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Leonard Ncube Victoria Falls Reporter
ZANU-PF deputy secretary for environment, Cde Auxilia Mnangagwa will today lead a clean-up campaign in Victoria Falls in preparation for President Mugabe’s birthday celebrations this weekend.

Cde Mnangagwa, who is also Zanu-PF candidate for the forthcoming Chirumanzu-Zibagwe constituency by-election, will lead party youths from Matabeleland North province and Victoria Falls residents in the exercise.

The head of the Environment Management Agency (EMA) in Matabeleland North, Chipo Mpofu-Zuze made the announcement at a preparatory meeting here.

“On behalf of EMA and the sub-committee on environment, we’re going to have a clean-up campaign here in Victoria Falls which will be led by the wife of VP (Emmerson) Mnangagwa on February 25 in her capacity as the party’s deputy secretary for environment,” she said.

Mpofu-Zuze said there was need to educate residents and visitors on the need to keep Victoria Falls clean during and after the 21st February Movement celebrations on Saturday.

“We’ll be moving around educating and raising awareness in people. On February 27 we’re going to have another clean-up exercise around Victoria Falls.

“We’ve planned to give out 5,000 refuse bags, gloves, and protective clothing so that everyone participates,” said Mpofu-Zuze.

“The council should provide refuse trucks so that what we clear will not be scavenged on by dogs. We’ve established about 26 points where teams will conduct the clean-up and will wind up with an address at Busi Business Centre by Cde Mnangagwa.”

Council last week started sealing roads and clearing roadsides by cutting grass in preparation for the celebrations.

A total of 111 children born on February 21 selected from the country’s 10 provinces will be flown to Victoria Falls from Bulawayo and Harare on Thursday and Friday for a party set for Friday afternoon at Victoria Falls Farm School.

The main event will be held at Elephant Hills Golf Course on Saturday before a musical gala at Chinotimba Stadium in the evening.

Meanwhile, the Zanu-PF Matabeleland North leadership on Friday visited the family of the Fatima High School girl, Eudisha Ncube, 15, who was allegedly raped and killed in her “bush” boarding room.

Eudisha’s body was found in a room she shared with four others at 11PM on January 21 and Casper Mhlanga, 29, of Lupane has since been arrested in connection with her murder.

Mhlanga who has already appeared in court for initial remand is alleged to have also stolen from the girl and her roommates.

Following the murder, the school had engaged the police with a view of establishing a police base. Zanu-PF Lupane West MP Cde Martin Khumalo has taken over the payment of school fees for the murder victim’s younger sister.

Zanu-PF provincial chairman Cde Richard Moyo said they visited the girl’s family in Chimwala village under Chief Mabhikwa and Cde Khumalo, the area MP will pay fees for the murdered pupil’s younger sister from Grade Seven to Form Four.

Her family was given $200 by the Zanu-PF delegation that included Cde Khumalo, Lupane East MP Cde Sithembile Gumbo, another MP in the Women’s Quota Cde Mail Nkomo, Women’s League provincial chair Cde Medelina Bhebhe, the party’s secretary for administration Cde Douglas Khoza and provincial administrator Cde Bigboy Nkiwane.

“We visited Fatima High School following the recent sad incident where a Form One girl was raped and killed at school.

“Some of our members had gone there and we thought that as leaders we pay a visit and be in solidarity with the family and school,” said Cde Moyo.

“We went to the school and talked to the head and teachers who took us to the scene. Everyone is still trying to come to terms with the matter and the school is planning to erect a security fence around the premises and also have 24-hour security for safety of children and the staff.

“They’ve also engaged Dete police with the idea of establishing a police base and the police have agreed from what we gathered.”

The Form One girl’s body was found by one of her room mates who had gone to the room to check on her after hearing footsteps. She was bleeding from the nose, mouth and private parts.