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President Mugabe and Dr Grace Mugabe

Lloyd Gumbo Senior Reporter
The First Family has donated several foodstuffs worth thousands of dollars for the 6th National People’s Congress. Zanu-PF national chairman and acting spokesperson, Cde Simon Khaya Moyo, said the Central Committee was grateful for the kind gesture from President Mugabe and First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe who also rescued the Youth Conference earlier this year in the wake of administrative bungling by members aligned to the Mujuru faction.

“The Central Committee expressed plural gratitude for the donation of food stuffs by the First family to the Congress,” he said last night after the Central Committee meeting.

“The First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe made the following donations, rice eight tonnes, mealie-meal 10 tonnes, beef five tonnes, chickens 10 tonnes, eggs 200 crates, sausages 300kgs, pork chops 300kgs and salt 200kgs.

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“This is a donation from the First Family. I must also commend all the provinces for the efforts they have taken in raising funds in cash and kind towards the successful hosting of our congress.”

Secretary for administration and acting finance secretary, Cde Didymus Mutasa, came under fire in August after he failed to organise the Women and Youth League conferences resulting in the First Family rescuing the conference by donating food stuffs.

Officially opening the Youth conference, President Mugabe slammed some Zanu-PF leaders for concentrating on factionalism and holding clandestine meetings to the negation of party business that culminated in shambolic preparations for the conference.

The President said he had no time for inept leadership shown by organisers who not only failed to provide transport for some delegates, but left some to sleep on empty stomachs as there was no food. President Mugabe then constituted a select committee to rescue the conference, warning those behind the shambolic congress preparations.

The President and Amai Mugabe then directed that 1 000 tonnes of maize be ferried from their Gushungo Farm along with between 20 to 30 head of cattle to feed the youth delegates as well as Gushungo Dairy to deliver milk for the delegates.

Selected Politburo members Cdes Saviour Kasukuwere, Jonathan Moyo and Patrick Zhuwao along with businessman Dr Philip Chiyangwa had to rescue the Women’s League conference at the 11th hour, with the quartet donating 20 beasts, five apiece.

No adequate preparations had been done despite the embarrassment suffered at the youth conference.