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My party’ll decide when I retire, Mugabe says

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Mugabe speaks on how he feels about his former deputy taking over from him

Long-serving Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has said that he will not impose a successor as he will leave the choosing for his party members to decide who becomes the anointed one for the 2018 elections.

Mugabe, the world’s oldest leader also hinted that the ruling ZANU-PF party would decide if and when he should retire, adding, that if the party feels he should retire, it would hold an extraordinary congress to choose a new leader for the forthcoming polls.

Speaking to thousands of supporters who gathered to celebrate his birthday at a school in Matobo just outside the second biggest city Bulawayo, Mugabe said; “Others are saying ‘President, choose a successor before you retire’. Is that not imposition? Me imposing someone on the party? No, I don’t want that”.

“This is an issue for the congress to choose. We can have an extraordinary congress if the president retires but you said I should be your candidate in the next election.”

Read also: At 94 Mugabe declares to contest 2018 election, says there’s no replacement for him

Mugabe’s comments are coming weeks after his wife, Grace suggested when speaking to supporters of the ruling party that citizens of her country will still vote for her husband’s corpse, even when he is dead.

The wife of the 92-year-old leader who is seen as a possible successor to her ailing husband, made the comments without mincing words saying the move will show how people of Zimbabwe love their president.

‘One day when God decides that Mugabe dies, we will have his corpse appear as a candidate on the ballot paper. You will see people voting for Mugabe as a corpse. I am seriously telling you — just to show people how people love their president, she added.

Grace also accused some ruling Zanu-PF party officials of plotting to take over from her husband and said that if he dies supporters should put his name on the ballot to show their love for him.

 

 

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0 Comments

  1. Johnson Amadi

    February 27, 2017 at 3:14 pm

    Mugabe is the oldest president in the world, yet his people are not complaining he’s too old to rule them and they still don’t want him dead. How old is Buhari when compared to Mugabe’s age? Yet some evil Nigerians have already planned Buhari’s funeral! We need to repent in this country.

    • seyi jelili

      February 27, 2017 at 4:31 pm

      Hmmmmm. Forget that. Mugabe has been a strong man all these years and how many times have you heard he left his country to stay in the UK. If buhari is strong and healthy, no one would complain.

  2. Margret Dickson

    February 27, 2017 at 3:16 pm

    A true leader in a democratic dispensation will not select anyone as his successor, Nigerian leaders need to learn this, the act of imposition is anti-democracy. God will help us all. God bless Nigeria.

    • Roland Uchendu Pele

      February 27, 2017 at 3:30 pm

      I’m happy someone else saw that line of Mugabe’s. Imposition to him is an offence, no Nigerian politician thinks that way.

      A lesson that needs to be learned from the Legend.

  3. JOHNSON PETER

    February 27, 2017 at 6:13 pm

    How can they show love to Mugabe by including his name on the ballot paper even when he dies. Grace is stupid as well. Did she thinks zimbabwe is for Mugabe or how?

  4. Balarabe musa

    February 27, 2017 at 10:41 pm

    Baba buhari will also turn Nigeria to a haven of greatness soon to the extent we would be begging him to rule us till death.

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