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14:40 The crowd waves to President Mugabe and the First Lady as they leave the Mucheke B arena that played host to Masvingo Province’s Star Rally.

14:38 He assures the President that the people will vote for Zanu PF because if they had voted wisely there wouldn’t be this trouble with the GNU.

14:34 Cde Dzikamai Mavhaire is now making the closing remarks. He asks for more regalia and the numbers that came for the rally were not expected.

14:30 The First Lady said the people of Masvingo will be getting 50 tonnes of mealie meal, 20 tonnes of sugar beans, 4 tonnes of salt and 560 cases of cooking oil.

14:28 She says the people have to be careful about just voting for “change” just for the sake of change as it will comeback to haunt them.

14:18 First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe is now addressing the crowd. She says this is the month of her birth, July 23. She says she is happy that detractors who were waiting to see violence have been embarrassed saying the country has held elections since 1980 and so it’s nothing new so there’s no need to fight.

14:13 He urged the party faithful to maintain peace and with that he ends his address.

14:13 “The President is not bigger than the party, I’m a child of the party, I was selected by the party. We just compete for the sake of it, we follow the rules of the party,” said President Mugabe.

14:10 President Mugabe explains the rules that govern one being able to represent the party. He said the rules of the party must be followed.

14:03 Using the analogy of the Israelites castigating Moses and pleading to return to Egypt President Mugabe said there are some like that in Zimbabwe who want to go back to subjugation.

14:00 President Mugabe thanks the Chiefs for their work and acknowledges that struggles that they have been facing and urges the people to vote wisely and return to their party.

13:58 He lambasts homosexuality and reiterates the directive given to councils to cancel debts owed to them by residents. He said these are hard times and the councils’ taking people’s houses will no-longer be tolerated.

13:52 “We obliged the leaders to fulfill the promises we make. We must be a Government that is trustworthy.” said President Mugabe.

13:45 President Mugabe said Mutirikwi is the largest inland dam in Zimbabwe and we built other small ones. Now we are building Tokwe Murkosi will be finished soon and we want that dam to be used for irrigation. If we let that issue slide we shall face hunger every year.

13:41 He said the Government had imported maize from Zambia and acknowledges that Masvingo and Matabeleland South Provinces crops failed. He urged the people to help each other and those with livestock should not wait for their animals to die from hunger but rather sell and buy food for the family.

13:40 President Mugabe thanked the womenfolk for being smart in running their family affairs and their working hard for the upliftment of the family.

13:36 He said he wants the youths to be educated so they can think independently and by that they can be employers of the people. He said the GDP should contain upwards of 80 to 90% of what will be our own national income otherwise it means nothing. It means wealth for other people outside.

13:32 He said Tsvangirai relies on foreigners and doesn’t think independently. “How can you be a leader when you don’t have principles. That man called Thabo Mbeki has patience that beats the biblical Job.” President Mugabe said alluding to the GNU talks.

13:30 President Mugabe said he wants women to run huge businesses. He said Zimbabwean youth are traversing the globe. “Us as the rightful owners of the country we should be the ones who own the wealth of the country. Of course we will have a government but one that is backed by the people look at the work being done by tobacco farmers. they now have good housing, good furniture and they are even buying cars…that’s indigenisation,” he said.

13:26 “Zimbabwe was said to have 91% literacy rate and there is no other Africa in that region and those  that follow are in the 80s. Equatorial Guinea follows in second with South Africa in third. “Our children are well learned,” he said.

13:21 “Imi ana Blair you are calling for regime change in Zimbabwe? Who calls for regime change in Britain? Regime change is the sole responsibility of Zimbabweans. We are children and leaders who come from a dignified people. We are leaders that are mandated with the task of looking after our people our children. We are tasked with finding ways of empowering our people, educating our people. Not education that ends at primary school like other countries but go further.” said President Mugabe.

13:16 He said the party knew of the British’s intention to fund an opposition party in Zimbabwe and that’s how the MDC was formed. Zanu, Zapu, NDP and ANC were founded on the principles of black people not the MDC. “Look at the difference. We think for ourselves, we cherish where we come from, we brag that Zimbabwe is ours, of course it came through bloodshed, but it’s ours,” said President Mugabe.

13:12 He said some people are still arriving for the rally in their numbers. He said he was ashamed but put it aside saying that’s the way it is, the British had come between the people and the party

13:11 The President Mugabe said in 2008 Zanu PF lost 14 seats and won 12 seats in Masvingo Province and he was surprised. He asked himself what went wrong yet the party won the liberation struggle. “Have you forgotten, being oppressed? Have you forgotten already that your children died for this country?

13:05 President Mugabe said the British promised to compensate the white farmers for the land instead of his Government asking the owners of the land (black Zimbabweans) to pay for their own land. He said even America agreed to help fund the land reform.

13:00 He said youths, both women and men left the country to wage the war.

12:59 The President said the help of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) now African Union helped fund the training of the guerrilla movement.

12:53 President Mugabe said he and his colleagues after bearing the brunt of the settler regime decided to send young people outside the country for military training to wage the liberation struggle.

12:47 He asks the people to remember where they came from and where they are going.

12:46 President Mugabe thanks the people for coming on their volition unlike being herded to the rally like cattle.

12:38 Cde Dzikamai Mavhaire is now making the welcome remarks.

12:17 President Mugabe has arrived to a thunderous welcome.

11:58 There’s electric atmosphere at Mucheke B arena with some supporters are waving placards with messages such as “Zimbabwe is not for sale” and “We say No to Violence”

11:54 Mbare Chimurenga Choir is entertaining the massive crowd in Masvingo.

11:23 Long queues stretching for several kilometres formed along the road leading to Mucheke B arena early morning as people flocked to rally.

11:20 Various entertainment groups including ZCC Defe Brass Band are providing entertainment livening the bumper crowd.

11:14 Mucheke B Stadium in Masvingo is filled to the brim as Zanu PF supporters await President Mugabe’s arrival.