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President Mnangagwa

Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu and Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondents

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to visit Matabeleland South Province on Friday where he will launch the command agriculture programme at the Gwanda Show Grounds and address the people at Phelandaba Stadium.

In an interview after a preparatory meeting held in Gwanda yesterday, Matabeleland South Minister of State for Provincial Affairs, Cde Abednico Ncube said President Mnangagwa will handover about 600 cattle to A1, A2 and communal farmers.

“We are excited to be hosting President Emmerson Mnangagwa who will be visiting our province on Friday.

“He is expected to launch the command agriculture programme where he will also handover about 600 cattle to A1, A2 and communal farmers at the Gwanda Show Grounds. He will thereafter address a rally at Phelandaba Stadium.

“The command livestock programme is very important for our farmers because our province is partly dependent on livestock farming,” he said.
Cde Ncube said preparations for President Mnangagwa’s visit were at a advanced stage and people from all the seven districts in the province were expected to converge in Gwanda for the two events.

He said President Mnangagwa will be briefed on the outstanding projects which include Tulimanyange Dam in Ntepe area Gwanda, proposed irrigation project near Zhobe Dam in Beitbridge, revival of the Liebiegs beef processing factory in West Nicholson area, tarring of the Gwanda Maphisa Road, upgrading of Mtshabezi Bridge among others.

Cde Ncube called on members of the public to turn up in numbers to meet the President.

Zanu PF Matabeleland South chairman, Cde Rabelani Choeni said the party expected thousands of people to attend the launch and rally in Gwanda.

“We expect about 40 000 people to attend the rally at Phelandaba Stadium and logistics have been put in place to provide transport especially for those from outside Gwanda town,” he said.

Meanwhile, President Mnangagwa will on Saturday address a rally in Bulawayo dubbed “the spark that led to the new dispensation.”

Bulawayo youths are credited for heckling former First Lady Mrs Grace Mugabe as she tried to insult President Mnangagwa who was then Mr Robert Mugabe’s deputy at White City Stadium.

The White City Stadium event started a process that led to the Zimbabwe Defence Forces’ Operation Restore Legacy that culminated in Zanu-PF recalling Mr Mugabe before his resignation as the country’s President.

The Bulawayo Zanu-PF provincial secretary for finance Cde Mlungisi Moyo yesterday urged Bulawayo residents to come in their numbers to meet President Mnangagwa.

“We are in the election season and as such we expect residents to come in their numbers for this important rally.

“The coming in of the new dispensation started in Bulawayo and remember were it not for the boo boys and strategic thinkers, we could be talking something different,” said Cde Moyo.