Thousands turn Somhlolo colourful President Mnangagwa
President Mnangagwa's address at Somhlolo Stadium

President Mnangagwa’s address at Somhlolo Stadium

Nduduzo Tshuma, Political Editor
SOMHLOLO Stadium in Lupane, Matabeleland North, was yesterday turned into a sea of green, white, yellow and red as thousands of Zanu-PF supportes clad in different shades of party regalia gathered to listen to President Mnangagwa’s address.

Symbolically, President Mnangagwa addressed the party crowd, which started swelling early in the morning, facing the east, the direction of Pupu where in 1893 Major Allan Wilson, in the service of the British South Africa Company and his patrol met their death at the hands of King Lobengula’s army.

Attracting massive crowds everywhere he goes to a point of addressing unscheduled rallies, President Mnangagwa said yesterday that the country will always honour the legacy of the country’s liberators like the former President Mr Robert Mugabe, the late Dr Joshua Nkomo, Josiah Magama Tongogara, Jason Ziyapapa Moyo, Herbert Chitepo among other luminaries.

Alternating English, Shona and isiNdebele, Cde Mnangagwa took time to narrate to the flag waiving party supporters the events that led to the resignation of former President Mr Mugabe leading to the new dispensation.

President Mnangagwa made special mention of the two sons of Matabeleland North Dr Obert Mpofu, the Zanu-PF secretary for administration and the Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, for their respective roles in facilitating the transition period that gave birth to the new dispensation.

“When the Vice President was introducing me he missed something,” President Mnangagwa said.

“When I became a border jumper last year, you who had remained behind refused to accept the situation. Your party Zanu-PF met and uMpofu, uObert Mpofu, ukhonapha, sukuma ndoda, nguye lo undoda lo owatshela umhlangano weCentral Committee ukuthi sibe ledawn leyi esesilayo namuhla,” said President Mnangagwa punctuating his address with his haleluyah chant.

He said at that meeting of the Central Committee meeting 262 members of the 300 were in attendance and resolved to expel G40 cabalists from the party including Mrs Grace Mugabe.

“This is now a clean revolutionary Zanu-PF with committed leadership.

“The next decision that was made at that meeting was to reinstate me and you said jump the border back into Zimbabwe to become Vice President again.

Meanwhile, again a revolutionary son from Matabeleland North chaired Parliament as Speaker, undoda lo ngu Mudenda and said the former President has abandoned his executive powers and we now want to impeach him. The son of Matabeleland North, u Mudenda nguye owayesesi hlalweni for the impeachment process”

President Mnangagwa said this eventually led to former President Mugabe’s resignation.

“The former President uMugabe, stepped down, resigned and in terms of our constitution, within 48 hours, the Speaker demanded that the ruling party Zanu-PF should produce a nominee to take over.

“The Central Committee of the party then nominated me to take over as the President of the new Republic. As a result of that, on the 24th I was sworn in as the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe,” he said.

The President said two weeks after his inauguration, the Zanu-PF extra ordinary congress elevated him to the position of First Secretary of the party.

“After my inauguration I made a pledge that we will respect the people’s wishes because the voice of the people is the voice of God,” said President Mnangagwa.

“I also said we as a revolutionary party shall respect all our icons who led us through the armed revolution that gave us Independence.”

Yesterday’s rally was also attended by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, Political Commissar Engelbert Rugeje and his deputy Cde Omega Hungwe, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Cde Sibusiso Moyo and Women and Youth Affairs Minister Cde Sithembiso Nyoni among other senior party officials.

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