Mugabe paves way for wife to take up fired VP’s position
After President Robert Mugabe successfully sacked Emmerson Mnangagwa, his long time political ally and a now former Vice President, sources have opened up to the fact that the step was taken by the President to pave way for his wife, Grace Mugabe, the First Lady, to take up the position.
Mnangagwa was sacked on Monday during a youth rally that the President had attended. The President accuses his once Vice President of trying to plot against him and his ZANU-PF party, and undermining his power as President.
Though Mnangagwa had earlier stated that he was going nowhere, and that he would stay to fight whoever is trying to make a mockery of the ZANU-PF party, his brave statements don’t seem to make much of a difference as the President still stands by his words.
‘I appointed Emmerson Mnangagwa my deputy. Like I did, so I can remove him,’ Mugabe stated on Monday as he fired his long time Vice President.
Mnangagwa’s being out of the picture now leaves his position vacant and so would be wished to be felt. According to the reports and different political analysts in Zimbabwe, the most suitable person to take up the post, and the reason why Mnangagwa was sacked anyways, is the First Lady, Grace Mugabe.
The First Lady launched her political career in 2014 and up to date, she has been a strong political and unshaken lady.
Grace Mugabe and Emmerson Mnangagwa have been seen at different occasions clashing and having a lot of misunderstandings, with their ideas always being parallel.
Mnangagwa has been the best candidate to succeed Mugabe in leading the country, something that Grace had never felt was right.
At this point, Ms. Mugabe is now expected to become Mr. Mugabe’s next deputy and potential successor.
It is said that, after the expulsion of Mnangagwa from the ZANU-PF party and his post as the VP, the ZANU-PF’s national provincial executives met separately and so passed resolutions to expel Mnangagwa’s supporters from the party as well.
‘The province recommended the expulsion of 39 individuals from the province who were involved with the Mnangagwa aligned faction, which is accused of disrespecting the party’s one center of power principal,’ reported a local newspaper.
ZANU-PF’s Harare Women’s League, led by the First Lady, also showed its full support towards Grace for the post of Vice President.
‘Harare supports the removal of Cde Mnangagwa from the post of Vice President and has resolved to recommend our Secretary for the Women’s League Dr Amai Grace Mugabe for the post of Vice President,’ said the Women’s League Joyce Kasinamunda, the provincial chairperson.
‘We must learn that if you are assigned to do a task by your superior, it does not mean you must override him and take over his leadership role like what Cde Mnangagwa was doing. He had become a frolic of his own. He had gone outside his job description,’ added Amai Undenge.
Sources have explained that what has happened to Mnangagwa is nothing new, as it was the same that happened to his predecessor, Joice Mujuru.
Reporter: Shamilah Namuddu