By Paul Nyathi|ZANU-PF Secretary for Administration Obert Mpofu says that had Operation Restore Legacy failed, former President Robert Mugabe would have killed him.

Addressing a healing and reconciliation meeting at the party’s Bulawayo provincial offices at Davies Hall on Sunday, Mpofu said the operation was a life or death encounter which was initiated by the Bulawayo province and should have gone through without failure.

Mpofu said Mugabe’s wife had put Zanu-PF on a self-destructive mode until Bulawayo put its foot down during the so-called 9th youth interface rally.

“Bulawayo we are proud of you. You did something that eight other provinces failed to do. You said ‘no’ to a woman who was insulting other men and the Vice President. You are the ones who triggered the new dispensation,” said Mpofu.

He said Operation Restore Legacy could have been fatal had it failed and praised the army for the professional manner in which it handled the operation.

“For example, when the former president called a Cabinet meeting after the party had recalled him and initiated impeachment proceedings; I called for a meeting with the ministers as I was the most senior person in the party at that moment to find out who was attending it. Everyone said they were not attending but some people attended it,” he said.

“The former president later phoned me to come and apologise as he had been told I was the ring leader. But I said I couldn’t. So if the operation was not a success some of us could have been hanged.”

Mpofu said Mugabe was now tarnishing his revolutionary status by going to bed with opposition parties.

Mpofu said in his advanced age, the former President should be playing with his grandchildren instead of trying to be a king maker.

“We loved him and we still love him but he was led astray by his wife (Grace Mugabe) and still is. We should respect women, they are powerful. But a woman’s power should not be destructive. Zimbabwe still respects him but if he continues to follow her and her advisors, his political contributions will be tarnished,” said Mpofu.

“He should be enjoying retirement with his grandchildren while playing an advisory role to people like Cde Mnangagwa. But when he starts working with people like Chamisa it’s a problem. It’s nonsense.”