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VP Mnangagwa

From George Maponga recently in BIKITA

Thousands of Zanu-PF youths, accompanied by Women’s League members donning the ruling party regalia, marched and toyi-toyed singing revolutionary songs, bringing the normally sleepy Nyika Growth point in Bikita to life.Besides the singing, the group chanted Zanu-PF slogans mocking opposition parties that will battle it out with the revolutionary party in the January 21 parliamentary by-election.

The occasion was the official unveiling of Cde Beauty Chabaya as the Zanu-PF candidate for the Bikita West by-election by Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa last Wednesday during a ruling party star rally at Gwindingwi High School grounds.

A capacity crowd packed the school grounds, with the majority resplendent in T-Shirts emblazoned with Cde Chabaya’s face.

Members of the apostolic sect stood out with their dazzling white regalia, but that did not deter them from joining in the lively singing and chanting of ruling party slogans. Traditional leaders led by Zimbabwe chiefs council president Chief Fortune Charumbira and Bikita paramount chief, Chief Mazungunye, were in tow.

The high morale and tempo was galvanised by Zanu-PF’s resolve to retain the Bikita West seat. One of the aspirants, Mr Kudakwashe Gopo of Zimbabwe People First is a former Zanu-PF national youth leader.

Threatening clouds that were pregnant with rains did not deter women and children from leaving their homes across the length and breath of Bikita West to grace the official unveiling of Cde Chabaya.

Anxiety grew after the arrival of Masving0 Zanu-PF heavyweights led by Politburo members Cdes Josaya Hungwe and Masvingo Provincial Affairs Minister Senator Shuvai Mahofa.

The crowd went into a frenzy when two Zimbabwe National Army helicopters hovered in the sky, signalling the arrival of Acting President Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF national political commissar Cde Saviour Kasukuwere.

As leaders trooped to welcome the Acting President, the popular song by Jah Prayzah “Mudhara Achauya’’ was unleashed by the DJ sending the capacity crowd into delirium.

Following the Acting President’s arrival, the energetic Zion Christian Church Mutendi Band took to the stage. Cde Hungwe showcased his dancing skills much to the amusement of the crowd.

Acting President Mnangagwa boosted the morale of the crowd by chanting his trademark slogan: “Pamberi naPresident Mugabeee, Pamberi naPresident Mugabeeee, Pamberi neZanu-PF, Pamberi neZanu-PF, Pasi nemhanduuuu, Pasi nemhanduuuuu, Pasi Nemhanduuuu.’’

He received a round of applause after referring his journey to Bikita as a journey back home after he stayed in the district during the early days of the Second Chimurenga in the 1960s.

“To me Bikita is my home because in the early 1960s I stayed here at various places including Chief Ziki’s homestead and worked with nationalists like Cde Furanayi Masunda. There were three of us but my two colleagues passed on after we got a thorough beating during our time in Rhodesian jail after we had been arrested for bombing a train at Masvingo railway station using dynamites we had been given by the late Vice President Simon Muzenda,’’ he said.

The Acting President also reminisced on how he also worked with Cde Chabaya’s mother, a long-time Masvingo Women’s League member in the early 1960s.

He left the crowd in stitches with one of his anecdotes after he narrated a visit to one of the chief’s homestead in Bikita in the 1960s together with two other colleagues.

The Acting President said upon arrival at the chief homestead they found the chief and his family eating supper but tears were cascading the cheeks of everyone who was eating leading the trio to conclude that something was wrong at the homestead.

The crowd broke into laughter after the Acting President said they later learnt that the chief and his family were eating sadza served with a popular delicacy in Bikita, harurwa. Harurwa is an insect, consumed as a delicacy mostly in the eastern districts of Masvingo, mainly in Bikita.

The insect is light green in colour and is usually roasted and salted, while it invokes tears when one is eating it because of its bitterness.

Before Acting President Mnangagwa’s speech, morale had been raised by Sen Mahofa whose powerful voice showed the ruling party’s determination to retain the Bikita West parliamentary seat come January 21.

Sen Mahofa pleaded with the people of Bikita West to vote for Cde Chabaya and help Zanu-PF retain the key seat.

Very few could have believed that she was seated during the address because of the power in her voice. After the rally, the capacity crowd embraced Cde Chabaya and would surely help her to deliver the seat back to Zanu-PF come Janaury 21.