PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe's wife, Grace, on Friday hit out at ousted MDC-T secretary general Tendai Biti, accusing the former finance minister of arrogance, adding that his party's electoral loss to Zanu PF a year ago was God's punishment for his ‘know-it-all’ attitude.
Grace was speaking at her Mazowe orphanage just after she had been asked by a group of Zanu PF women politicians to run for the post of party women's league secretary ahead of Zanu PF's elective congress in December this year.
"Hakuna musi wandichati ndinoziva, hakuna musi wandichati aiwa izvi ndinozvigona (There is never a time l will brag saying l know it all)," Grace said to loud applause.
In attempts to be clearer, Grace said she was reminded of the former finance minister during the swearing in ceremony at the inception of the GNU cabinet in 2009 when Biti, she claimed, bragged about being Mr-know-it-all.
Referring to the coalition Cabinet’s swearing in ceremony, Grace said: "Vamwe vese vakauya vachizvininipisa, vachizvininipisa, auya Biti zvikanzi 'zvino zvawapihwa basa rehuMinister of Finance unorigona here, zvikanzi hapana chandisingagoni'. (Every appointee humbled themselves during swearing in except for Biti who, when asked if he was equal to the task of being Finance Minister, he replied 'l know everything'.)"
Grace said Biti, a lawyer who became finance chief thanks to the GNU, was now a parliamentary backbencher.
"Munoziva ukadaroso pamberi pevanhu Mwari anokupa nzvimbo yako, hanonoki, haambononoka kukupa nzvimbo yako; ungave intelligent sei but Mwari anokupa nzvimbo yako. Zvino vakaipihwa nzvimbo yavo; iyoyo yavari ndoyavo, ehe kwawakakodzera Mwari anongokupa ipapo. Harizi benzi Mwari. (God is not insane. If you become arrogant he takes you back to where you rightfully belong and where they (the MDC) belong is where they are right now)."
After laying into the MDC politician, Grace, who has just turned 49, sang praises for her 90 year old husband, whom she described as humble and exceptional.
She said she has lived with Mugabe for decades but has failed to understand his strong character, adding the veteran president was an incorruptible leader who put his people's wishes ahead of his own.
"Ndinogara nemurume anonzi Mugabe; murume akangwara iyeye, handidi kukunyeperai. Munoziva dzimwe nguvaso, you don't even know what makes him tick," she said.
"Haumbomunzwisisa kana ini mudzimai wavo nanhasi ndinovatarisa handisati ndavanzwisisa. Havazi munhu akazhangandira, havazi munhu anotaurisa haazi munhu anombokudeedza mumwe musi kuti huya tigare timbopanana mari undisapote havambofi vakadaro.
"Munhu akamirira chokwadi, munhu anozvipira kushandira nyika, munhu aka sacrifaiza kuti zveupenyu kana kufara hazvinei neni; ndoda bedzi kuti Zimbabwe iyenderere mberi."
Grace said Mugabe was a rare leader who has never tried to lure his lieutenants, among them Senate President Edna Madzongwe or Vice President Joice Mujuru into nicodemously sharing state funds among themselves for fear of retiring from politics "empty handed".
"Ndochinonzi leadership ichocho. Handina kumbobvira ndanzwa kuti Madzongwe huya pano mai Mujuru huya pano; huya ndimboona kuti mari toita sei because taakukura tisina chatiinacho, handisati ndambovanzwa vachidaro."
She also said with the rate at which the MDC-T was splitting, it would end up in 20 pieces and each politician would end up leading their own faction.