Zimbabwe's main opposition lawmakers last week gave Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa a tough time in parliament when they sought assurance on the country’s governability following First Lady Grace Mugabe’s recent outburst against senior Zanu-PF and government officials, a report says.

Grace recently told Zimbabwe's vice presidents at a campaign rally in Chinhoyi that they were serving at her husband's will.

The first lady warned her husband’s deputies Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko that they risked losing their jobs if they did not perform to the expectations of President Robert Mugabe, 93.

She also ridiculed Local Government Minister Saviour Kasukuwere over his "big belly".

Grace then went on to humiliate Mugabe's spokesperson George Charamba for ignoring her philanthropic work in Mazoe while giving her "party rivals" positive coverage.

A few days earlier, the First lady had publicly urged her ageing husband to name his successor.

All this reportedly worried opposition lawmakers leading them to seek answers from Mnangagwa  in parliament.

'Internal party matters'

According to New Zimbabwe.com, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) lawmaker, Nelson Chamisa, asked whether the outbursts were not an indication that the government was beleaguered by "serious problems".

But, Mnangagwa downplayed the outburst as internal party squabbles.

Mnangagwa said that the opposition party lawmaker was free to join the ruling party if he wanted to discuss internally party matters.

However, his response seemed to make matters worse as another MDC-T lawmaker James Maridadi joined in - asking why the first lady attacked presidential spokesperson in public.

Mnangagwa again played down the attack, saying there was "no other platform to address the matter other than where it had happened".

"A matter arose at a public meeting and if there are any answers to be given they must be given at the same forum. In a democracy like the democracy we have, such meetings are covered for the benefit of the nation," said Mnangagwa.