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Lovemore Chikova News Editor
The proposal by the Zanu-PF Women’s League yesterday to have First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe elevated to chair the powerful organ is not surprising, considering that it will not be the first time that a First Lady takes up the post.
The Women’s League members from all provinces converged at Amai Mugabe’s Children’s Home in Mazowe yesterday where they unanimously endorsed a decision to recommend that President Mugabe appoints Amai Mugabe at the party’s National People’s Congress in December.

Former First Lady, the late Amai Sally Mugabe, successfully led the Women’s League when she was appointed at the party’s National People’s Congress held at the Harare International Conference Centre in December in 1989.

Amai Sally Mugabe had been serving in the organ as the deputy secretary for the Women’s League since 1978.
Amai Sally Mugabe drew her strength from philanthropic work she carried out through the Zimbabwe Child Survival and Development Foundation which helped mainly disadvantaged children.

The situation is the same now, with Amai Grace Mugabe, who is being elevated to lead the organ on the background of the work she is doing at the Amai Grace Mugabe Children’s Home in Mazowe, where she is looking after orphans and other disadvantaged children.

Perhaps women are quick to realise that a person with a soft heart for children can easily transform the same feelings to other women if she leads them.

At least 5 000 delegates attended the 1989 congress where Amai Sally Mugabe’s name was announced in the 22-member Politburo that included luminaries like the then Senior Minister Cde Joshua Nkomo and Cde Simon Muzenda, who were elected the party’s two Vice Presidents.

During the reign of Amai Sally Mugabe, the Women’s League achieved a lot, including her efforts in initiating developmental programmes that benefited mainly women in various sectors of the country, especially in rural areas.

Now, history is set to repeat itself at the 2014 congress set for Harare in December when delegates will witness the elevation of yet another First Lady, this time Amai Grace Mugabe, to lead the women in the party.

And the status of women both in the party and the country is expected to flourish under the leadership of yet another First Lady who has first hand information and experience of what is needed to be done.

In the 1989 Politburo, Amai Sally Mugabe rubbed shoulders with the likes of Cdes Didymus Mutasa (administration), Emmerson Mnangagwa (finance), Moven Mahachi (commissariat), Stephen Nkomo (external relations), Sydney Sekeramayi (national security), Nathan Shamuyarira (information and publicity), Welshman Mabhena (transport and social welfare), John Nkomo (production and labour), Cde Ernest Kadungure (youth), Naison Ndlovu (economic affairs), Eddison Zvobgo (legal affairs), Joice Mujuru (education) and Herbert Ushewokunze (health and child welfare).

The deputies were Cdes Kotsho Dube (administration), Steven Vuma (finance), Edson Ncube (commissariat), Witness Mangwende (external relations), Dumiso Dabengwa (national security), Chen Chimutengwende (information and publicity), David Karimanzira (transport and social welfare), Enos Chikowere (production and labour), Thenjiwe Lesabe (women’s affairs), Kumbirayi Kangai (economic affairs), Norman Zikhali (youth affairs), Cyril Ndebele (legal affairs), Edna Madzongwe (education) and Dr Stanley Sakupwanya (health and child welfare).
Committee members in the Politburo were Cde Bernard Chidzero, Cde Richard Hove and Cde Nolan Makombe.