Gweru comes alive as ED descends for youths rally
ZANU-PF yesterday further asserted its mass mobilisation clout when tens of thousands of its youth league members thronged an open space near Mkoba Teachers’ College for an interactive rally with President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The usually quiet and sleepy city of Gweru was turned into a sea of green and yellow as youths from all the 10 provinces jammed the streets making their way to the venue.
The tone for the big rally had already been set as hundreds of youths from the host province, Midlands staged a vigil at the venue while being entertained by various local up and coming musicians.
By 7:30AM yesterday, police were already directing traffic using the City-Mkoba Highway to use alternative routes due to the traffic jam as trucks and buses with youths from various provinces snaked to the venue.
Some impatient youths were seen disembarking from their trucks and buses a few kilometres from the venue and finishing the journey on foot.
So high was the morale that some could be seen toyitoying while singing revolutionary songs and chanting the popular #EdHasMyVote slogan.
At the venue the crowd that kept swelling with time was treated to captivating entertainment from various musicians including XQ.
The Master of Ceremonies and the security personnel had a torrid time trying to contain the record crowd which kept closing in on the space reversed for the VIP.
Senior Government officials started arriving at the venue at around 10AM with the President arriving at exactly 12 noon, sending the crowd into delirium.
With Jah Prayzah’s hit song, “Kutonga Kwaro” playing, the President went around greeting the jubilant crowd as he intermittently danced to the beat.
Soon after the national anthem was sung to kick start the proceedings with the President getting to the podium to address the youths at 3PM.
Meanwhile, President Mnangagwa descends on the farming town of Chegutu today as the ruling party rolls out its election campaign in Mashonaland West province, our Harare Bureau reports.
The President, who is expected to officiate at the renaming of formerly Fylde Airbase to Jason Ziyapapa Moyo Air Force Base, will address a star rally at Pfupajena Stadium in Chegutu.
In an interview yesterday, Zanu-PF Mashonaland West provincial chairman Cde Ziyambi Ziyambi said the party was ready to host the largest rally in the province. “Our preparations to host the President have been on course and all our relevant departments in the party and Government have left no stone unturned for a successful rally,” he said.
Cde Ziyambi said the provincial leadership had mobilised what they expect to be the largest crowd to welcome President Mnangagwa and his delegation.
Thousands of Zanu-PF supporters gave President Mnangagwa a thunderous reception in Manicaland when he addressed two meetings in Mutare and Buhera a fortnight ago. “We expect President Mnangagwa to be at Pfupajena Stadium at 12 O’clock in the afternoon. We have mobilised what could be the largest crowd to meet the President as we want to show Zimbabwe that Mashonaland West is ‘Mash Best’.
“With the preparations we have made I am certain that our supporters will descend on Chegutu and we will have a very successful rally tomorrow (today).”
The crowd will be entertained by two of Zimbabwe’s top musicians, Jah Prayzah and Sulumani Chimbetu.
“We have had tremendous support from our party structures while the provincial administrator’s office and Chegutu Town Council have been working hard to make sure all that is required to host the President and his delegation is in place,” he said.
President Mnangagwa on Wednesday proclaimed July 30 as the date Zimbabwe holds its harmonised elections. GOVERNMENT has started repossessing land from beneficiaries of land reform programme who have multiple farms and those whose properties exceed the recommended sizes to enable more people, particularly youths to benefit, President Mnangagwa said yesterday.
Addressing youths and party supporters during a Zanu-PF Youth League Convention at an open space adjacent to Mkoba Teachers’ College in Gweru, President Mnangagwa said Government had already started repossessing land from multiple farm owners which will soon be redistributed to new beneficiaries.
He said Government had also embarked on a farm downsizing exercise to enable a wider inclusion of locals in the farming sector and ensure maximum utilisation of land to realise optimum yields.
“Those that have multiple farms, we are going to repossess that land and redistribute it. We have started doing so. We are also going to be downsizing farms that exceed the recommended sizes. We want fairness in the distribution of land. We want our farmers to be productive. We are saying good bye to hunger. We have lined up programmes in the agricultural sector. We are saying to Mrs (Minister Oppah) MuchinguriKashiri harvest water and use it together with (Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement) Minister Perrance Shiri in agriculture. We have received centre pivots from Spain and they are being assembled,” he said.
President Mnangagwa said the country had taken a new and interesting trajectory in economic development.
He said Government had lined up several empowerment programmes for the youths including reopening the Empowerment Bank which has since received $12 million from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe for the youth’s loan facility.
“We have opened the Empowerment Bank. The bank has since received $12 million from RBZ. It’s for you so that you access loans for your income generating projects. However, there is a need for you to organise yourselves into groups and benefit as groups. We have also set aside other funds to support you,” he said.
The President said Government has revived efforts to acquire $100 million worth of equipment from Chinese mining equipment manufacturer XCMG Group for use by artisanal miners.
The equipment is aimed at building capacity of small-scale gold miners to increase gold output from the sector, which contributed 53 percent of the total output last year.
President Mnangagwa implored youths to remain resolute and maintain peace ahead of the forthcoming harmonised elections scheduled for July 30.
He implored youths to desist from violence and be tolerant of other political parties as this would ensure a free, fair, transparent and credible election.
“As you are aware we are heading for the elections and I proclaimed the date of the elections yesterday. We want free, fair, transparent and credible elections. Don’t be worried about other political parties because you out number them. Even if they scold you ignore them because I ignore them myself so why shouldn’t you?” he asked.