Give it up Tsvangirai: President

PRESIDENT Mugabe has said opposition MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai might as well quit now as he has no hope of overcoming a “mammoth political party” like Zanu-PF in next year’s harmonised elections.

Zanu-PF’s First Secretary made the remarks at the Zanu PF National Youth League Assembly in Harare yesterday.

President Mugabe said Mr Tsvangirai was left trembling by the huge turnout at Presidential Youth Interface Meetings organised by Zanu-PF’s Youth League.

‘‘The rallies, kuvamba nekuorganiser kwamakaita mhuri yose yeZimbabwe kuti vaite One Million Man March,’’ said the President. ‘‘Vamwe vaiti hazvibudirire tichaona. ‘‘Even amongst us, some wanted it to fail.

‘‘But no. You were brave enough, you were courageous enough, you were hardworking and industrious enough.

‘‘You wanted it to succeed and there it was! Shudhu, yakabuda!

‘‘It made not just the opposition tremble. Vakavamba vana Tsvangirai zvino kudedera nekumabvi uku, ndopakabva pavamba pasusukidza hurwere hwacho.

‘‘Aiwa tinoti kandai chipfumo pasi hapana kwamunosvika.

‘‘Zanu-PF is the mammoth party of the country. ‘‘Look at its history; takabva kupi?’’ President Mugabe said Zanu-PF would remain unmatchable as its revolutionary pedigree was being perpetuated through young people.

‘‘Mayouth ava vana vemarevolutionaries. Ihama dzemarevolutionaries,” he said.

‘‘Kana ndichiti marevolutionaries handireve - zvandanga ndichitaura uku - vakabata pfuti chete, kana vakabata mapfumo chete, vose nevaive kuno kumusha vaienda kumajeri, vaibatwa vachiiswa kumakeep, vamwe vaisandudzirwa mumapako, vaienda kumadetentions, vaienda kumaprisons, vaibviswa pahushe, vaibviswa mumisha vachinzi ibvai kuno endai munogara uko.’’

President Mugabe implored Zanu-PF youths to register to vote during the ongoing voter registration exercise which started last month and is set to intensify from Tuesday.

‘‘During your programmes, you must carry the message, encouraging the youth to get registered as voters,’’ he said.

‘‘Don’t forget; that one is important.

And please be versed with the newly-introduced Biometric Voter Registration programme. Ivai neruzivo rwemavhoterwo achaitwa this time matsva.

‘‘Ndiyo inonzi Biometric Voter Registration programme.

‘‘With the support of the current leadership of the Youth League, I am convinced that you will successfully fulfill your constitutional mandate of mobilising the youth to vote for the party.’’

President Mugabe showered praises on the party’s youths, saying the success of the Million-Man March and the Interface Meetings had given the organ a firm pedestal from which to mobilise ahead of next year’s polls.

“Dear delegates, we are meeting only a few months before the 2018 general elections and I am happy and grateful to note that the Youth League has already commenced programmes meant to mobilise then youth for these elections,” he said.

“I urge you to make use of your experience gained during the Presidential Youth Interface rallies and other programmes such as this National Youth Assembly to explain to the youth on developmental and empowerment programmes.”