HARARE – Zimbabwe’s former president Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace have spoken in glowing terms about President Emmerson Mnangagwa, saying he is the clear winner of the 30 July 2018 presidential elections and that all that happened between them was now in the past.
Mugabe said he accepts the election result: “Akahwinha apa ndi Mnangagwa. Zvava mugwara. Isarudzo yeruzhinji. Hazvicharambika. Zvanezuro zvakapfuura.”
The Mugabe’s said this Wednesday evening while speaking at the funeral wake of Grace Mugabe’s late mother Gogo Idah Marufu.
Speaking at the same occasion, former First Lady Grace Mugabe heaped praise on President Emmerson Mnangagwa who chartered her a luxury plane to bring her home all the way from Singapore so that she could attend the funeral.
Said Grace Mugabe: “(Mnangagwa) loves us. He knows we we love him too. We pray for him because it’s God’s will that he is President. We pray that he be given the wisdom to lead the country.”
She said it did not matter that it took the death of her mother for President Mnangagwa to show them some love, adding that she felt comforted by ED’s kind gesture.
“I felt comforted,” Grace Mugabe revealed. “VaMnangagwa comforted me. If it takes my mother’s death for us to have the friendship we once had, then let it be.”
Grace thanked President Mnangagwa for chartering a new plane to bring her home to mourn her mother. “It was a beautiful plane, a brand new Gulfstream from Qatar. If I get rich I will buy one just like that!”
Former President Mugabe also took the opportunity to delve back into the events of November 2017 when he was deposed from power by the military.
Mugabe said those who staged the coup knew that Sydney Sekeramayi was his preferred successor. But he was quick to add that all was now in the past and everyone must dialogue and unite.
“Tavapazvitsva; ngatishandirei nyika yedu tichinzwanana,” Mugabe advised.
He also took the opportunity to narrate President Mnangagwa’s history in the struggle for liberation.
“Ana Mnangagwa ava tisu takavapa basa,” he said.
The former president said he did not know that Mnangagwa wanted to be President. “Sekeremayi ndiye wandaida kusiyira. Nyaya yekuti ndaida kusiira Grace aaah..”
Mugabe said the opposition must be allowed to oppose peacefully. “Ava vanokwikwidza ngavabvumirwe kukwikwidza mugwara rakanaka. Kwanhasi vakahwinha ndi ava (Mnangagwa)”
Mugabe had begun his speech with a narration of his family history back home in rural Zvimba
He also told mourners about falling in love with Grace while his late wife Sally was alive. He said he told Grace’s mother that although he was still married, Sally couldn’t give him children.
Mugabe also explained why he chose Singapore for his medical car. He said Mahathir Mohamed, the former Malaysian president, introduced him to better doctors in Singapore.
“Singapore hospitals are better because they have better specialists and better equipment. Va Mahathir (former president of Malaysia) ndivo vakandi introducer kuma doctor eku Singapore! Tainotariswa maziso, zvemukati, ma internal. Vainotarisa kana prostrate cancer, gland yedu yechirume.”-ZoomZimbabwe
