(Last Updated on August 20, 2015 by Editor)
HARARE – Vice President Mnangagwa and controversial First Lady Grace Mugabe have openly differed on whether Prosecutor General Johannes Tomana should continue in office following his recent utterances that 12 year olds could marry if thy so wished.
While the First Lady has continued to pour vitriol over Tomana’s continued stay, Mnangagwa has maintained that the Prosecutor General has not done anything to warrant dismissal.
Mr Tomana had maintained his innocence insisting that he was misquoted despite the availability of an audio interview he had with Chronicle reporter in Bulawayo in which he is heard clearly saying that 12 year olds must be given an opportunity to marry to ease their poverty and empty lives.
Addressing a rally in Binga recently, the First Lady reiterated that Tomana was no longer fit to serve as the prosecutor general. She said Tomana’s defense that he was misquoted was not convincing in a light of an audio recording where he is clearly insinuating that 12-year olds could marry.
“We don’t want people who say stupid things and then come out tomorrow to say I was misquoted. Such kind of people are not needed. He is supposed to protect vulnerable children but now he is the first to say they can be married off, no hatidi izvozvo (we don’t want that), the man must immediately leave office,” said Grace.
In a clear defiant mood, Vice President Mnangagwa who also heads the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs scoffed at attempts to sack Tomana telling Parliament that the prosecutor general had done nothing wrong.
It seems the feud between the two have now spilled to Mnangagwa’s wife Auxillia who recently led a team to Mazowe to try and impress upon Mugabe’s wife that all was not well in Midlands where local Gweru businesswoman Smelly Dube is allegedly using a her financial muscle to instigate factionalism.
Auxillia’s team’s attempt to besmirch the Gweru-based businesswoman did not succeed as the First Lady told them that they needed to work together. She told the group that she could not discuss the businesswoman in her absence.
It has also emerged that the party’s Youth League was seeking a meeting with Grace to raise issues concerning the Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri who is said to be instigating factionalism in Manicaland Province. Muchinguri is a ZANU PF Central Committee and Politburo member representing Manicaland Province.
Muchinguri worked with Grace Mugabe as the gang of four comprising of herself, Jonathan Moyo, Saviour Kasukuwere and Patrick Zhuwawo to dislodge former Vice President Mujuru through crafting allegations that she intended to assassinate President Mugabe.
No sooner had they dislodged Mujuru that racks emerged as Muchinguri felt that she had not been adequately rewarded. She has since abandoned the Gang of Four and has now aligned himself with the Mnangagwa group.