The absence of Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa from the Heroes’ burial of Maud Muzenda and George Rutanhire following reports of his food poisoning two weeks ago, yesterday prompted President Robert Mugabe to query why there was so much talk about witchcraft in Masvingo, because he was now being implicated too.
Addressing mourners, Mugabe said: “Taiti Masvingo mukusupporter struggle, yaive upon-upon, Number One munyika. Takanga tisina vanogeda-geda semazuva ano aya. Haisiriyo tradition yeMasvingo yatiri kuona iyi. Zvava zvimwewo izvi.
“Kunonzi ikoko vanoona varoyi. Hameno kuti varoyi vacho vanoonekwa varipi. Ndaive naVaHungwe musi uno, ndichibvunza kuti, nhai VaHungwe, ko hamugadziridze izvi zvatiri kuona izvi?
“Kwakungonzi vanhu vose, even up to the President, muroyi. Ah ah ah! Kwatabva kwese uku? Kovangani vandauraya? Zvinobva kuMidlands here zvichienda kuMasvingo? Hatina zvevaroyi muparty. Tine vanotsaudzira gwara, hongu, asi varoyi kwete.
“Saka, kana muine huroyi or hun’anga hwekuona varoyi, ah, hazvimo muparty izvozvo. Saka, tinoti down with your witchcraft! Kwatabva tanga tisina izvozvo.”
Mnangagwa started fell sick and started vomiting at a youth rally in Gwanda two weeks ago and was rushed to hospital in South Africa.
There were allegations that he was poisoned while other reports said he ate stale food.
Mugabe said that Mnangagwa was only able to attend the body viewing at Stodart Hall yesterday and asked to be excused.
“Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa tanga tiinavo asi vati muviri wavo hausati wanyatsopora, saka kuHeroes Acre handichaenda. As per ma instructions anachiremba vari kuHarare, havasungirwe kuzviita strain at this juncture. Saka vaenda kunozorora,” he said.
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