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Online Editor: Stanford Chiwanga

Updates: Zimpapers Online Team

President Mnangagwa today addressed thousands of Zanu-PF supporters at Chinhoyi University in Mashonaland West. Below are updates of the event. Scroll down and read what happened and what was said.

15:45 – That’s it from us. Thank you for being with us. Join us next time.

15:44 – “Together we will rebuild our nation, a new prosperous Zimbabwe for our people,” President Mnangagwa declares as he concludes his address.

15:42 – “We have foreign election observers in the country and we are saying to our people we want a free and fair election. No to violence. We have opened up the democratic space. Everyone has space on national television ZBC. We are going to win through the ballot and we want our people to warmly receive election observers. Victory is certain and we are only waiting for the celebrations.”

15:40 – “Land barons have been warned. We now have a preliminary report and some of the names of land barons we will soon expose them.”

15:38 – “Our flag shall fly and Zimbabwe shall remain Zimbabwe. Vanorota havarambidzwe,” he says in response to reports that MDC Alliance president Nelson Chamisa wants to change the name of the country once elected into office.

15:37 – On coal bed methane in Matabeleland North, President Mnangagwa said the country has large reserves and investors are knocking on the door.

“While others are planning demonstrations, Zanu-PF is planning development.”

15:35 – He says when opposition parties provoke Zanu-PF, members should prepare a meal for them and let them proceed with their journey.”

15:33 – “Turning to opposition parties, he says small political parties making noise in the press will have their day of judgment on July 30.”

15:32 – “We also launched the Empower Bank for the youths. Gone are the days when youths go to school and look for employment. They must be enterprising and start their own projects.”

15:30 – “We are determined that in three years we should have excess power. This should see even rural areas getting power. We want to ensure that no segment of society is left behind and recently we opened the Women’s Empowerment Bank. History shows that women are honest and repay their loans.”

15:25 – “We have started Command Livestock for dry areas.”

Wild cheers as President explains Command Livestock terms and prospects

15:20 – “China set aside our debt and gave us money for Hwange Power Station expansion. We are already distributing inputs before the rains come to make sure we are on time to support our people.”

15:15 – “Let us be receptive to our investors. We want domestic investment but it is very limited so we open our hands to outside capital.”

15:14 – “We now see more mines reopening and global capital is flowing to Zimbabwe because they know their investment is safe.

15:11 – “For us to prosper we should leverage on what every province has for development in that region. Mashonaland West has everything in place for development. We talking about devolution so that provinces fail on their own.”

15:10 – “We are happy that Zimbabwe is being accepted across the board.”

15:08 – “We need to leap frog and catch up with countries in the region and the rest of the developing world. We need to engage and re-engage. We are talking of mutual relationships. Zimbabwe is open for business with old and new friends.”

15:07 – “We have the land and now our task is to make it productive and modernise our agriculture. We need to support the farmers to make sure that under the Command Agriculture Programme the country is food self sufficient with support from the private sector.”

15:06 – “We are saying more economics and less politics.”

15:04 – “MaG40 achaita sembeu yakakandwa muminzwa, vacharamba vachingobaiwa isu veZanu-PF tichingotonga.”

15:03 – “The Constitution says we need to go for election. The opposition will continue to oppose while we rule the country.”

15:02 – He alludes to the 1966 Chinhoyi Battle where Seven gallant fighters fired the first shots of the Second Chimurenga. He said Mashonaland West is the cradle of the revolution and the people should be proud.

15:00 – “For us to prosper we need peace. We asked the captains of industry to understand what they need done to ensure that they operate to their capacity. We then met institutions of higher learning.”

14:58 – “That saw us meeting the clergy. We then met captains of industry and commerce to ensure that we also attend to the economic needs of the people.”

14:56 – “I say to the people of Zimbabwe, God loves you. The Voice of the People is the Voice of God.”

14:55 – “Our first port of call was to meet traditional leaders to appraise them on developments that saw me leading the party.”

14:54 – “From November, after the G40 Cabal was deposed, the Zanu-PF Central Committee and the people demanded the return of the ‘Border Jumper’ (President Mnangagwa).”

14:52 – “Some have eyes but they do not see, others have ears but cannot hear that we are in a new Zimbabwe.”

14:50 – “Anopa masimba nemupiwa mukuru ndiani? To members of Zanu-PF you should know that Zanu-PF is a mass party. Leaders should know that they should respect the members. Doing so guarantees your prolonged stay in leadership. Let’s unite to create a Zimbabwe we want. Where everyone will live in peace. This is a new dawn.”

14:47 – “That is behind us. We are for peace, respect and disdain for denigration of anyone. We are going to build a new Zimbabwe brick by brick. We pick the good things and leave behind the bad. We cannot have people who want to take Zanu-PF as their personal property like Delilah in times past. The huge crowd here is the power behind Zanu-PF.”

14:45 – “It’s my first time coming after the debacle of vitriol at the last meeting at the same grounds.”

14:40 – The President says he is grateful that the people of Mashonaland West came in their numbers.

14:35 – President Mnangagwa takes to the podium.

14:29 – He announces that Cde Ryan Cheney who lost in the primary elections for Chinhoyi Constituency House of Assembly has decided to withdraw and support the winning candidate Engineer Last Sauramba.

Cde Cheney had filed nomination papers as an independent candidate.

14:26 – VP Chiwenga calls all winning and losing candidates to the front to formally present them to the President.

14:23 – We will not forget what happened in November 2017 but we have put it behind us.

14:21 – President Mnangagwa helped in the integration of the Rhodesian and liberation forces as the chairman of the High Command.

14:19 – In 1977 he became special assistant to former President Mugabe. He was also an advisor to the party as a lawyer with the assistance of the late Edison Zvobgo.

14:15 – VP Chiwenga explains that the moniker “Crocodile” (Ngwena) is not related to his totem, but was derived from his involvement in the crocodile gang which carried out acts of sabotage. His totem is Shumba Murambwi.

14:13 – He went for military training when he was less than 21 years of age. While under arrest he was taken to Salisbury prison where he met former President Mugabe.

14:10 – He attended the Zanu Congress in 1964 in Gweru which ushered in the late Ndabaningi Sithole as the president. HE was arrested at Michael Mawema’s house for blowing up a train in then Fort Victoria.

14:06 – “He was expelled from school in Zambia for political activism. He became secretary for the youth league of UNIP in 1961. The late Willie Dzawanda Musarurwa invited him to join ZAPU in 1962.”

14:02 – Vice President Chiwenga takes to the podium.

“The President grew up herding cattle and goats like any other child of his time. Hard done by the decision to limit the number of cattle, then a little boy, President Mnangagwa removed a wheel from the district land development officer which forced the family to leave the country for Zambia.”

13:45 – Zanu-PF provincial chairman Cde Ziyambi Ziyambi takes to the stage to welcome the President in the province.

“Zimbabweans are happy that as President, you are preaching peace. Thanks you for ensuring that the Presidential Inputs Scheme has come earlier than before. We promise to ensure the President and the party win resoundingly in the forthcoming elections.”

13:35 – The National Anthem has been sung and everyone has taken their seats, official proceedings begin.

13:25 – The President and his entourage has arrived at the CCUT Sports Ground and he has gone into a briefing behind the the main stage.

PREAMBLE

President Mnangagwa is set to address a rally in Mashonaland West at the Chinhoyi University of Technology this afternoon.

Stay with us for live updates.