Youth League to host dinner for 100 21sters . . .

PREPARATIONS for 21st February Movement celebrations are at an advanced stage, with a dinner lined up for 100 children born on February 21 in Bulawayo on Friday.

President Mugabe turns 93 today, but the main birthday celebrations are set for Saturday at Rhodes Estate Preparatory School (REPS) in Matobo District.

This year’s celebrations will be held under the theme “Honouring our icon, unlocking the value in youths.”

Zanu-PF national secretary for Youth Affairs, Cde Kudzanai Chipanga, said 100 children born on the same day with the President would be taken for dinner at a city hotel on Friday before the main celebrations the next day.

“We are expecting 100 21sters, 10 youths from each province. We are going to host the Secretary’s dinner on Friday at Bulawayo Rainbow Hotel as a special dedication to our First Secretary where we are going to treat the 21sters,” he said.

Cde Chipanga will be the guest of honour at that dinner in his capacity as the secretary for Youth Affairs while President Mugabe

will be the guest of honour on Saturday.

“The 21sters will also have an opportunity of having a photo

shoot with His Excellency during the celebrations on Saturday,” he said. Cde Chipanga said they were sourcing additional tents in case

of rains during the celebrations.

“We have realised that the weather is tricky given the warnings by the Met Department.

So we are considering getting additional tents so that no matter how the weather will be, our people won’t be affected,” he said.

Cde Chipanga said more than 150 cattle had been raised and several tonnes of maize and food had been availed for the mega bash.

He said guests from other provinces as well as foreign delegates from other revolutionary parties and sister countries were expected in Matobo on Friday.

“As far as preparations are concerned, the venue and construction of feeder roads was on track as of Saturday,” said Cde Chipanga.

“We are going to dispatch our team from Harare with mattresses and blankets for the visitors.”

He said Bulawayo businesses would benefit the most from the event as the city was near Matobo.

“It will be a massive weekend for Bulawayo businesses. Economically, Bulawayo is going to be the major beneficiary of this event given the proximity of Matobo to Bulawayo,” Cde Chipanga said.

“We urge businesses in Bulawayo to stock their wares in bulk because they are going to have a very good Christmas as from the 23rd to the 26th.” He said the final coordination committee meeting for the celebrations would be held tomorrow.

Cde Chipanga said youths will embark on countrywide clean-up campaigns in all cities and towns today.