Grace Mugabe enters race

Politics
THE imminent grand entry into politics by President Robert Mugabe’s wife, Grace, is likely to add a new dimension to the intricate battle to succeed the 90-year-old leader, analysts said yesterday.

THE imminent grand entry into politics by President Robert Mugabe’s wife, Grace, is likely to add a new dimension to the intricate battle to succeed the 90-year-old leader, analysts said yesterday. STAFF REPORTER

Zanu PF’s women’s league on Friday reportedly nominated Mugabe’s wife to take over from Oppah Muchinguri at the party’s congress in December.

Muchinguri said Grace was being rewarded for standing by her husband during tough times.

A Zimbabwean policy analyst based in Canada said while there was nothing wrong in her venturing into politics, it would complicate the Zanu PF succession matrix.

“The First Lady Grace Mugabe like any other Zimbabwean, has the right to aspire and compete for political office,” he said.

“No law precludes her from running for political office. She would not be the first First Lady to hold political office during the tenure of her husband.

“Cristina Elisabet Fernández de Kirchner, president of Argentina succeeded her husband democratically.”

The analyst said there is a real possibility that Grace would gun for the presidency once she is in Zanu PF structures.

“She might go the Kirchner route; get elected in the Zanu PF structures and end up running for presidency,” he said.

“ In this case, people might believe that Mugabe wants to create a dynasty, considering already the time he has been president and the power he wields in the party.

“If that were the case, it will obviously divide the country worse considering that there are already two Zanu PF factions with an uneasy relationship.

“The two factions might not like Mugabe’s wife as a third competitor because it might likely effectively kill their political ambitions.

“A likely, better option for Mugabe’s wife and the country is to prepare for a post-presidential life, consolidating social and economic networks to further her philanthropic and economic interests than provide a third dimension to Zanu PF power struggles.”

Bulawayo-based analyst Dumisani Nkomo said Grace’s elevation could be a ploy by Mugabe to protect his political and economic interests in the event he steps down.

“The old man wants to protect his riches and interests and Grace is still young,” he said.

“She would also want to protect her financial interests. She is not a politician.

“She is a king maker and those that ignore it risk losing the succession war

“She may decide to be a politician one day and she has a gender card on her side. Anything is possible in politics, you never know.”

National University of Science and Technology lecturer Lawton Hikwa said it was too early to speculate on Grace’s political future.

“The media is putting it wrongly, members of the women’s league only requested the First Lady to lead them as secretary-general of the organ,” he said.

“The elective congress will decide in December, so for now let us wait for the process to be done. She may accept or think otherwise.”

Zapu secretary-general Strike Mkandla said Grace’s elevation was a non-event as she was not known to have any ideas that could transform the country.

“The issue is on the succession and her issue of being elevated to secretary-general is not of an interest to us,” he said.

“I have never known her to have any definite policies on the country’s economy.

“It does not matter who is taking or leaving the seat.

“It is the problem of the whole party, which lacks economic solutions and answers to the crises currently bedevilling the country.”

If she accepts the post, Grace would walk in the footsteps of Mugabe’s late wife Sally who became secretary-general of the Zanu PF women’s league in 1989.