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ALL roads lead to Bulawayo today where President Mnangagwa will address a star rally in Cowdray Park suburb to drum up support for the ruling party Zanu- PF ahead of the harmonised general elections later this month.

The rally, the seventh in as many weeks after Chipinge, Bulilima, Magunje, Zaka, Centenary and Nkayi star rallies, is expected to be another resounding success as Zanu-PF continues to flex its political muscle.

The President is also expected to commission Cowdray Park Healthcare Centre.

The revolutionary party is poised to reclaim its ground in the City of Kings where it has endeared itself with the masses by implementing transformative signature development projects under the Second Republic including revitalising the manufacturing sector to retain and create more job opportunities for locals.

President Mnangagwa’s star rally is expected to showcase the milestone developments achieved by the Second Republic in Bulawayo in the last five years. The city had 163 completed signature projects out of 230 as of December 2022.

In line with President Mnangagwa’s drive to ensure equitable development across the country, Bulawayo has received increased Government attention in the last five years and benefited more from different policy support measures.

10:17 Thousands of Zanu PF supporters have gathered at Mkhithika Thebe Primary School in Bulawayo’s Cowdray Park suburb for the rally.

It’s an electric atmosphere here as the supporters are in song and dance.
Zanu PF Vice President and Second Secretary Cde Kembo Mohadi has arrived.

National Political Commissar Cde Mike Bimha is also here with Secretary for Youth Cde Tino Machakaire, going around greeting the multitudes.

10:25 President Mnangagwa has arrived at the Joshua Mqabuko International Airport in Bulawayo, for the rally

10:26 He is welcomed by senior government officials, service chiefs and Zanu pf party officials.

The President is ready for the rally

10:4 Officials have arrived to witness President Mnangagwa’s commissioning of a 20-bed Cowdray Park Health Centre.
The health centre is part of the Second Republic’s commitment to improving access to health care in the country as 30 more will be constructed countrywide.
The health centre has been equipped with modern equipment and is expected to service Cowdray Park, the second highest populated suburb in the country.
Its construction is part of the Zanu PF Government’s fulfilment of electoral promises, whose aim is to improve health care for all.
The health centre was constructed by NMS a United Kingdom construction company, but the project is fully funded by the Government through a loan.
Health and Child Care Deputy Minister John Mangwiro is already on site among other civil servants.
10:42 Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga has arrived in Cowdray Park for the commissioning of Cowdray Park Health Centre.

Everyone is ready for the arrival of the President to commission the clinic

10:48 In the VIP tent at Mkhithika Primary School, the venue for the rally, Zanu PF dignitaries are gathered, including Cde Molly Mpofu, Cde Tshinga Dube, Cde Makhosini Hlongwane, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Nick Mangwana and Director of International Communication Richard Mahomva.

11:09 President Mnangagwa has arrived in Cowdray Park, where he will commission Cowdray Park Health Centre before proceeding to address the Zanu-PF star rally for Bulawayo province.
Officials have joined the President in a closed-door briefing at the health centre.

Cowdray Park Health Centre is one of the 30 clinics that are being built by the government across the country’s districts through a United Kingdom contractor, NMS Infrastructure.

The 20-bed health centre is the second to be completed after Stoneridge in Harare, which is now functional with state-of-the-art equipment.

11:33 The President has officially commissioned the Cowdray Park Health Centre and an ambulance for the same facility

11:43 The atmosphere at the rally venue is reaching fever pitch as thousands await the arrival of President Mnangagwa who is in Bulawayo for a Presidential Star Rally at Cowdray Park.

LMG Choir is providing entertainment and the thousands are singing along

11:53 The commissioning and tour of the health centre has ended, the President is now moving to the star rally.

12:08 President Mnangagwa has arrived at Cowdray Park grounds near Mkhithika Primary School, in Bulawayo where he is set to address a Presidential Star Rally.

He is accompanied by the First Lady Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa.

Thousands of Zanu-PF supporters cheer waving red, green, yellow, white and black caps as the First Secretary arrives.

President Mnangagwa is received by Vice President and Second Secretary Cde Constantino Chiwenga and Second Secretary Cde Kembo Mohadi.

He is also received by Zanu-PF Bulawayo Provincial Chairman Cde Jabulani Sibanda, Secretary for Administration Cde Obert Mpofu, Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Judith Ncube and President of the Chief’s Council Fortune Charumbira, Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda and other senior party officials.

The President has gone into a briefing.

12:57 President Mnangagwa is now meeting thousands of Zanu-PF supporters that are gathered here and the mood has reached fever pitch.

The President is moving around and making stops here and there doing his signature dance much to the delight of the lucky ones at front of the thousands of Zanu-PF supporters.

Thousands of Zanu-PF supporters cheer, waving red, green, yellow, white and black caps as the First Secretary greets them.

 

The ruling party’s First Secretary is accompanied by the First Lady Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa, Zanu-PF Second Secretaries and Vice Presidents Cdes Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi, Secretary for Administration Cde Obert Mpofu, Bulawayo Province Chairman Cde Jabulani Sibanda and senior Zanu-PF officials

13:04 His Excellency President Mnangagwa is set to tour the Cowdray Park waterworks after the end of his Presidential Star Rally keynote address in Cowdray Park

13:13 Cde Sne a five year old gives salutations to the masses. Her ruling party slogans are met with wild cheers from the crowd.

The President and First Lady invite Cde Sne to the VIP stage.

13:23 Zanu PF National Political Commissar Cde Mike Bimha is now on the podium giving salutations.

He has invited Zanu-PF Bulawayo Provincial Chairman Cde Jabulani Sibanda to introduce traditional leaders represented by President of the Chief’s Council Chief Fortune Charumbira and his Vice Mtshane Khumalo.

Zanu-PF Secretary for Administration Cde Obert Mpofu has taken to the podium.
He says Vice President Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo, Cde Zimbabwe and liberation stalwarts will be pleased to see the sea of people who are here to meet with President Mnangagwa.

13:37 Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Judith Ncube takes to the podium to welcome the party’s leadership in Bulawayo.
Minister Ncube expresses gratitude to Bulawayo for gracing the event.

She said she was skeptical that due to the cold, some party members would not have attended the event but is proud that multitudes attended the rally.
She recounts how President Mnangagwa intervened when some rowdy protesters destroyed shops in Bulawayo in 2019.
President also played a crucial role in ensuring that Highlanders Football Club is financially sound and provided the team with a gold mining licence in Inyathi, Matabeleland North.

The President addressed the water crisis in 2020 when residents started dying in Luveve.
President is in the process of addressing the permanent water crisis through the construction of Lake Gwayi Shangani, a dream which had been left unattended for more than a century.

Power shortages have been addressed through the rehabilitation of Hwange Unit 7 and 8.
Hospitals are being constructed to improve health care in the city and it is not surprising that this morning the President commissioned Cowdray Park Health Centre.

13:38 She ends her speech.

13:39 Zanu PF National Political Commissar Cde Mike Bimha is now on the podium giving salutations.

He has invited Zanu-PF Bulawayo Provincial Chairman Cde Jabulani Sibanda to introduce traditional leaders represented by President of the Chief’s Council Chief Fortune Charumbira and his vice Mtshane Khumalo.

Zanu-PF Secretary for Administration Cde Obert Mpofu has taken to the podium. He says the Vice Presidents Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo, Dr Simon Muzenda and liberation stalwarts will be pleased to see the sea of people who are here to meet President Mnangagwa.

13:40 Zanu-PF Provincial Chairperson Cde Jabulani Sibanda takes to the podium

” Here today we came to listen to the President, we have done the mobilisation”

Our President is standing with God that no man shall marry another man. We are here as Bulawayo to vote for the President who will continue to ensure that this country remains for God. Please receive my revolutionary support Cde President. He ends his speech

13:44 Cde Bimha invites all members who will be representing the ruling Zanu-PF in the upcoming harmonised elections to come to the front and meet the President and other members of the Presidium

14:07 Vice President and Second Secretary, General Rtd Dr Constantino Chiwenga has taken to the podium.

VP Chiwenga says he feels happy and excited to be with the people of Bulawayo at this Presidential Star rally.

He says they came to Bulawayo together with the party’s Presidential candidate in the forthcoming August 23 elections.

He urges the electorate to pay attention to detail to the keynote address by President Mnangagwa.

VP Chiwenga says the President has remained true to his promise that no Zimbabwean life will be lost due to hunger.

He chronicles the main promises and assurances made by President Mnangagwa such as bringing an end to the perennial water problems that have been afflicting the City through the construction of Gwayi-Shangani Lake.

14:12 He says an 80 percent majority for Zanu-PF will send a clear message

14:13 VP Chiwenga ends his address by inviting President Mnangagwa to the podium, the crowd erupts into song and dance

14:15 President Mnangagwa is now at the podium where he starts with his trademark dance, much to the excitement of the crowd

14:23 The President starts by greeting those present at the star rally

Ngifuna ukubonga sibili ngobunengi bwenu, ngize ngithi iNkosi zonke ezahambayo oMzilikazi khangelani izizukulwana zenu

I am very happy to be in the City of Kings of Queens. Since I am here will you give me the Queens? Thank you for coming here in your numbers to show your love and support for the ruling Zanu-PF

14:24 Your presence here is a reflection that as Bulawayo province you are determined to play your part in defending the revolution.

Ngiyalibonga lonke Bulawayo.

Well done Bulawayo.

Together let us build our motherland brick upon brick, stone upon stone step by step.

14:25 I hail you for maintaining peace, Zanu-PF rejects violence regionalism, we are all one people under the flag of Zimbabwe

14:26 Zimbabwe is a unitary state, we are a united people very peaceful. We are one from Zambezi to Limpopo from Mutare to Beitbridge

14:27 Zanu-PF is a people’s party a party by the people a party for the people

We are the party that brought independence through a protracted liberation struggle. It was not an easy road from the first chimurenga to the second chimureng

14:31 Today ai want to tell you that we all can fit in the Zanu-PF pocket. However there is no one who can take the party and put it into his own pocket. To those that were mislead Zanu-PF has a big heart, come back home to Zanu-PF

14:32 On 23 August I have declared that all opposition parties should leave local authorities and Parliament because this all belongs to Zanu-PF

14:35 Under our party Zanu-PF we are on the road to deliver higher quality of life for our people and we are committed we are a people’s party and no one and no place shall be left behind, only Zanu-PF has this philosophy because Zanu-PF is the one who brought the liberation of this country, we are the masters of our own destiny

14:38 Zanu-PF is an organised political party, the party keeps time when there is a nomination court we know when it opens and when it closes.

I say to those that are unable who are unable to read the times and programmes must go back and reclaim their school fees.

The party is uncontested in Cowdray Park, Byo Central and Byo South not because we stopped them but they stopped themselves.
14:39 Our party is also uncontested in the provincial council amhlophe mahlabezulu. So let us win resoundingly. In the past we had one Modi now we need 12 Modis

14:40 Please ward by ward province and province vote for Zanu-PF forward ever the sun has come up and Zanu-PF is the only light that is there

14:41 I want to remind the opposition and their handlers that State House is very far. Rather they go to America it will be much easier but State House they must forget, it is very far

14:42 I understand they are those who want to be supported by dishing out money, spend the money of these sell outs but come election day vote for Zanu-PF

14:43 Turning to the economy, for the last 3 years Zim has been the fastest-growing economy despite sanctions. We are building our country on the basis of our own resources. For 23 years we have had sanctions we have not received any foreign direct investment but we have been developing using our own God-given resources

14:46 In the past we used to say kuNtuthuziyathunqa under the Second Republic we have plans to revitalise Byo as the industrial capital of this nation.
The first step is for us to ensure the supply of water this is why you have been told by Cde Judith Ncube that we have had Nyamandlovu Aquifer as the first step my second step is the Gwayi Shangani dam project which was first mooted in 1912 once we have completed this project you will all wave goodbye to the water challenges
14:48 The second issue is energy, electricity which is why I went to China and they extended a soft loan which we used to rehabilitate Hwange unit7 and 8 which is why now we have electricity

So what is the duty of each one of us; each one of us make sure you engage yourself in production if you are a lazy person you must just die

14:49 When the Second Republic came to office when you get to any supermarket 35 percent of the products were produced in Zimbabwe but now five years later its now over 80 percent

14:51 I would like to commend our citizens in the diaspora most of them are now remembering where they come from and are investing back in the country.

I commend them saying that they should remember that where they are is not their home but their home is back here in Zimbabwe

14:52 The Japanese built Japan, the Americans built America so we Zimbabweans must build our own country ilizwe lakhiwa ngabanikazi balo.

There are 3 principles which must teach your children 1 ilizwe lakhiwa 2 ilizwe libuswa 3 ilizwe likhulekelwa ngabanikazi balo

14:56 In infrastructure development dams, roads, clinics etc. These are issues which the Second Republic is ceased with. Gwayi-Shangani dam is now 70 percent, the pipeline is under construction before this is achieved we have been drilling boreholes. As we were coming here I instructed Min Masuka to drill 20 boreholes before I come here he tells me 8 boreholes have been completed so far

14:59 I have upgraded Beitbridge border post, we are upgrading all the other border posts. There are now more airlines coming to Joshua’s Mqabuko Nkomo airport because of the Second Republic. We have also started work on the Beitbridge-Bulawayo- Victoria Falls Road. Because all the Urban Councils which are under the opposition have failed the government has intervened to work on the roads.

15:01 The Hwange unit 7 and 8 upgrade project has added 600 mega Watts to the national grid which is why we have electricity. Tomorrow il be commissioning the project. The Second Republic has plans to upgrade the Bulawayo power station. Under the Second Republic, we have since got rid of any fuel queues. With transport, we have not finished, we still need to add more buses so that our people can be transported on time

15:03 We have changed our education so that it can now produce products and services. We introduced innovation hubs at every State University. At Nust we are constructing an industrial park so that our students can dream and implement their dream

15:05 Under the Second Republic we leave no one behind, even regarding ICT we have built information centres around the country so that we all move with modern technology.

I want to thank Prof Mthuli Ncube that he gave people here in Cowdray Park free wifi

15:06 Today we opened a clinic State of the art here in Cowdray Park, we shall build 30 of those around the country the first was in Harare the second was here in Byo.

Down with bullying in schools. I don’t want any bullying our children should be Patriotic. We must leave this country to children who are responsible.

15;09 On accommodation, we have done the Byo students accommodation, Mpilo and UBH accommodation. I am aware that some of our families have been staying in houses for 30 years but with no title deeds.

Under Zanu PF we will give you title deeds.I know you have a lot of problems but no one and no place shall be left behind

15:13 International sports is coming to Zimbabwe, we have cricket coming to Zimbabwe. We are refurbishing Bf stadium where Highlanders plays which is doing well this season with 17 unbeaten games amhlophe Highlanders iBosso yiBosso.

 

 

1514: The President also speaks against drug and substance abuse.

“We your leaders want to leave it better than we found it but we don’t to leave it to people who abuse drugs.”

1515: On International relations last week I came from the Russia-Africa Summit. We have continued to strengthen our relations with such countries as Russia who aided us during the liberation struggle. Our philosophy is that Zim is a friend to all and an enemy to none but those who chose to be our enemies we won’t change them.

“We are having our elections we have invited International organisations and individual countries to come observe our elections but those countries that have made a conclusion that Zanu-PF will lose and that they will be violence will not be invited. We are inviting those that will not be biased.”

1520: “I would like to extend my gratitude to Byo for coming to listen to me we shall remain one unitary nation. Zimbabwe is for Zimbabweans we are solid. We know where we want to go, we are unstoppable.

“23 August the people’s victory is achievable. We want peace, shun violence guard against detractors that might lead you astray,” says the President as he ends his address.

15:40: Zanu-PF Second Secretary Cde Kembo Mohadi has taken to the podium and is giving a vote of thanks.

Cde Mohadi thanks His Excellency President Emmerson Mnangagwa for his speech that chronicled the history of Zanu-PF, its philosophy and ethos.

He says the opposition that is in local authorities have failed.

Cde Mohadi says the President is bringing to fruition the dream of water to Bulawayo through the construction of Lake Gwayi-Shangani. The lake will bring to an end the perennial water shortages in Bulawayo.

Cde Mohadi says the Second Republic has brought much development and urges Bulawayo to vote for Zanu-PF come August 23.

He says it’s time to remove the opposition from power who have failed to run councils.

Cde Mohadi thanks Zanu-PF Bulawayo Provincial Chairman Cde Jabulani Sibanda for mobilisation of the thousands gathered here. He ends his vote of thanks.