AS IT HAPPENED: Midlands Presidential Youth Interface Rally President Mugabe and Amai Grace Mugabe

Updates by Costa Mano and Wilson Kakurira

Dashboard: Stanford Chiwanga, Mayibongwe Madlela

15:40 – Proceedings have ended here. That’s it folks. We are done for today. See you soon.

15:38 – He thanks His Excellency for blessing the province and factionalism is now a folktale

15:36 – Cde Jason machaya is now giving the vote of thanks

15:34 – The youth league has given the first family a gift

15:31 – President Mugabe has finished his address

15:30 – “So we are together again, let’s be together, no insults…I want to thank you as a province for coming together. Don’t get disunited. As I say all the time in remembrance of John Nkomo “peace begins with you, peace begins with all of us”

15:27 – “Mukandibikira sadza ne brocolli ndoti ndaguta..hanzi ndoyavakufanirwa kudya mavegetables kunyanya brocoli iyoyo..nyama akanzi rega kubata, ye mombe, yose nyama chero hove, hameno zvako, mudzimai wako ndiye achaona…akanzi he’s now strong and back to normal,” he says to a bout of laughter from the gathering

15:23 – “Brain yake futi was getting affected asi akashingirira building up his strength and body…he’s now fit again, wasimba, he’s back. The doctor said we will keep looking to what may have caused it but it’s not food poisoning”

15:22 – He says Mnangagwa’s doctor came to explain what happened with the VP and they spoke for an hour. He says the doctor says there were no traits of poison in his blood. But what amazed us was how he vomitted had diarrhea and there was swelling and they fought a battle to save him. They gave him about four drips in succession… “Anga akuenda murume uyu”

15:19 – He says Sekeremayi and Parirenyatwa have been falsely accused as having poisoned Mnangagwa by blubbering mouths but it’s a sin to accuse others of witchcraft

15:15 – “Kana tonzwa kuti kukubuda shoko rekuti ah kune varoyi vamwe vakadya ice cream. VaMnangagwa vozoti handina kumbodya ice cream”

15:11 – “As for us we asked our parents of our history and they told us of the likes of Nehanda and Kaguvi and what they stood for”

15:10 – “We need you, the youths, to have a sound ideology of the party. Youths should have knowledge of the history of the party, why we were put in detention, why we were put in keeps?”

15:08 – He says the need for land among the youth is something that will be deliberated in the Politburo and says the numbers of those without land should be handed over to Government and they can have access to farming land

15:00 – President Mugabe narrates how Rhodes colonised the country

“When I asked someone in Zuma’s administration why the whites still have so much power? he said “I ask your friend Mandela” as if Mandela was still alive..apparently Mandela negotiated with the whites by himself.. Chaive chikuru kwaari yaive freedom yekubuda mujeri achikanganwa kuti zvikuri ndeizvo zvaakaendeserwa kujeri”

President Mugabe on the podium

President Mugabe on the podium

14:52 – Musangano hausi wa leader, aiwa, musangano ndewe vanhu. The leaders mutungamiri we musangano. He says in Zanu-PF there’s no dictatorship and that as a leader, you must be able to listen to what others say

14:50 – He says some people sold out the struggle during his time in jail during the liberation struggle and narrates the events that happened at the Lancaster House negotiations

14:45 – There maybe opponents, yes, but not witches. The party has principles that must be followed and those that fail to follow the rules cannot be bewitched but must be disciplined within the party

14:43 – President Mugabe says there’s no such thing as witches and wizards in the party

14:42 – Be instep with each other, instep with the march so that you do not lose the ethos of the party

14:38 – He says such a gathering has shown the unity and love the people have for the party and goes on to say Midlands has always shown to be the bedrock of the party since the days of the late VP Muzenda. This should be a lesson to other provinces as well as party leaders that the youth can be a leading light

14:34 – President Mugabe is giving the keynote speech and starts with salutations

14:31 – First lady has finished her address. Kudzayi Chipanga says “pana one Mdara vanova President Mugabe vamwe avo ndi ana  VP Mnangagwa na VP Mphoko ndiana bamnini”

14:28 – First Lady has brought ice creams and yoghurts worth more than $15 000 for the youths to enjoy

14:24 – “You must be loved by all provinces not just one if you want to lead Zimbabwe. You cannot go around scolding elders like President Mugabe.What goes around comes around… It is known what you’re doing because you should be consistent.”

14:20 – “If you see bad things happening to you don’t then turn around and say President Mugabe has bewitched me. President Mugabe thought all he wanted to do was to be a teacher but God had a bigger job for him. That’s why we respect you as the President because you tolerate everyone….God still wants President Mugabe to lead and he will tell us when he wants to step down.”

14:18 – “Kutaura kwakashata hakuvake musha,”

14:16 – “Listen to me because I’m your mother..those who scold President Mugabe and his family will not be blessed”

“Mwari akaziva vamugabe vasati vasati vambove muchibereko cha Amai vavo..read Jeremiah 1 verse 5”

14:15 – “Those fanning factionalism should STOP IT!”

14:14 – “We want unity. Midlands I hope you’re not involved in factionalism like you have said today but what we hear is a different story…unless you’re saying from this day forth we are united then I may be convinced”

14:10 – Amai Mugabe is now on the podium.

She says she originally comes from Midlands and is a Karanga.  She says it doesn’t matter where u come from but what’s important is we’re all Zimbabweans.

“I once said what we do in the President’s presence should be same with what we do in his absence”

14:06 – Cde Chipanga returns to the podium to ask First Lady Grace Mugabe to address the rally.

14:00 – “We don’t tolerate factionalism..usave nekamwe ka President kunze kwa Mai na baba Mugabe. We don’t want the name of our war veterans to be tarnished by a few individuals who dream that they will one day rule this country.”

He ends his address by saying next year’s 21st February Movement celebrations will be held in Nyanga.

13:58 – The Youth League has started publishing the Interface magazine that will soon be sold locally. Cde Chipanga says the magazine will capture all the activities being done by the youth and women’s league. He says every edition will carry the images of the President and First Lady on its cover page

13:56 – He thanks the First Lady for the work she is doing and urges her to include youths in her latest poultry initiative

 

13:54 – Chipanga endorses President Mugabe as the sole 2018 candidate and urges the youth to register so they can vote in 2018. The youth leader says the  new recommendation to change over from metal IDs to plastic ones should be looked at and proposes that the period in which they will be issued should be increased as there is risk of disenfranchising those they may hear the news

13:50 – Chipanga calls for inclusion of youths in parastatal boards and access to farming land

13:46 – He has finished his address and Cde Chipanga is back on the podium

13:43 – He calls for full youth participation in all government initiatives especially in Command Agriculture and also says Midlands is not a factional province but a province that follows President Mugabe and Amai Mugabe

13:38 – “We got chrome claims but Zimasco got claims that are under other people’s names. The same is the case regarding residential stands” – Cde Machando

13:36 – He says College students who fail to pay fees should be allowed to write exams and look for the money after

13:34 – Machando says youth need loans to start businesses because they can’t find jobs after school

13:30 – Cde Hamandishe is back on the podium and says provincial youth chairperson Cde Machando to address the gathering

13:27 – VP Mnangagwa is now greeting the party supporters

13:25 – Cde Chipanga is now on the podium and chants party slogans and begins introducing the Politburo as well the Central Committee

13:23 – Hamandishe calls Cde Chipanga to introduce Politburo members

13:20 – Cde Undenge (wife) chants party slogans on behalf of women’s league

13:13 – National Youth Political Commissar Innocent Hamandishe is the MC

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13:09 – A minister of religion is now blessing the gathering

13:05 – The National Anthem is now being played

13:02 – President Mugabe and First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe are now making their way to the main stage

12:52 – He is accompanied by First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe and Youth League secretary Kudzanayi Chipanga as he goes around greeting party supporters

12:47 – President Mugabe has arrived to a resounding welcome

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The atmosphere has turned electric as President Mugabe is set to arrive

The atmosphere has turned electric as President Mugabe is set to arrive

12:35 –VP Mnangagwa, VP Mphoko, National Political Commissar Saviour Kasukuwere  and State Security Minister Kembo Mohadi have arrived

12:07 – Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda has arrived

12:02 – Mbare Chimurenga Choir is currently keeping the bumper crowd on their feet with their  discography of  music

11: 57 – The numbers keep swelling here at the open space outside Mkoba Teachers College with the party faithful still trooping in.

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11: 55 –  President has officially opened the information centre and is now inspecting the computers

11: 45 – Various groups are currently entertaining the party supporters

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11:36 – Some of the ministers already present at the rally venue include Dr Ignatius Chombo, Josaya Hungwe, Prisca Mupfumira, Joram Gumbo, Prof Jonathan Moyo, Joseph Made, Patrick Zhuwao.

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11:33 -President Mugabe has just arrived at the Information Centre and is welcomed by Minister Mandiwanzira

11:32 -Present are ICT Minister Cde Super Mandiwanzira, Defence Minister Cde Sydney Sekeramayi, Zanu-PF Midlands chair Cde Daniel MacKenzie Ncube among other senior government officials.

11:28 – Delegates waiting witness President Mugabe as he officially opens a state of the art information centre in Gweru Central Business District are now seated with the President expected to arrive here at about 11.30.

PREAMBLE

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Thousands of Zanu-PF supporters have converged at an open space outside Mkoba Teachers College for the seventh edition of the Presidential Youth Interface Rallies. The Zanu-PF First Secretary and President has used the rallies as an opportunity to impart in the youth the need to protect the revolutionary legacy that brought Independence to the country.

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President Mugabe is also scheduled to  commission the Gweru Community Information Centre before proceeding to the main event.

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