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In German they say, “Die Lüge hat die kurze Beine, aber es läuft schneller, als die Wahrheit”.

The literal translation of that is: “The lie has short legs, but it runs faster than the truth”.

It is also held true, though, that no matter how fast a lie runs, it’s just a sprint, never a marathon.

If there is one important thing that may have occurred this week it is one of the clearest hints that Zimbabwe and the world may have been sold a lie.

It is a lie about the so-called factionalism in general and in particular the purported rift between the First Lady Dr Amai Grace Mugabe and Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa with the former trying to prevent the succession of VP Mnangagwa.

In the past few weeks, the private media have been running with this story so much so that it almost became a reality in the minds of some people.

Yes, a lie has that nasty habit of pretending to be a truth when it is said enough – ad nauseam.

In media we call it agenda setting.

The private media has been harping on about this lie because they seek to destabilise the ruling party, the longtime bete noire of their political choice, the opposition MDC-T.

The private media has been so dogged in this agenda that you could not help but get the smell up in your nose.

But the lie is unravelling.

At a rally in Mbare on Thursday, the First Lady came out stating clearly that there is no bad blood between her and VP Mnangagwa and less so an ambition that outruns her current status and job as the current Women’s League boss.

We remember clearly her words in Mbare.

She said. “I am standing here as the wife of your President and as someone whom you chose to lead the women.

“Ndobva ndagumira ipapo, full stop nga! Handina chimwe chandiri kuda ini! They might say whatever they want that Amai needs a top post. I was given work to do by the people and I have got the energy.”

Could she be clearer than that?

Well, apparently!

Dr Amai was in Mberengwa yesterday.

Mberengwa is in the Midlands province, the home of VP Mnangagwa.

Many had speculated that this was a declaration of war – trying to fight the crocodile, pun intended, in its aquatic domain.

There would be blood on the floor, it was speculated.

Only it didn’t turn out that way.

We all saw how cordial and good natured the whole event was.

Even the body language of the purported protagonists was telling of the good blood between Dr Amai and VP Mnangagwa.

He called her Mambokadzi – the Queen.

He was happy the Queen was in his territory, and with the blessings of her hus- band.

The event occurred when he was not constrained by Government business, which may have prevented him to attend such rallies previously.

Mberengwa -Midlands – was blessed.

You have very scant reason to second guess VP Mnangagwa.

However, it was the First Lady who made the biggest point.

She said she was friends with VP Mnangagwa and their friendship has subsisted for a long time.

She said she trusts the VP and they have even been sharing food and vegetables.

She won’t even hesitate to eat anything from the VP’s house.

The First Lady also clarified that the upcoming party conference was not about positions but about reviewing progress since last year’s indaba.

Conferences are not elective – everyone knows that.

How the private media have been praying for an unconstitutional, uncalled for and improbable mutation of this situation only reveals a truth about their motivation.

VP Mnangagwa and the First Lady did not even have to prove anything.

It was all written on the wall.

There is nothing as much as a rift between the two.

Now, where is the much-vaunted hatred and bad blood between these two people – these two institutions?

It is clear that no such animosity exists.

It is only a figment of some people’s imagination.

What is interesting though is that the sprint of lies is coming to a puffing end -pretty soon.

This week was an important week no doubt and it will be shown with the direction the politics will take in the coming few days and weeks.

We have a strong reason to suspect that many people will be blindsided by the events.

We pity our colleagues in the private media who have had to live a lie.

The lie will soon run its last.

It is to be expected because the nature of lies is to run such sprints while the truth runs marathons.

We will not be surprised if today headlines are screaming lies and contrary to what took place at Mataga Growth Point.

It is how the private media operate in this country, shamefully so.

They should be suffering from something quite acute.

Perhaps, the First Lady actually knows the answer herself.

She told us at the rally in Mbare that the private media wanted to be bribed so they can write positive things about her.

In the absence of such corruption you see them going into overdrive with lies and malice.

It is a calculated evil and rumour-mongering.

But there is a bigger, more worrying aspect.

The journalists in the private media are hungry – which is why the First Lady so generously offered them food as part of her donations.

Our colleagues, some of whom go for months without pay, need that definitely.

Besides, it is known that a hungry man is an angry man!