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President Mugabe

Tendai Mugabe Senior Reporter—
President Mugabe yesterday blasted zanu-pf leadership for allowing a “thief” Cde Ronald Chindedza, to represent the party in the recent Norton by-election that saw the ruling party losing to independent candidate Mr Temba Mliswa. Addressing people during the official opening of Murongwe Primary School and Clinic in Dande yesterday, President Mugabe said the party needed to do a serious introspection and ensure that the mistake was not repeated. President Mugabe described Cde Chindedza as a thief who was not popular with the people of Norton.

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During a disputed zanu-pf primary election presided over by Harare South legislator Cde Shadreck Mashayamombe, Cde Chindedza controversially won against other party candidates that included Cdes Bybit Tsomondo, Joyce Mukazhu and Margaret Zvinavashe. Issues of imposition of candidates were raised then, but the party’s commissariat department did nothing to address the matter. As such, Cde Chindedza ended up representing zanu-pf against the will and wishes of the people of Norton.

Said President Mugabe: “Iye zvino takaita election yekuNorton yakakanganiswa zvikurukuru. Ndokunotora chimbavha zvacho chimbavha. Munhu ange asingadiwe nevanhu asingazivikanwe futi nevazhinji. “Hameno kuti ipapa vakuru vedu vakapapotsa sei. I hope we don’t make such a disastrous mistake in the future.”

President Mugabe said he was happy that zanu-pf enjoyed maximum support in the Dande but urged the local people to ensure good relations with their Mozambican counterparts. He said this in relation to reports that some Zimbabweans around the border area were stealing cattle from Mozambique. “Saka rambai makadaro. Kuno kunana Dande yangogara iri one party State,” he said.

“Asi tinenge tichida ukama hwakanaka nevemhiri vekuTete. Tinzwanane navo. Tanzwa kuti tinotorerana mombe. Regai mombe dzevaridzi. Mashaya here mombe muno munyika? Ndaitofunga kuti vemhiri vanganzi ndivo vari kuba mombe dzedu. Isu veZimbabwe toyambuka kunotora mombe dzevaridzi uko. Zvaita sei? Saka ngatiregerei izvozvo.”

President Mugabe said he was happy that weather experts had predicted normal rainfall in the coming farming season. He said the country experienced one of the worst drought last year.

“Ini ndinoti Mwari haangatirange zvekare gore rino. Kana pane chitadzo chatakaita takarangika gore rapera. Hameno kuti zvedu zvitadzo zvingadai zvakawanda sei zvekuti tingapamhe zvekare kurangwa kepiri. Handifungi kudaro. Takachema gore rapera. Mwari havatibvumidze kuti ticheme rwepiri.”

Defence Minister Sydney Sekeramayi who spoke at the same event, said the construction of Murongwe Primary School and Clinic was testimony of the country’s defence forces commitment to work for the people.

“This school is a testimony by the defence forces to say thank you to the people who helped the freedom fighters to win the liberation struggle,” he said. Minister Sekeramayi said President Mugabe was the greatest teacher in the country since the time of the liberation struggle.

He said President Mugabe initiated various developmental programmes such as the land reform programme that were benefiting the people. The official opening of the school and the clinic was also attended by several Cabinet Ministers, services chiefs and senior Government officials.