Zimbabweans scoff at formation of Grace Mugabe’s new party

by MARCUS MUSHONGA 
HARARE, (CAJ News) – OUSTED President Robert Mugabe’s wife, Grace, and a faction of the ruling party fired alongside the Mugabes, have formed a new opposition party, New Patriotic Front (NPF), to contest upcoming elections.

The deposed president is said to be the brains behind the project alongside the so-called Generation 40 figureheads such as exiled former ministers Professor Jonathan Moyo, Saviour Kasukuwere and his Mugabe’s nephew, Patrick Zhuwao.

Zimbabweans have reacted with ridicule at the formation of the party three months after the demise of Mugabe from over 37 years in power.

They believed the formation of the splinter party will be a futile exercise against ZANU-PF in the elections set for between July and August this year.

“This new party is for murderers, killers, oppressors, dictators, economic plunders and human rights violators. I will neither listen to their manifesto nor attend their rallies,” said Tendai Hove of the capital Harare.

“He lambasted, “Mugabe and these thugs are well documented chief human rights violators. As such, they must go to hell with their party.”

Nyaradzai Mushekwi of the eastern border town of Mutare said if reports were true Mugabe was behind the formation of the NPP, it was evidence he
was “power drunk.”

“This old man (Mugabe turns 94 in a fortnight) does not grow old easily but I call upon all Zimbabweans to outrightly reject the party of murderers,” Mushekwi.

Njabulo Sibanda of the second capital Bulawayo also denounced the NPP’s formation.

He said Mugabe, his wife and beleaguered former ministers were “unmarketable.”

“Mugabe’s hands are bleeding with blood of people killed during Gukurahundi and previous election. Even journalists such as Itai Dzamara disappeared as a result of Mugabe and the likes of Moyo and Kasukuwere,” Sibanda said.

NFP has reportedly been seeking a coalition with Joice Mujuru, who the under pressure G40 faction spearheaded her dismissal from both ZANU- PF
and government in 2014 after allegations of planning to overthrow Mugabe.

Current president Emmerson Mnangagwa was fired from similar positions last year, prompting a military intervention that forced Mugabe to resign.

– CAJ News