Addressing Zanu-PF supporters at White City in Bulawayo President Robert Mugabe dared Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa to form his own party.
Said Mugabe:
What I did not expect but which I had a bit of information about was that some people had arranged to send persons here to boo the First Lady. The First Lady speaks her mind. We can’t continue being quiet when we hear there are people who continue saying ‘this province (Masvingo) does not belong to Mugabe; this province belongs to Mnangagwa. Day in and day out we are insulted…by those people. We are being insulted in Mnangagwa’s name. Did I do wrong by appointing Mnangagwa as my deputy! If I did wrong, then I am demoting him as early as tomorrow. If he wants to form his party with those who support him, he must go ahead. We can’t have a party where we ridicule one another. I don’t like that! Those who want to stand behind me they stand behind me; those who do not want, let them go! Let them go! Hatinyengerere vanhu, hatife takanyengerera vanhu (we will never try to persuade them to remain). It doesn’t matter who. We are going to congress and that is where we are going to decide a lot. But I felt I should say it here because I am annoyed. On a day we were telling ourselves we are now concluding our interface (rallies), then we hear all this nonsense.
President Mugabe said those who are against his rule in Masvingo should be prepared to form their own party. Said Mugabe:
We can’t have you insulting us day in, day out. The likes of (Lovemore) Matuke, what are you! What do you think you are! Ok, go your way, we go our way.
Matuke, a Mnangagwa ally, is Zanu PF chief whip and Gutu Central MP.
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