Zimbabwe: Mujuru Is My Comrade, Says Mnangagwa
New Zimbabwe
JUSTICE Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa on Saturday said there is no bad blood between him and Vice-President Joice Mujuru describing tales of a fall-out between the two as the figment of the media.
Mnangagwa told a Zanu PF provincial coordinating committee meeting in the Midlands capital of Gweru that him and Mujuru "were comrades who understand each other" adding he "has never denigrated the vice-president".
"Tell me where you have ever heard me saying bad things about the vice-president or where you have heard her say the things you people claim.
"You can pick up all the newspapers and I can bet you will never find such things. We understand each other as comrades.
"She is my best friend; it is only people with small minds, minnows, who try to think for us. Well there is freedom of speech and that is allowed," said Mnangagwa.
Mnangagwa and Mujuru are reportedly leading two factions in Zanu PF that are battling to succeed the 90-year-old President Robert Mugabe.
The battle has however turned nasty as Zanu PF edges towards a key congress in December.
Mujuru has since August been subjected to vicious attacks by Mnangagwa loyalists who have accused her of attempting to stampede Mugabe out of power.
Mugabe's wife, Grace, took the fight by the cudgels when she sensationally claimed that Mujuru was corrupt and was leading a bid to oust her husband from power, charges the vice-president denied.
The Zanu PF politburo last week banned a litany of hate-filled slogans mainly pointed at Mujuru and her supporters. Mnangagwa said such slogans, which were popularised by Grace Mugabe, were "individualistic".
"Slogans such as 'Pasi neGamatox' (Down with Gamatox, a reference to Zanu PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa) and Pasi nezvipfukuto (Down with weevils, a reference to Mnangagwa loyalists) are individualistic, they tend to promote divisions among the party," Mnangagwa said.
"It is not just these two but there are more, we don't want people to wake up one morning and come up with a slogan just because they have differed with someone. We need constructive slogans like the ones that assisted us prosecute the liberation war and win."
Mnangagwa however added that the disagreements in the party were signs of a party in good health and a sign of democracy at work.
"It is very healthy for any political party to have people expressing different views; it sharpens the understanding of our ideology, the understanding of our direction as to where we want to go.
"We can't have a party with people who agree on everything, from issue A to Z but those disagreements should only be constructive disagreements intended to bring out the best in the party not contradictions that are intended to cause insecurity in the party; those we do not need.
"When people express different views it shows that, that party is democratic, that the party allows people to express themselves, and at the end of the day the best and the good goes forward," he said.
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| Zimbabwe ruling party leaders have been embroiled in a factional dispute. |
JUSTICE Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa on Saturday said there is no bad blood between him and Vice-President Joice Mujuru describing tales of a fall-out between the two as the figment of the media.
Mnangagwa told a Zanu PF provincial coordinating committee meeting in the Midlands capital of Gweru that him and Mujuru "were comrades who understand each other" adding he "has never denigrated the vice-president".
"Tell me where you have ever heard me saying bad things about the vice-president or where you have heard her say the things you people claim.
"You can pick up all the newspapers and I can bet you will never find such things. We understand each other as comrades.
"She is my best friend; it is only people with small minds, minnows, who try to think for us. Well there is freedom of speech and that is allowed," said Mnangagwa.
Mnangagwa and Mujuru are reportedly leading two factions in Zanu PF that are battling to succeed the 90-year-old President Robert Mugabe.
The battle has however turned nasty as Zanu PF edges towards a key congress in December.
Mujuru has since August been subjected to vicious attacks by Mnangagwa loyalists who have accused her of attempting to stampede Mugabe out of power.
Mugabe's wife, Grace, took the fight by the cudgels when she sensationally claimed that Mujuru was corrupt and was leading a bid to oust her husband from power, charges the vice-president denied.
The Zanu PF politburo last week banned a litany of hate-filled slogans mainly pointed at Mujuru and her supporters. Mnangagwa said such slogans, which were popularised by Grace Mugabe, were "individualistic".
"Slogans such as 'Pasi neGamatox' (Down with Gamatox, a reference to Zanu PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa) and Pasi nezvipfukuto (Down with weevils, a reference to Mnangagwa loyalists) are individualistic, they tend to promote divisions among the party," Mnangagwa said.
"It is not just these two but there are more, we don't want people to wake up one morning and come up with a slogan just because they have differed with someone. We need constructive slogans like the ones that assisted us prosecute the liberation war and win."
Mnangagwa however added that the disagreements in the party were signs of a party in good health and a sign of democracy at work.
"It is very healthy for any political party to have people expressing different views; it sharpens the understanding of our ideology, the understanding of our direction as to where we want to go.
"We can't have a party with people who agree on everything, from issue A to Z but those disagreements should only be constructive disagreements intended to bring out the best in the party not contradictions that are intended to cause insecurity in the party; those we do not need.
"When people express different views it shows that, that party is democratic, that the party allows people to express themselves, and at the end of the day the best and the good goes forward," he said.
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