Zimpapers Logo

Cde Chipanga

Cletus Mushanawani in Mutare
Business in Mutare’s Central Business District temporarily ground to a halt yesterday as Zanu-PF youths, tertiary students, artistes and churches participated in a massive street carnival as a build-up to today’s President Youth Interface Rally at Sakubva Stadium.

The procession, which was being led by drum majorettes and the Zimbabwe National Army band, attracted more people as it proceeded to Sakubva Stadium.

ALSO SEE:

• LIVE HERE: Manicaland Presidential Youth Interface Rally

At Sakubva Stadium everything was in place by lunch time and a delegation led by Politburo members in Manicaland among them Cdes Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, Chris Mushohwe and Kudzi Chipanga, as well as Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs Cde Mandi Chimene later toured the venue and gave the preparations the thumbs-up.

Read more:

• Zanu-PF flexes mobilisation muscle 
• Manicaland readies to host President
• Youths defend territory
• President’s Masvingo Youth interface slated for June 30
• Mat South begins preps for mega rally
• Mutare rally preps ‘90pc complete’

In interviews at the venue all the senior Zanu-PF members were full of praise for the organising team for leaving no stone unturned in making sure that everything was in place well before the arrival of President Mugabe.

Cde Chipanga said: “All preparations are complete and we are impressed by what is on the ground. From the information we have received so far, people started assembling at pick-up points this morning in all the seven districts across Manicaland.

“Some wanted to travel tonight (Thursday), but they were stopped because of accommodation challenges. We expect people to start trickling into the stadium as early as 6am.”

He added: “This day is important to youths because they will have a chance to meet their leader who was unanimously given the mandate to lead Zanu-PF during our 2014 National People’s Congress. We have one centre of power in Zanu-PF in President Mugabe. As youths, we enjoy a cordial working relationship with President Mugabe and we want to thank him for agreeing to go around the country meeting youths.”

Cde Muchinguri-Kashiri hailed the youths for demonstrating their unparalleled organising skills.

“The venue is well prepared and everything is ready to roll. I am impressed by what I am seeing on the ground. This shows that the party’s future is bright as the youths are showing us that they are prepared to take the party forward.

“As for logistics like transport and food, everything is now in place and as the provincial leadership we are here to give youths moral support,” she said.

Cde Mushohwe also chipped in and praised the youths for a job well done.

“This is excellent because it shows that people executed their homework well. This is a youth programme, but they are teaching us one or two lessons in mobilisation, something which we are proud of as their leaders. We will continue supporting all youth programmes.

“They came up with this brilliant idea of the Presidential Youth Interface Rallies, which is most welcome because it accords them a chance to meet their President and air their concerns directly to him.

“Youths in Manicaland have set the bar very high for future hosts. I wish the people a very exciting and memorable meeting with their father, President Mugabe. I know that those who will make it to Sakubva Stadium will tap a lot from the wisdom of President Mugabe. I also want to assure President Mugabe and the First Lady, Dr Amai Mugabe, that Manicaland rallies behind their leadership and people will come in their thousands,” he said.

Cde Chimene said: “The Samanyikas are known for their love of a good life and they will demonstrate that tomorrow (Friday). We are happy with the support from everyone and I am certain that by 8am the stadium will already be full.”

President Mugabe will also officially open a new Information Communication Centre at the refurbished Dangamvura Post Office.

In an earlier interview, Minister of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Cde Supa Mandiwanzira said the ICT Centre in Dangamvura was emotional to him.

“This ICT Centre is emotional to me because I attach so much value to it since I grew up in Dangamvura. Our high-density suburbs have a lot of potential to create employment opportunities to local youths and, as a ministry, we saw it fit to come up with 100 ICT centres across the country. It is our wish that every district across the country should have an ICT Centre. The world has embraced ICT as a means of doing business and who are we in Zimbabwe to be left out?

“The new Dangamvura ICT Centre will have facilities to allow residents easy access to computers, Internet and in short, the people of this high-density suburb have joined the information super highway. We are also there to complement President Mugabe’s efforts in promoting the use of ICTs especially in schools,” Cde Mandiwanzira said.