FORMER Bulilima East legislator Norman Mpofu yesterday said Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa and War Veterans minister Christopher Mutsvangwa should not cry foul for being vilified by First Lady Grace Mugabe, as they had “volunteered to be her foot soldiers” when the same modus operandi was used to purge former Vice-President Joice Mujuru last year.
BY SILAS NKALA
In an interview with Southern Eye yesterday, Mpofu said Grace should be hailed for “causing mayhem, and slowly, but surely destroying the monstrous Zanu PF from within”.
“For starters, she is a creation of the very people who are crying foul today. She is a product of patronage and anarchy that has been going on for a long time for the benefit of the entire Zanu PF system,” he said
Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa
“To a fair Zimbabwean, the current victims of the First Lady’s vitriolic attacks deserve the treatment (they are getting), as she is a monster created by the Mnangagwas and the Mutsvangwas of this country. I also view the First Lady as a blessing in disguise to liberate the people of Zimbabwe. Grace has singled-handedly damaged Zanu PF. She is destroying a monster.”
Mpofu’s remarks came as supporters of the two Zanu PF factions — G40 reportedly fronted by Grace and the Lacoste believed to be aligned to Mnangagwa — have drawn battle lines in the sand, as the race for President Robert Mugabe’s succession enters the defining moments.
At a rally just over a week ago, Grace publicly attacked Mnangagwa and his faction and threatened to name and shame them at her next address.
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Mpofu said Zanu PF should be left to destroy itself and opposition party leaders should not cry foul when the ruling party mauls its own.
“People must shut up. Zanu PF must be left alone to destroy itself. It has proved to be too cunning and scheming. This is a chance to avenge for Gukurahundi, Murambatsvina and the 2008 presidential election run-off violence. Parties like MDC-T must stop playing angels. They should be the last to condemn tear-gassing of the war veterans. This is an opportunity for all of us to sing from the same page when it comes to issues like human rights and lawlessness,”he said.
“Let us get real and allow others to get practical lessons instead of disturbing them with our crocodile tears.”
Police last Thursday stormed a war veterans’ meeting organised by Mutsvangwa in Harare and dispersed it, saying the gathering was illegal, but the latter have cried foul, accusing police of disrespecting the country’s liberation war fighters.
