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From Farirai Machivenyika in Chimanimani
THE First Lady Cde Grace Mugabe yesterday slammed Zanu-PF members who continue fanning factionalism in the party and urged people to focus their energies on delivering on the mandate bestowed on them by the electorate in the 2013 harmonised elections.

Addressing more than 8,000 Zanu-PF supporters at Mutambara Mission in Chimanimani, the First Lady, who is also the party’s Secretary for Women’s Affairs, outlined the government’s economic blueprint Zim-Asset, emphasising the need for the country to be food secure.

“We don’t want factionalism, factionalism, down with it! Whoever is engaging in factionalism, you must stop it!” she said to cheers from the crowd. “As leaders we were given powers by the people, so let’s not abuse them because the people will see it, they are not fools.”

The First Lady added that she was not afraid to expose people still engaging in factional fights and warned that she could still do so the same way she exposed former vice president Joice Mujuru’s putschist cabal.

“We came from the people and are representing them so we must do what they want. So I’m saying to all those involved in factionalism, you must stop it! We must be satisfied with the posts that we have.

“Let’s work with the knowledge that we were appointed to serve the people so we can’t go on being factionalists. We must fulfil our mandate which we were given in 2013,” she said.

She also said the fight among the Zanu-PF leadership in Manicaland over the venue of her visit was unnecessary since she could not hold her meeting at Sakubva Stadium in Mutare as she had held another rally there last year.

Cde Mugabe said as the First Lady, she had the responsibility to visit all places countrywide.

She urged Zanu-PF members to take advantage of the chaos in the MDC factions to strengthen the party.

Turning to Zim-Asset programmes, Cde Mugabe said government had crafted a number of policy measures to improve people’s livelihoods and urged people to fully utilise opportunities availed to them, especially land.

She said Zim-Asset was premised on four key clusters: Food Security and Nutrition, Social Services and Poverty Eradication, Infrastructure and Utilities and Value-Addition and Beneficiation.

The government had since independence provided resources and infrastructure to the people so that they could empower themselves, but the illegal sanctions imposed by the West in retaliation to the fast-track land reform programme had hampered efforts to provide for everyone.

She added that every Cabinet Minister had been assigned duties to ensure the successful implementation of Zim-Asset.

Cde Mugabe urged people to fully utilise the land allocated to them under the land reform programme and said she supported the proposed land audit so that idle farms could be identified.

“I will repeat that there should be a land audit so that we can see whether or not you’re using the land as expected by the government,” she said.

“When you’re given land, use it, if you can’t, be honest and the land will be given to those that can use it. Let’s take only land that we can use.”

She said Zimbabwe was privileged to have a principled leader like President Mugabe who valued the importance of people taking ownership of their resources.

“President Mugabe knows why I have this post. He knows I’m a custodian of this land. That’s why your hear him saying they can impose sanctions on us as long as we are protecting our heritage,” the First Lady said.

Cde Mugabe also defended Energy and Power Development Minister Samuel Undenge against criticism from some quarters that he was behind the current shortage of electricity being experienced in the country.

The low water levels in Kariba Dam, and problems at Hwange, were the main reason for the current massive power cuts but added that the government was doing its best to rectify the problem.

She thanked people from Manicaland for remaining steadfast behind Zanu-PF and President Mugabe saying the province had played an important role since the liberation struggle.

The province contributed the most cadres who fought in the liberation because of its proximity to Mozambique and had remained behind the ruling party since 1980 when the country attained its independence.

The rally was also attended by Vice President Phelekhezela Mphoko and several ministers, senior Zanu-PF officials from across the country, traditional leaders and a visiting delegation from Mozambique’s ruling party Frelimo.