging that some party bigwigs are now abandoning their factions to rally behind her. STAFF REPORTER
Sources said although the president’s wife was not interested in any position within the party, she has become an influential figure as she fights to ensure that the interests of the First Family are secured when President Robert Mugabe eventually leaves office.
A senior Zanu PF official said Grace became more interested in national politics after it emerged that a section in Zanu PF was pushing for Mugabe to quit before his five-year term of office expires in 2018.
He said Grace’s influence has seen 90-year-old Mugabe failing to implement certain decisions agreed by the party.
“There are some officials who were earmarked for certain positions, but this has not happened because they do not have the blessing of the First Lady,” the official said.
He said even when Mugabe appointed his Cabinet last year, the First Lady’s hand could be seen, as some of the selected ministers do not belong to any of the two main factions in Zanu PF.
The official said Mugabe used to be overprotected by people in his inner circle, including members of the presidium and security services who were allegedly blocking other officials from directly communicating with the Zanu PF leader.
But he said many officials who had no direct link to Mugabe now had Grace’s ears and attention.
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“Mugabe used to be fed with lies by some of his top officials who give him regular debriefings,” the official said.
He said some officials who used to be sidelined due to factional politics, were now communicating with Mugabe through Grace.
The group now said to be aligned to the First Lady, include Cabinet ministers, politburo members and some securocrats.
The official said whoever eventually succeeds Mugabe, he or she has to have the blessings of the First Lady.
Another source said Mugabe was increasingly being challenged by some senior Zanu PF officials who want him to quit.
A senior government official said the factional fights which have spilled to Parliament and the media were indirectly targeting Mugabe himself.
“No one has the courage to confront Mugabe. They attack each other in public, but it is becoming clear that the real target could be Mugabe,” he said.
The official said there was a section in the party which was accusing Mugabe of centralising power and frustrating their efforts to loot State resources through the current anti-corruption crusade.
“They are saying he is too old and should step down to let a younger leader take over,” he said.
The official claimed that the recent eviction of families at Manzou farm in Mazowe was engineered by a faction in the party in an attempt to embarrass Mugabe.
The official alleged the First Family did not sanction the manner in which the villagers were evicted from the farm to pave way for a wildlife sanctuary.
He also alleged that a section in Zanu PF supported the decision by the European Union to deny a visa to Grace to attend last week’s EU-Africa summit in Belgium.
Mugabe boycotted the EU-Africa summit in Brussels because Grace was denied a visa.
He also ordered the entire Zimbabwe delegation to stay away from the two-day meeting attended by 90 nations and 65 heads of government from Africa and Europe.
Mugabe has barred his party from debating his succession, claiming his position was not yet up for grabs.
On Friday, the Zanu PF leader said neither Vice-President Joice Mujuru nor Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa have an automatic ticket to take over from him.
Mujuru and Mnangagwa are touted as leading contenders in the race to succeed Mugabe. But the two repeatedly denied leading factions linked to them and claimed that they did not harbour presidential ambitions.
Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo was not willing to comment on the issue only saying the public spats between officials and simmering factionalism in the party would be dealt with at an appropriate time.
Grace’s spokesperson, Lawrence Kamwi, could not be reached for comment yesterday.
