MOYO CRIED TO GRACE : MUGABE

FORMER President Robert Mugabe has for the first time narrated in intricate detail the events of last November, when the soldiers rolled out tanks into the streets eventually leading to his ouster, revealing how his former ministers, Jonathan Moyo and Saviour Kasukuwere escaped from their homes after being cornered by armed military personnel.

In his first interview since his ouster, Mugabe yesterday said the two sent an SOS to his wife, Grace claiming that they were under siege.

"Volleys of bullets were being fired at their houses and the cry came 'please, please' and it was my wife 'please mama, save us', I wasn't there," he said animatedly.

Mugabe said Grace then organised some of her security details and told them to go and save Kasukuwere and Moyo.

"She said go, go and save them. Whatever happens to you I don't know, you may die on the way, but go," he said.

"And she put together the cars and the persons that she had. I wasn't here and so they were brought to our house, Professor Jonathan Moyo and Kasukuwere and their families."

Mugabe claimed that more than 50 soldiers besieged Kasukuwere's house, where Moyo and his family had also sought refuge after the soldiers rolled out the tanks, a development that eventually led to Mugabe's ouster.

He, however, said the bullets did not go through the "shatter glass" at Kasukuwere's house.

Kasukuwere then called Grace, telling her that they were under siege and that was when the former First Lady sent her security detail to rescue them.

When the soldiers saw the two vehicles approaching, they left the place and that was how they were rescued.

The two families were then taken to Mugabe's Blue Roof mansion, with the former President saying his ministers' children were literally undressed when they were brought to his house.
Mugabe added that Grace risked her security officials to rescue Kasukuwere and Moyo's families on "humanitarian grounds" because their children were defenceless.
When they arrived, Grace told the two ministers to flee immediately and she facilitated their escape.

Adding to what her husband was saying, Grace alleged that one or two of her security officials were killed as the soldiers tried to prevent the two former ministers from escaping.

In an interview earlier this year, Moyo said he had been saved by "angels", but declined to go into detail.

Mugabe said the two ministers then managed to escape, but he did not go into detail about how they left and where they went to.

Earlier, Mugabe said former Finance minister Ignatius Chombo called him informing him about the tanks on the streets.

He said when they enquired with the army they were told that the vehicles were on their way to Mutare.

Later, he said he was shocked that the same tanks, which he described as "I am told ancient ones", were the ones that were all over Harare. Newsday