eNCA | Grace Mugabe supporters take to Harare streets
JOHANNESBURG – Thousands of Zanu PF supporters marched on the streets of Harare on Wednesday in support of first lady Grace Mugabe.
Mugabe is accused of assaulting 20-year-old Gabriella Engels while in South African a few weeks ago.
#Zimbabwe supporters of Grace Mugabe attending her rally in Harare pic.twitter.com/rcHVJ5AtCg
— Reagan Mashavave (@ReaganMashavave) August 30, 2017
But, the Zimbabwean first lady has since been granted diplomatic immunity and was allowed to leave the country.
Zanu PF supporters are standing firmly behind their first lady.
Some say they still want Grace Mugabe to lead the Zimbabwean governing party’s women’s league, despite being accused of assaulting Engels.
“We are talking about supporting the President and the First Lady, we are saying please continue with leading the party government and the nation, that’s what we are doing here,” said Zanu PF MP, Shadreck Mashayamombe.
“This is a solidarity march to reaffirm our support for the First Family, the First Lady and President Robert Mugabe against all sorts of insults. This is a solidarity march organised by war veterans. On that view we have come to reaffirm our support to the President and first family,” added another Zanu PF MP, Wonder Mashange.
Mugabe’s supporters were seen carrying placards condemning Engels and AfriForum, the group that’s helping her with the criminal case.
They’re accusing them of tarnishing Mugabe’s image.
“We are here to support the First Lady Grace Mugabe for what she did for us, she has been taking care of the orphans and also supporting women like me. So we are here to support her,” said ZANU PF supporter, Madzinyanyika.
But, not everyone is in the Zimbabwean first lady’s corner.
A group of opposition parties, under the National Electoral Reform Agenda coalition, held their own demonstration against Mugabe at the South African Embassy in Harare.
This demonstration was, however, deemed illegal by Zimbabwean police, who said the organisers were never granted a clearance.
They’ve given anti-Mugabe demonstrators a week to re-apply for permission.
eNCA