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10:40 Amai Grace Mugabe has arrived in Mutare and was welcomed by Zanu PF supporters, most of them women who broke into song and dance.

11:10 The First Lady Amai Mugabe arrives at a briefing at Golden Peacock Hotel. She is accompanied by outgoing Secretary for Women’s League, Cde Oppah Muchinguri

11:12 Politburo members Cde Didymus Mutasa, Cde Munacho Mutezo and Cde Victoria Chitepo are present here

11:20 Manicaland Provincial Chairperson, Cde John Mvundura gives his welcome remarks. He congratulates First Lady for being nominated to lead Zanu PF Women’s League

11:25 Cde Mvudura hails Amai Mugabe for attaining her Doctorate saying very few First Ladies have attained such a qualification.

11:30 Manicaland endorses Amai Mugabe’s nomination as the Secretary for Women Affairs and also President Mugabe as the first Secretary of Zanu PF at the forthcoming congress, says Cde Mvundura.

12:00 Manicaland Provincial Chairperson says he was happy to leave his diplomatic posting to assume the reigns as Zanu PF Manicaland Chairperson adding that he has managed to unite the party in the province leading to a resounding victory in July 2013.

12:03 Cde Mvundura says he engaged Cde Mutasa and Cde Muchinguri separately and pleaded with them to bury their differences.

12:07 Manicaland Provincial executive never interfered with the just ended women and youths elections says Cde Mvundura.

12:09 Cde Mvundura however, apologised to those accusing his executive of interference.

12:15 Cde Muchinguri addresses members of the Women’s League leadership and says Amai Mugabe’s nomination to lead the Women’s League is in line with a precedent set by the late Cde Sally Mugabe.

12:17 Cde Muchinguri accuses male leaders from Manicaland of being power hungry and says it was against this background that Ndabaningi Sithole, Abel Muzorewa, Edgar Tekere and Simba Makoni left Zanu PF.

12:20 First Lady Amai Mugabe addresses members of the Women’s League and thanks them for nominating her to lead the wing.

12:21 She says it is surprising that 34 years after independence women are still being treated as second class citizens and says women must be educated of their rights as many are living under suppression.

12:23 Amai Mugabe says men rising against President Mugabe Mugabe were from Manicaland and calls them weevils.

12:23 She vowed to expose those who will whisper rumours to her in a bid to curry favour. “I want to work freely without anyone accusing me of taking sides. I want to warn those rumour mongers to be careful. It is silly to run the party on rumours.”

Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, Prof Jonathan Moyo, Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Dr Ignatius Chombo, Minister of Agriculture, Dr Joseph Made and Cde Patrick Zhuwawo

 

13:30 Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs, Cde Chris Mushowe now giving welcome remarks and says First Lady Amai Mugabe is a unifier.

13:33 Cde Mushowe tells First Lady that Manicaland has nothing to show for its wealth as the roads are pathetic and people are poor.

13:35 Mutare’s industrial base has collapsed. Cains has closed and pleads for its resuscitation.

13:45 Cde Muchinguri takes to the podium and greets Politburo members starting with Cde Chitepo.

13:50 Women in Zimbabwe are mature and experienced. They know what they want and what they are doing says Cde Muchinguri.

14:05 Cde Muchinguri says people in Zanu PF are nolonger free to interact freely due to fear of being labbeled as belonging to a certain faction adding that party regalia and inputs are now being distributed on factional lines. “The same applies for land. War veterans and youths are being sidelined. People are being purged and replaced by factional leaders. Some are given money while others are now.”

14:08 Cde Muchinguri says some leaders in the province are abusing their powers by threatening people.

14:10 “People ran away to MDC. Those in MDC are Zanu PF members because of our intolerance. Now they are plotting to topple President Mugabe. These men are cunning plotters,” says Cde Muchinguri.

14:13 Men have been barring women from hosting meetings. During our elections these men interfered and rigged our elections, Cde Muchinguri says before declaring that Amai Mugabe is a woman of God.

14:20 Amai Mugabe addressing the crowd and castigates violation of adolescent girls. Girls must be empowered, she declares.

14:22 Manicaland Province has the third highest cases of baby dumping in the country.

14:23 Amai Mugabe queries why rebellion starts from Manicaland yet the province played a key role in the liberation of Zimbabwe.

14:25 “One wonders why some people who fought the liberation war behave in a devious manner. There are the same people who sold out during the war. Ishiri inemuririro wayo. Inhinhi. Bara rakakupotsa Mwari akakutungamira woda kushamisira nezvisina maturo. I have discovered that here factionalism is at play. Pano pane social unrest and family dispute. I do not want to be someone’s person. i have noted that there are people with disputes and want to use me to settle your scores. I do not want. Uzivewo kuti ndave mukadzi mukuru. I am 49 years,” Amai Mugabe said.

14:30 Amai Mugabe says there are poisonous leaders in Manicaland Province.

14:31 “Factionalism was displayed before my eyes here. I have always told people that we are all political appointees. Some are trying to appease their paymasters. Some of you do not even have followers. People voted for you because of their love for President Mugabe. Zita raPresident ririkusvibiswa day and night. Unoona vanhu kunyorowa pamberi paPresident angobvapo otanga twake. Hee pamberi nePresidium. Presidium yaani? Iwe!”

14:37 Amai Mugabe says detractors are now using cadres from within to destroy the party after the original idea to sponsor the opposition failed and says some members are spiders, they shift allegiance and camps and are abusing President’s name.

14:39 She says “People were being silenced. Some were toying themselves as spokesmen yet some have been giving money to chairladies so that they throw spanners when I eventually gets appointed. Noone has the power to silence anyone. We must invite people into our party through our deeds. Do not coerce people to support you.”

14:41 Amai Mugabe accused some provincial leaders of coming with their own line up. She asked; “What tare you fearing by putting it in the paper? It is intended to attract the president’s attention! Ko akasaiona? Gore rino tichaonerera. It’s because the president is 90 years old. But if we put you there with him, you appear older than him.”

14:44 The First Lady blasted homosexuals and said men have a seed of life though God never intended to have them sow it everywhere.

14:48 She blasted the police for working against women empowerment by brutalising vending women.

14:51 Amai Mugabe says those jostling to rule Zimbabwe must look themselves in the mirror adding that some have even turned themselves into laughing stock.

14:54 She also argued leaders to turn ZimAsset into action and move from words to action. “Be patient, your time will come. Mind, your leaders come from God.”

14:58 The First Lady warns against abuse of Presidential Inputs Scheme by the leadership. This tendency, she said, is frustrating the grassroots.

15:02 She said Zanu PF is broke but some leaders are abusing party property and warned those declaring leaders in some positions.

15:05 Amai Mugabe ends her address and donates 10 tonnes of maize seed and 20 tonnes of mealie-meal.