Former President Robert Mugabe really lampooned himself when he opened doors to the international media to talk about how he was removed from power and his thoughts about his successor President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Mugabe, who said he was removed through a coup and this was a disgrace to the country and to the region, exposed shocking memory lapses which might lead people to believe that the military did him a favour by “forcing” him to step down.
In an interview with John Ray of ITV news, for example, Mugabe said he was not grooming his wife Grace to take over.
When told that ZANU-PF said the problem was not with Robert Mugabe but his wife because you wanted Grace Mugabe to be the next president, Mugabe responded:
“Aah but that’s nonsense. Anyone who becomes president must be a member of the party. She wasn’t. And must also be processed within this party system.”
Grace Mugabe became the party’s secretary for Women Affairs in 2014 and sat in the politburo until the military intervention.
Asked whether he wants to become president again, Mugabe said: “No. I don’t want to be the president again. I am now 94. I perhaps look younger than yourself. I have had my time..
“Fine.. I would have wanted to support Emmerson’s bid but through the party system. And the system that we have, the party chooses you as a candidate and as a candidate you must be voted for by the people so you must go through the election process which he hasn’t done at all and after working for so many years with him I didn’t think he would be the man to reject the election process.”
When told that a lot of people would not accept Mugabe’s criticism of Mnangagwa because he had allegedly stolen a lot of elections while Mnangagwa was promising free and fair elections, Mugabe responded: “A promise is not the reality it’s just a promise. Fine, if he is promising at least it’s a good start. I am prepared to join him in making the promise a reality.”
You can listen to the interview here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJG74nnDNAk
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