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Nduduzo Tshuma, Political Editor
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday said Zanu-PF is cruising to victory in the July 30 harmonised elections.

He called for peace in the country urging Zimbabweans to be hospitable to foreign observers coming for the polls.

Addressing thousands of party supporters gathered at Somhlolo Stadium in Lupane, President Mnangagwa called for unity in the party saying Zanu-PF wants a clean victory.

“We have elections coming. We want a peaceful, non-violent, transparent election and this we are going to achieve because we are united, we are the majority, we are the masters of our destination, we determine our journey,” he said.

“No more hate speech. Inhlamba asisazifuni, kuma interface lawana kwakule nhlamba, asisafuni. Our emphasis is on unity, love, peace, harmony for all Zimbabweans.We shall win the elections on the 30th of July peacefully, voting peacefully, campaign peacefully and we rule peacefully.”

President Mnangagwa called on party cadres not to concern themselves with minor parties.

“Zanu-PF is the only party that knows the history of the suffering of the masses leading to the liberation of the country and has a clear vision on how to go forward. It’s not a fly by night party but rich in history, a people’s party that listens to the people,” he said adding that he and his lieutenants are servant leaders.

President Mnangagwa said the Government had invited foreign observers for the elections calling on Zimbabweans to embrace them.

“We are in the election process, we have foreign observers who came to our country to observe elections, we welcome them, let us embrace them, they should feel at home, they should feel accepted here in Zimbabwe, us as Zanu-PF, we are a mass party, a huge party, we are going to be victorious, we don’t want to hear that you bothered them.

“We Zimbabweans are hospitable people, we are nice people, we are humble people, we look after visitors. Let them enjoy our hospitality, they will go back after elections and we will continue to rule ourselves.

“Those who don’t want to be in Zanu-PF and who enjoy to be ruled by Zanu-PF, let us rule them, they will enjoy our rule.

President Mnangagwa hit out at the MDC Alliance who have been staging demonstrations recently saying elections are not won on the streets.

“Those that are demonstrating should know that demonstrations do not vote. People vote privately in the booths one by one and we are certain that Zanu-PF will win,” said President Mnangagwa.

The President said the country was on the path for economic development as the Government has lined up a number of projects to modernise and grow the economy.

He called on Zimbabweans to shun corruption and instead encourage hard work.

“We want millionaires but it should be through honest and hard work,” said President Mnangagwa.

He said Government was committed to implementing devolution of power that would see provinces running their respective economies.

“Each province must grow its own economy that is what the new dispensation is saying by devolving central power to all provinces. There is no province without resources so we should devolve power to all provinces because they know what they want,” he said.

“We want to uplift our country so that we get decent jobs and we will look at sector by sector. New factories are being opened and old ones are being resuscitated. By 2030 we should be a middle class economy where every child should look forward to a better life with better opportunities. That is the Zimbabwe we want.”

President Mnangagwa said the Government’s engagement and re-engagement efforts are meant to leapfrog the country to make up for the almost two decades of isolation.

He said Matabeleland North is rich with natural resources that include minerals such as gold, coal, diamonds and lithium among others.

“Matabeleland North has many natural resources and has the largest reserves of coal bed methane in Southern Africa. Very soon we will be producing fertiliser and diesel from the resource,” he said.

Addressing beneficiaries of Command Livestock in Jotsholo earlier, President Mnangagwa said the Government  was going to award a special grant to a company to tap coal bed methane in the province.

“We are going to produce fertiliser for the whole country from Matabeleland North. A special grant has been approved for a company that will produce fuel from coal bed methane here in Matabeleland North for the whole country,” said President Mnangagwa. .

“We consume about five million barrels a year but Matabeleland North in four to five years, will produce about eight million barrels a year so there will be an excess of three million barrels.”

President Mnangagwa said the dualisation of the Beitbridge – Bulawayo – Victoria Falls Road will benefit youths from Matabeleland South, North and Bulawayo.

He said the Government was rebuilding the Kwekwe- Nkayi- Lupane roads so that travellers in Matabeleland North do not have to go via Bulawayo when travelling to Harare.

President Mnangagwa said the Government through the digitisation programme was working on providing radio and television signals in all parts of the country.