News: Zimbabwe’s First Lady, Grace Mugabe Announces That She’ll Be President After Her Husband, Robert Mugabe

0 KIKI GIST Thursday, November 24, 2016

The wife of Robert Mugabe, long serving president of Zimbabwe, First Lady Grace Mugabe has announced that she would be taking over the Presidency after her husband retires.

The First Lady has reportedly told a powerful bloc in the ruling Zanu-PF (Zimbabwe African National Union- Patriotic Front) party that she was already the president of the country as she ‘plans and does everything with President Robert Mugabe.’
According to reports, a leader of the Zanu-PF women’s league, Angeline Muchemeyi, is quoted as saying that Grace Mugabe said she was not interested in the post of vice president as was earlier reported as plans continue as to who succeeds the 92-year-old Mugabe. The First Lady said “I’m the wife of the president, I’m the president already … I plan and do everything with the president, what more do I want, for now the position of the women boss is enough.”

The subject of who takes over from Mugabe has come up time and again. Grace Mugabe who currently leads the women’s league of the party is seen as a strong contender. She has held the post since 2014. However, Zimbabwe’s two vice presidents, Phelekezela Mphoko and Emmerson Mnangagwa, have been named as other possible successors.

This comes after President Mugabe, while speaking to a group of war veterans at the weekend announced a time line for his resignation while admitting that the country’s economy was crumbling. Mugabe has been President of Zimbabwe since 1987 and is widely regarded as one of the world’s dictators.
However, the ruling party confirmed that Mugabe will be contesting the country’s next election in 2018 and if he is re-elected, he will only retire in 2023, when he turns 99.