The rush in the wake of President Robert Mugabe’s imminent exit has seen his wife accelerate her marathon visits across the country, this time in Matebeleland where she was just a few weeks ago.
Grace Mugabe who was never in politics before, is now doing all this in order to woo voters for support as soon as her husband is gone, analyst David Mamba says.
All is set for the First Lady Grace Mugabe’s rally to be held at Maphisa, Matabeleland South Province tomorrow with thousands of people expected to attend the event, the ZANU PF broadsheet media reports saying.
Senior Zanu-PF members from the province, members of the State Functions Committee and members of the business community yesterday held a preparatory meeting in Gwanda town.
Transport to ferry people from all the seven districts has been organised.
Zanu-PF acting provincial chairperson Cde Rabelani Choeni said he was happy with the preparations and encouraged the continued spirit of oneness among the people in province.
“We are very happy that the First Lady is coming to our province. Tomorrow we will go to the venue in Maphisa for the final touches. We are expecting thousands of people to attend the rally,” he said.
In an interview after the meeting, the Secretary for Legal Affairs and Women Issues at national level, Senator Tambudzani Mohadi said the province was ready to host Cde Mugabe.
“We are ready as a province to play host to the First Lady and our preparations are on schedule. All is set for Cde Mugabe’s rally and we expect thousands of people to attend,” said Sen Mohadi.
She said transport to the meeting venue was available in all the districts as individuals had volunteered to ferry the people.
Sen Mohadi invited women to come in their numbers to meet the First Lady.
“My message to every woman is, let us all come, meet and interact with our mother in numbers because this is an opportunity no woman should miss,” she said.
The First Lady has over the past weeks been conducting rallies in provinces where she has castigated some elements within Zanu-PF for sowing seeds of division in the ruling party.
Meanwhile, the meeting also discussed the progress made in fundraising for the Zanu-PF annual conference set for Victoria Falls this month, where it emerged that some districts have surpassed the set targets.