President Robert Mugabe's wife on Sunday said she is ready
to succeed her husband as tensions rise in Zimbabwe's ruling party over who
will take over from the country's ageing leader.
"I say to Mr Mugabe you should ... leave me to take
over your post," she said in an address to thousands of indigenous church
followers at a stadium in Harare.
"Have no fear. If you want to give me the job give it
to me freely," Grace Mugabe said. Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who
had been touted as a possible successor to the 93-year-old Mugabe, has recently
fallen out with him.
On Saturday the president threatened to fire Mnangagwa,
accusing him of fanning factionalism to garner support ahead of a party special
congress due in December.
Amid party divisions over who should become the leader --
an event only likely to occur when the incumbent dies -- Grace Mugabe, 52, said
the party will soon change its constitution to allow a woman to be vice
president.
The move would likely see her replace Mnangagwa and pave
the way for her to succeed her husband, who is Africa's oldest president and
has ruled the former British colony for 37 years.
Mnangagwa was appointed vice-president in 2014, taking over
from Joice Mujuru -- who was axed after Grace Mugabe launched a campaign
accusing her of plotting to topple the president.
Mugabe's wife on Sunday also accused Mnangagwa of a dark
past of clandestine plots, including planning to stage a coup around the time
of Zimbabwe's independence in 1980.
"In 1980 this person called Mnangagwa wanted to stage
a coup. He wanted to wrestle power from the president. He was conspiring with
whites. That man is a ravisher," said Grace Mugabe.
Despite his advanced age and concerns over his health,
Mugabe has refused to name a successor.
He has been endorsed as his party’s candidate for next
year’s election.
AFP
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