Thousands of Zanu PF supporters staged a solidarity march in Zimbabwe’s capital city, Harare, on Wednesday to show support for underfire First Lady Grace Mugabe, who recently allegedly attacked a South African model she found in a hotel socializing with her sons, Mugabe Junior and Chatunga.
The marchers carried banners inscribed ‘Masvingo Yati Engels is Not an Angel’, ‘Gutu South: We Stand by Our Mother Grace’, ‘We Are on Solid Ground: Geared for 2018 + Beyond’, ‘Stop Victimizing Our Mother’ and several others.
The march was spearheaded by members of the Zanu PF Youth League and backed by the Women’s League and some top party officials following public attacks on Mrs. Mugabe, who sought diplomatic immunity after police in South Africa asked the first lady to hand herself to the police after allegedly assaulting Gabriella Engels.
Zanu PF administration secretary, Ignatius Chombo, told the marchers that people attacking Mrs. Mugabe on social media are tarnishing the image of the first lady.
Chombo advised members of the public to desist from posting messages on social media like Facebook and Twitter and messaging application, WhatsApp.
At the same time, war veteran, Mandiita Wepi Chimene, who participated in the march, took a swipe at some members of the ruling party alleging that Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa was poisoned while attending a rally organized by the Youth League two weeks ago.
She said members of the so-called Team Lacoste, said to be backing Mnangagwa to succeed 93 year-old President Mugabe, should stop causing havoc in the party.
Several other party officials expressed the same sentiments, noting that factionalism should come to an end in Zanu PF.
Several members of another Zanu PF faction called Generation 40, said to be a front for Mrs. Mugabe who also habours presidential ambitions, attended the march which had police protection.
Mrs. Mugabe and Mnangagwa have dismissed as untrue claims that they want to succeed Mr. Mugabe.