Grace tells Mujuru to resign

She was speaking at the Amai Mugabe Children’s Home in Mazowe, Mashonaland Central province, where she met with war veterans.

Her statement is culmination of the verbal attacks she launched on Mujuru, Mugabe’s sole deputy in government and Zanu (PF), and senior party members linked to her faction.

Recently she accused Mujuru of corruption and incompetency. The First Lady claimed that she was instrumental in elevating Mujuru to her current position in the party in 2004.

“I told the women in the party that they must make use of the quota reserved for women. They then started coming to me for advice and I told them that they should elevate Joice Mujuru. That is what happened and I was proud to have played an active role in elevating a woman to that position,” Grace said to ululations.

Earlier this, Mugabe insinuated that Mujuru was not guaranteed to take over from him. The public announcement made in his home province of Mashonaland West took many by surprise.

When Mujuru was made vice president in 2004, Mugabe said he had a dream for her to rise to a higher position, which was interpreted as his anointment of his deputy as his successor.

Grace’s statement today is seen as part of the plot by a rival camp led by Emmerson Mnangagwa to undermine Mujuru.

The elite decision making body, the politburo, will meet on Friday and Mujuru’s position is reported to be high on the agenda.

Grace’s statement could be a precursor of what the politburo will resolve.