No Plot to Oust Zimbabwe VP: Women’s League

October 1, 2016

Zanu-pf Women’s League Secretary First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe (left) greets Deputy Secretary for Environment and Tourism  Cde Auxillia Mnangagwa at the Women's League National Assembly meeting in Harare yesterday. — Picture by Justin Mutenda

Daniel Nemukuyu
Senior Reporter—
Zimbabwe Herald

Zanu-pf Secretary for Women’s Affairs First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe says the Women’s League is in full support of the party’s two Vice Presidents, Cdes Phelekezela Mphoko and Emmerson Mnangagwa. She dismissed wrong insinuations and misunderstandings drawn from the women’s cry to be represented in the party’s Presidium as implying efforts to remove one of the two VPs. Speaking at a Women’s League National Assembly meeting in Harare yesterday, Dr Mugabe said proposed amendments to a section of the zanu-pf constitution were wrongly misinterpreted as a strategy by women to oust one of the reigning VPs, stressing that the league was solidly behind the VPs’ leadership.

“Your Excellency, just to put the record straight, our resolution was misunderstood and misinterpreted. “The resolution was never meant to dispense with anyone. On this note, I wish to assure ubaba uVice Presidents and Second Secretary, Cdes Mnangagwa and Mphoko that you have our full support,” said Dr Mugabe.

During the 15th National Annual People’s Conference in Victoria Falls last year, the Women’s League resolved to push for the amendment of the revolutionary party’s constitution to allow for the appointment of a female Vice President. They wanted Article 7 (1) (b) of the ruling party’s constitution amended to reinstate the previous provision that one of the two VPs and Second Secretary shall be a woman.

The women gave the party up to the end of this year to effect the amendment ahead of the 2019 Congress. Yesterday, the women hailed Government, under the leadership of President Mugabe, for making great strides in promoting gender equity.

“It is gratifying to note that amongst our National Assembly members are women, whom you elevated to positions of decision-making both in the Party and Government, to promote gender equity as well as to dilute the male-dominated political space.

“In this regard, Cde President, on behalf of members of the Women’s League National Assembly and on my own behalf, I wish to express my sincere gratitude for your invaluable support. Furthermore, we appreciate the initiatives undertaken by Government under your (President Mugabe) wise stewardship in transforming the lives of women in Zimbabwe through progressive policies and legislation enacted since 1980,” said Dr Mugabe. She urged the private sector to play its part in complementing Government efforts to empower women.

“In this regard, we call upon the private sector to take a cue from the initiatives being undertaken by Government towards attaining 50:50 gender representation at all institutional levels as the constitutional obligation equally applies to them. We are hoping that the newly formed Gender Commission will work tirelessly towards the realisation of this constitutional requirement,” she said.

The Women’s League hailed President Mugabe for his stance against child marriages. The First Lady reiterated the women league’s support for the President in in 2018 elections.

“We want to reiterate our first resolution passed during the 15th National Annual People’s Conference that is, ‘to support President Cde Robert Gabriel Mugabe as the sole candidate for position of President and First Secretary for Zanu – PF as well as the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe for 2018 and beyond’.