SAN FRANCISCO, July 27, (THEWILL) – Zimbabwean First Lady Grace Mugabe has confronted her husband, President Robert Mugabe, to name his preferred successor to end deepening divisions in the ruling party.
Grace believes that naming a successor for ageing Robert could stem the crisis over the future leadership of Zimbabwe’s ruling party, ZANU-PF.
Africa’s oldest leader, Mugabe, 93, has ruled the former British colony since independence in 1980 but has insisted that ZANU-PF, and not him, will choose his eventual successor when the time comes.
However, at a meeting of ZANU-PF’s women’s wing in Harare, Grace Mugabe contradicted the veteran leader, who also attended the meeting, saying he should name a successor.
“The First Lady and Zanu PF Secretary for Women’s Affairs have challenged the President to name his successor saying this has been the trend in other countries.
“The First Lady said there is nothing wrong with Mugabe naming his successor, saying the move will enable all members to rally behind one candidate,” local news reported.
Fighting over leadership of a post-Mugabe ZANU-PF has intensified in the last three years, with two distinct camps emerging, one supporting Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the other rooting for Grace Mugabe.
Meanwhile, Mugabe is ZANU-PF’s presidential candidate for the 2018 election, due after July 21, 2018, his last under the constitution and will be 99 years if he wins and completes the five-year term.
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