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MEMBERS of the Zanu-PF Youth League conducted clean-up exercises in all the country’s provinces as part of celebrating President Mugabe’s birthday yesterday.

In Bulawayo, they cleaned the area from Bulawayo Service Station along Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Street into Fife Street.

The youths undertook the campaign in partnership with the Environmental Management Agency and the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority.

Zanu-PF national youth commissar, Cde Innocent Hamandishe was among the youths who participated in the Bulawayo clean-up.

“This is an important day for youths as this is the day our icon was born. We are celebrating this day and this year we are going a step further, we are launching our campaign for 2018. Our main celebrations will be in Matobo on Saturday. We are ready, everything is now in place. Our 21sters will be arriving on Thursday and the bulk of our comrades will be arriving on Friday,” said Cde Hamandishe.

“Everything is on course. We are ready to celebrate the life of a legend, our living icon, His Excellency, Cde R G Mugabe.”

Zanu-PF national youth secretary Cde Kudzai Chipanga said the clean-up campaign went well in Harare where thousands of youths turned up.

Cde Chipanga said accreditation for the celebrations began on Monday in Harare and only VIPs were being accredited there.

He said the accreditation exercise will continue in Matobo from tomorrow and ends on Friday.

Cde Chipanga said those who fell under the VIP category for accreditation were politburo members, central committee members, ministers, senior government officials, Members of Parliament, traditional chiefs, senior dignitaries and diplomats.

He said in Matabeleland South, the host province, VIP accreditation is open to district heads, heads of government departments, council chief executive officers, chairpersons, mayors and journalists.

Cde Chipanga emphasised that accreditation was not meant to bar anyone from the event but was for seating arrangements.

“Everyone is invited, the event is open to everyone. The accreditation has been done only for seating arrangements. It does not mean that people are not welcome,” he said.

In Matabeleland South, youths embarked on the clean-up exercise starting from 10AM in Gwanda. The youths started cleaning at Senondo Primary School and covered a distance of 5km passing through Phakama Shopping Centre and roads leading into CBD, up to Gwanda Provincial Hospital.

At the hospital, the youths donated hampers to three newborn babies who share their birthday with President Mugabe.

Matabeleland South Youth League provincial chairperson Cde Lizwe Moyo said the youths would forever be grateful to President Mugabe for uplifting them through education and the indigenisation programme.

In the same province in Plumtree Youth League members donated grocery hampers to children born yesterday at Plumtree District Hospital.

Youths and adults from the border town also conducted a clean-up exercise in the CBD and high density areas as part of the celebrations.

Matabeleland South Provincial Youth League secretary for security, Ms Siphilisiwe Nawira said: “In Mat South the campaign was conducted in Plumtree, Matobo and Gwanda districts. As Plumtree we further decided to hand over food hampers to children that were born today (yesterday) to show that they were born on a special day as they share a birthday with the President.”

Speaking at a function to hand over the hampers, the guest of honour who is the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs and Mangwe MP, Cde Obedingwa Mguni, urged members of the public to attend the 21st February Movement celebrations set for Saturday in Matobo in large numbers.

He said the country had gained a lot under the President’s leadership.

Cde Mguni said plans were underway to turn President Mugabe’s house that he lived in while teaching at Empandeni Mission School into a heritage site.

In Matabeleland North Province, scores of people who included youths, businesspersons, heads of government departments and school children from Mabhikwa High School braved the rains to take part in the clean-up exercise at Lupane Centre.

They also picked litter and cleaned the bus terminus, residential areas, among other areas.

Kusile District Administrator Zachariah Jusa challenged youths to emulate President Mugabe. Lupane Business Association secretary Mr Permanent Sibanda said businesspersons temporarily left their businesses to join in the clean up to show the day’s importance.

In the Midlands province, ruling party youths took the clean-up campaign to Kudzanai bus terminus.

“The reason why we chose to clean at Kudzanai bus terminus is because there is a high population and the area is highly polluted and affected area so we want to keep our city clean as well as honouring this special day for us Zimbabwe,” said Midlands Provincial Youth Chairman Cde Prosper Machando.