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President Mugabe and First lady Dr Amai Grace Mugabe at the Zanu-PF headquarters in Harare ahead of the party’s First Secretary address on the state of the revolutionary party.

Tendai Mugabe Senior Reporter—
THERE is no short-cut to leadership of the people and Zanu-PF has no room for those who divert from the party’s principles to fulfil self-serving interests, President Mugabe has said. In addition, the Zanu-PF ideology and principles remain supreme and it does not matter how long one has walked with the President. President Mugabe said this while addressing thousands of party supporters who converged at the Zanu-PF Headquarters in a show of solidarity following disturbances that occurred during the Bulawayo Presidential Youth Interface Rally on Saturday.

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His remarks were directed at former Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who was accused of sponsoring the disturbances for factional ends. He said the party’s leadership was reaching the twilight of its political career but it should leave a clear and plausible trajectory for the youths to follow. President Mugabe warned that short-cuts to leadership were littered with challenges and obstacles. “Takagara tataura kuti kuvakuru isu zuva rakudoka kuvana vedu vadiki rakubuda,” said President Mugabe.

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“Mukubuda kunoita zuva revadiki vanenge vachicherechedza kuti iri rava kudoka rafamba rwendo rwese urwu, ratara gwara ratichafambawo nesu gwara racho rakachena, gwara racho harirase, gwara racho rinotisvitsa pamadokero. Isu vakuru tochengetedza gwara tichiramba vanoti ava masikati votsauka vachisiya gwara,tichiramba nevanoti avo vakuona kuti rodoka havo pfocho voenda musango. Ndozvatinoramba. Pfocho, pfocho hatiide. Hazvinei kuti wanga uri naPresident, hazvinei kuti wanga wakati chakwa naPresident vakati huya kumusangano vakati huya kumusangano vakakuisa muhomwe vakafamba newe rwendo.

“Vakuburitsa iwe pachako une tsoka dzako, une maziso ako, une nzeve dzako, unoziva kwawakabva, uri kuona nemaziso ako kwaunosungirwa kuenda. Hauedze kuti rwendo rwakareba dai ndatsaukira kuti ndikurumidze kusvika. Ndoenda nechinzira chepapa, zvinzira zvacho zvine shumba, zvine makomba, zvine rufu. Chenjera, chenjera!

“Mose mayouths itochenjerai. Rwendo rwurefu harudimburirwe. Aiwa harwudimburirwe. There is no short-cut to be the leader of the people just like there was no short-cut to our independence. We had to walk the long walk.”

President Mugabe explained that former Vice President Mnangagwa was expelled on the same charges faced by his predecessor, Dr Joice Mujuru. He said the difference was only that Cde Mnangagwa was faking his love for the President while Dr Mujuru was engaging in witchcraft to wrestle power from the President.

“Zvanga zviripo ndoda kukuudza ndozvimwe chete zvakabvisa Mai Mujuru. Kungoti Mai Mujuru aida makwikwi naPresident ndosaka aive nenyungururwi mbiri dzaigara dziri mumvura,” said President Mugabe.

“Yake yaive nerwumwe rudzi yangu ichinzi zvichirwisana ipapo dzakasungirwa nekashinda dziri mumvura muchirongo. Yangu ichinzi icharumwa ikafa Mai Mujuru vobva vati ndahwina. Zvino ava vanga vasina izvozvo. President ndivo vakandipinza. Vakunyepera vanhu vari kubva munaMarch (President) gadzirirai gadzirirai vanhu tiri muna January izvozvo. Ndini ndichatora muna March. Vadiki gadzirirai vobva varongwa nezvitoto zvese zvavainazvo ehe vanogara nazvozve.

Rongai, rongai vanana July (Moyo) nevamwe ndini ndiri kutora. March youya zvokona ah zvozonzi zvakakona pakati. Njere dzakauya pakuti regai ndimboenda kun’anga, kuvamapositori kwazvo ndinoudzwa kuti munhu achafa rinhi? Kunotsvaga rufu rwaPresident.

“Ndokuchienda kumwe kwavakanzi ah iwewe usambofunge zvako ndiwe uchatanga. Zvino apo, saka njere yanga iri yokuti President vakandiita Vice President ndini ndakatanga Mphoko akauya mushure. Musi waenda President vanenge vakandibereka kumusana ini ndobva ndapinda ndova Acting President.

Zvozobva imomo chigaro chinenge chakanditarisa ndochizoti zete pachiri. The President will carry me to victory. Ndoyavanga vachifunga. Zvino President varamba kufa. Varamba kubva.” In the same breath, President Mugabe denounced those fanning tribalism and regionalism saying such people should be expelled from the party. He said the liberation struggle was not fought on tribal lines.