Mugabe rules out his wife Grace succeeding him for now saying he intends soldiering on

ZIMBABWEAN president Robert Mugabe has ruled out suggestions that his wife Grace will automatically become the nation's next leader declaring that his successor must be chosen democratically.

 

Now Africa's oldest ruler, President Mugabe turned 92 this year and of late there has been a debate about who succeeds him when he leaves office. A former television broadcaster, Mrs Mugabe, 50, is currently the head of the ruling party Zanu-PF's Women's League and is regarded as the front runner to succeed her husband.

 

With President Mugabe not expected to remain in power for much longer following his 36 years at the helm, members of Zanu-PF's politburo are engaged in an intense battle to succeed him. Yesterday, however, President Mugabe declared that his wife will not automatically inherit the role.

 

President Mugabe said: “Why successor? I am still there. Why do you want a successor? I did not say I was a candidate to retire. Leaders were elected not appointed.

 

“In a democratic party, you don’t want leaders appointed that way to lead the party. They have to be appointed properly by the people, at a gathering of the people, at a congress.”

 

Many commentators have regarded this as a clear indication that Mugabe intends to remain in office as a president for life. He added that he was not behind his wife Grace’s quick rise within Zanu-PF.

 

 “Others say the president wants to leave the throne for his wife. Where have you ever seen that, even in our own culture, where a wife inherits from her husband?” President Mugabe added.