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George Maponga

Masvingo Bureau

ZANU PF structures in Masvingo have overwhelmingly endorsed President Mnangagwa’s leadership, saying the ruling party First Secretary should remain in power up to 2030 to give him ample time to continue his vision of transforming Zimbabwe into an upper middle income society.

A lively Zanu PF provincial inter-district meeting held at Masvingo Polytechnic was punctuated by slogans and songs, by revolutionary party leaders drawn from all the seven districts in Masvingo, with a loud and clear message that they wanted President Mnangagwa to continue in office beyond 2028.

Last Saturday Zanu PF Masvingo Province held an inter-district meeting that was graced by the party’s national political commissar, Cde Munyaradzi Machacha, and senior politburo members from the province, among them Cdes Lovemore Matuke, Paul Mangwana, John Paradza and the party’s provincial chair, Cde Robson Mavhenyengwa. The Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Cde Ezra Chadzamira, who is also a central committee member, was also in attendance.

The move by Masvingo Province to lead the chorus for the President to continue in office beyond 2028 comes after the Zanu PF First Secretary recently publicly announced that he was not going to remain in office beyond the constitutionally-stipulated two terms that will lapse in 2028. But judging by the songs and slogans that were chanted during last Saturday’s inter-district meeting in Masvingo, the ruling party in the province wants President Mnangagwa to continue in office.

Cde Mavhenyengwa said Zanu PF Masvingo Province wanted President Mnangagwa to remain in office beyond 2028.

“The message was clear from everyone who was in attendance at the inter district meeting, that the ruling party in Masvingo wants President Mnangagwa to remain in office beyond 2028. We know that constitutionally the President is not supposed to continue in office after 2028, but we are saying if its possible, if there is an opportunity to do so, we will humbly request that he remains in office up to 2030,” he said.

“We want him to continue up to 2030, as a province. This is not a personal decision from me but its coming from the party members in Masvingo Province. We are saying we are seeing the infrastructural projects that are taking place, the developments that are taking place that are in sync with President Mnangagwa’s vision to make Zimbabwe an upper middle income society by 2030, so in our view it will be better if the President remains in office up to that year so that he can see through his vision of making Zimbabwe an upper middle income economy.”

This was also corroborated by the party’s provincial secretary for commissariat, Cde Brian Munyoro, who said Zanu PF Masvingo Province unanimously wanted President Mnangagwa to continue leading the nation beyond 2028.

“The province (Zanu PF Masvingo) has spoken and that is our position as a province that President Mnangagwa should remain in office up to 2030. We are happy with the good work that he is doing and we are fully behind the good work that he is doing, and as Zanu PF Masvingo we want him to continue up to 2030, so that he can complete his vision of making Zimbabwe an upper middle income economy,” said Cde Munyoro.

In response Cde Machacha said he will deliver the message from Zanu PF Masvingo Province to the President.

“You have made me happy, you were singing here (Masvingo Polytechnic), there is nothing that happens in this country without having started in Masvingo and you know very well that the other time you sang (in 2017) kuti kumagumo kune nyaya (there is trouble at the end) and we indeed saw the end that you were talking about.

“I was saying President Mnangagwa spoke in Mutare, where he said that now that I have served my two terms (up to 2028), I now want to go and rest, I need to look for someone who will walk in my footsteps and complete my vision (2030), but now Masvingo again is saying  the President should remain in charge so now what will I go and tell the President,” asked Cde Machacha rhetorically to roaring applause from the delegates.

“So what will I go and tell the President?” asked Cde Machacha to which the delegates shouted in unison that the President should remain in charge beyond 2028.

“But the President is saying he wants to rest? Hallellujah, fellow Cdes, you are giving me a very difficult task but I promise you that I will execute the task that you have given me,” added Cde Machacha to wild applause and cheering from the delegates.