First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe and Cde Oppah Muchinguri arriving at Amazulu Sports Club in Bulawayo on Wednesday.

First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe and Cde Oppah Muchinguri arriving at Amazulu Sports Club in Bulawayo on Wednesday.

Felex Share

The Fisrt Lady Amai Grace Mugabe is today meeting Mashonaland East Zanu PF supporters at Rudhaka Stadium in Marondera in her last leg of the Meet the People provincial rallies.

Amai Mugabe is meeting the people following her endorsement last month to lead Zanu PF Women’s League, taking over from outgoing Secretary, Cde Oppah Muchinguri in the forth coming December Zanu PF congress.

Yesterday Amai Mugabe addressed thousands of party supporters at Chipadze Stadium in Bindura where she condemned the demon of factionalism emanating from the province. She urged an unnamed faction leader to go and apologise to President Robert Mugabe.

10:21 Thousands of Zanu PF supporters have started trickling into Rudhaka Stadium for Amai Mugabe’s Meet the People rally. The first lady is already in Marondera and is currently in a closed door meeting with Mashonald East Provincial leadership. Ministers Cde Saviour Kasukuwere and and Prof Jonathan Moyo are already at the Stadium waiting for the arrival of Amai Mugabe. They are accompanied by Cde Patrick Zhuwawo and business mogul, Cde Phillip Chiyangwa.

10:50 Manicaland Provincial Affairs Minister, Cde Christopher Mushowe has just arrived at the stadium. He joins other government Ministers here present. Meanwhile, party supporters are on their feet dancing to music from the Police Band.

11:10 Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo and Member of Parliament, Joseph Chinotimba are just arriving at Rudhaka Stadium while First Lady is still at Women’s University of Africa where she is being briefed about the status of the party in the province.

First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe and Cde Oppah Muchinguri arriving at Rudhaka Stadium in Marondera.

First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe and Cde Oppah Muchinguri arriving at Rudhaka Stadium in Marondera.

11:30 Amai Mugabe has arrived here at Rudhaka stadium and she is accompanied by cde Oppah Muchinguri and Cde Eunice Sandi Moyo.

11:49 Mashonaland East Zanu PF, Women’s League Provincial Chairperson, Cde Acquilina Katsande takes to the podium to introduces delegates and speaks strongly against indiscipline.

11:51 A war of words has erupted here between youths over the slogan ‘Pasi neGamatox.’ Others are saying ‘Pasi neGamatox‘ while others are saying ‘Pasi nezvipfukuto.’

12:10 Chaos is now reigning supreme here because of the slogans. Mashonaland east youths are saying they can not be silenced in their province by the slogan, ‘Pasi neGamatox.’ Mash East youth chair Lucky Kandemiri is leading his youths.

12:15 Security details now chasing away journalists, blocking them to cover what is happening among the youths.

12:25 Mashonaland East Provincial Chairperson, cde Ray Kaukonde now addressing the crowd. He says in his province people are united as shown by the voting pattern adding that people who voted for Zanu PF need food on the table.

12:29 Marondera, he says, now has running water after years of suffering. He has also called for discipline saying the First Lady has come home. ‘Amai Mugabe is from Mash East’, he says.

12:33 Provincial Affairs Minister, Cde Simbauneta Mudarikwa is now addressing the gathering. He briefs Amai Mugabe of the progress made in the province in terms of development and says vendors from the accommodation challenges.

12:37 Cde Katsande disowns youths who disrupted smooth proceedings saying Mash east is well known for discipline.

12:43 Cde Muchinguri is now making her address and jokingly, she introduces cde Kaukonde as the tallest chairman in the country.

12:47 Today is end of our road. we started in Mashonaland West and we are happy with your coming. Amai Mugabe is the secretary now and the door is closed. Anyone aspiring for that post is dreaming, she says adding that the Women’s League is most crucial in keeping Zanu PF in leadership.

12:50 She says selective distribution of party regalia is factionalism and refers to Amai Mugabe as ‘Chiereranherera’ for her taking care of orphans.

Cde Josiah Hungwe sharing a word with another party official

Cde Josiah Hungwe sharing a word with another party official

12:55 Cde Muchinguri wraps up her speech by telling the crowd that leadership changes must be done peacefully.

12:58 Zanu PF supporters take to the dance floor dancing to the popular song ‘Musaputse Sungano’ as Amai Mugabe prepares to make her address.

13:00 Amai Mugabe denounces Gamatox, ‘Pasi neGamatox,’ she says. She tells the crowd that this is the smallest gathering she has addressed. The nine she has addressed had massive crowds. ‘Ndichatobvunza vaKaukonde kuti chii chirikuitika,’ says.

13:04 I saw unity in disunity in the provinces that I have addressed. She describes herself as an asset and tells the crowd that she was approached by amamkoma, anachimbwido and war veterans requesting her to join mainstream politics. These were followed by women, youths, then traditional chiefs and church leaders. I could not turn them down because I thought it would make it appear as if politics is a bad yet it is our behaviour which makes it bad. – Amai Mugabe.

13:10 Its not easy to work with women but they have seen that I am capable and we can work well together. Lying to people, promising them and not fulfilling the promises is bad because in future people will turn against you.

13:14 I am happy people in this province are organised and women are in big business as well.

13:17 The first Lady has encouraged people to prioritise small grains as they are important and healthy.

13:19 Amai Mugabe has bemoaned rape incidences saying the youngest rape victim is a day old child. She also blasted traditional healers for misleading people by telling them that if you sleep with a child they will be cured of ailments like HIV/AIDS. Homosexuality ‘zvinhu zvakatukwa, iSodom neGomorah’

13:22 People are complaining about the distribution of land in all the provinces and this should be rectified. We are one and lets share equally, she says.

13:26 First Lady says farm offer letters are given to men and when a man dies, they are forcefully evicted by husband’s relatives. Jokingly, she says men die before their wives because they are bed hoppers. ‘Munozviziva zvinokuurayai, munozvitsagira.’

13:30 She has also blasted the police for confiscating wares sold by vendors saying the vendors are trying their best to earn a decent living. “Ngatiregerei kutorera madzimai zvavanotengesa. Talk to them nicely. women are so understanding,” she says.

13:34 Amai Mugabe has told the gathering here unity of purpose is needed for development. Unity of purpose, she says has it foundations on the Unity Accord signed by President Mugabe and the late Vice President Joshua Nkomo. She said those jostling for position should unite adding that the Unity Accord agreement states that the President has a mandate to appoint Vice President.

13:37 Turning to factionalism, she said there are people who seem bent on toppling President Mugabe. ‘There are some people who did not want to go for elections last year just like the MDCs.’ She said people have already endorsed President Mugabe and they want him to be Zanu PF candidate next elections. However, she says, there are people who do not want President Mugabe to stand next elections those people are mistaken.

13:45 The moment of truth, she says, will come. In her speeches, she said she talks without mentioning names and people decode and come up with their own conclusions. ‘Its not my problem.’

13:47 She said MDC was formed at faction leader’s home. ‘We do not want political prostitutes.’ Amai Mugabe said President Mugabe is an ordained leader and is still going strong.

13:49 She repeated her yesterday’s sentiments that factionalism originated in Mashonaland Central before spreading to other provinces. Turning to Mach East, she said Kaukonde said there is no factionalism. ‘But I told him that you are lying Kaukonde. there is factionalism in Mash East.’

13:53 ‘Kaukonde uyu, I almost punched him in 2008. I have told him that factionalism should end. Taimbowirirana naKaukonde uyu. Hameno kuti akazorasika papi,’ she said accusing the chairman of being used by faction leaders to cause divisions in Zanu PF. ‘STOP IT,’ she urges Kaukonde.

13:57 Amai Mugabe accused faction leaders of being involved in illegal dealings and said they lack leadership qualities. ‘This faction leader is the same person who defended corrupt individuals when salary gate was unearthed. ‘The person started claiming that Zanu PF is being infiltrated by people who want to destroy it from within. Who said ministers are above the law?’ she quizzes.

14:03 She said she speaks in tongues and its up to the people to do the interpretation. ‘Mungava imi maJournalists interpreting the way you want,’ she said.

14:06 Amai Mugabe castigated Mash East youth chair for snubbing her rallies together with Manicaland and Masvingo provincial youth chairs and commended Cde Kaukonde for bringing water to Marondera.

14:10 First Lady said ZimAsset is not about reading the document for the people as Cde Kaukonde does but is about working and implementing the programmes in line with what Zanu PF promised people before elections last year.

14:13 We are not apologetic about the land reform programme – Amai Mugabe.

14:16 Sanctions, she says, are an intimidating tactic for Zimbabwe to leave programmes like the land reform.

14:20 She wrapped her address by thanking journalists saying there are those who report the truth and those who report negatively about her. ‘I don’t get angry with you, she said, i only pray for you. God will deal with you.

14:25 She donated 10 tonnes of maize seed.

You Might Also Like

Comments