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Cde Thokozile Mathuthu

Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
ZANU-PF Women’s League members in Matabeleland North have been challenged to make First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe’s chicken project a success.

Women’s League deputy secretary, Cde Thokozile Mathuthu, made the remarks yesterday in Lupane during the handover of 3 000 chicks donated to women by the First Lady.

Cde Mathuthu said each of the seven districts in Matabeleland North will receive 428 chicks.

The handover of the chicks follows chicken rearing lessons that were conducted for the benefit of all Women’s League members.

Cde Mathuthu, who is also the Minister of State for Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs, said there is no justification for the chicken project to fail.

“This project was started by the First Lady after realising the challenges faced by women in the country. There is a shortage of cash making it very difficult for women. So she saw it fit to empower women through the chicken project,” she said.

Cde Mathuthu said in her wisdom, the First Lady saw the need to educate women on chicken rearing before distributing the chicks.

She challenged women in the province to ensure that the project is transformed into successful businesses.

“We expect that when the project moves to the second phase we will be having all the 3000 chickens. We don’t want this project to fail. We learnt how to rear chickens and were prepared for this project. Whenever you face challenges during the process, consult the leaders at every level. They should be in a position to assist you,” said Cde Mathuthu.

She said as the Women’s League they were behind President Mugabe’s leadership and the one centre of power principle must not be contested.

Cde Mathuthu challenged women to register as voters saying it will be useless to claim to support the party when individuals are not voting.

“We also expect women to vote for the party. You can’t benefit from the party’s programmes yet you vote for the confused opposition parties,” she said.

The Women’s League chairperson for Matabeleland North province, Cde Madeline Bhebhe, expressed gratitude to the First Lady for honouring her promise to women.

She said that the time has come for women to take action.

“We want to thank umama uDr Grace Mugabe for appreciating us as women. She wants all the women to be empowered. She wants to see women taking action. Let’s take action. We want to build a poultry factory in Lupane so that the girl child can be empowered. That is what the First Lady expects from us as women,” Cde Bhebhe said.

@nqotshili