'Masvingo solidly behind Mnangagwa'

Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial chairman Ezra Chadzamira has said the province is solidly behind the leadership of President Mnangagwa, saying time for electioneering is now over.

Addressing thousands of Zanu-PF supporters who gathered in Mashava to celebrate the party's resounding victory in the province in last year's polls, Chadzamira said factionalism was also now alien to the province.

Chadzamira, who is also the Masvingo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs, said focus should now shift towards economic development with a view to attain an upper middle income economy by 2030 as enunciated by President Mnangagwa.

"As Masvingo province we will continue to support President Mnangagwa," he said. "We are going to move side by side with him until things normalise. We no longer have issues of factionalism here in Masvingo.

"The factions died with the old dispensation and we now have one leader whom we follow, His Excellency ED Mnangagwa. Under the leadership of President Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe is in safe hands."

Turning to issues of local leadership, Chadzamira said: "Masvingo will never be the same with this leadership. This leadership here is ready to take the province forward. I do not know who dreams of removing it. That should remain a dream.

"Elections are now over and we are now focusing on development, not to continue thinking of pulling each other down. We want Masvingo to be a big city, bigger than Harare because Fort Victoria was the first town in Zimbabwe. We can only do that as a united province.

"We don't listen to those who call for demonstrations. We will continue to work for the development of our province. The time for talk shows is now over, it's now time to deliver."

Speaking at the same occasion, Zanu-PF Secretary for Security Lovemore Matuke said MDC-Alliance should not abuse the democratic space opened by the President in the new dispensation. He said calls to overthrow a democratically elected Government by senior MDC-Alliance members would not be tolerated.

"I want to warn MDC people because I think they have over-enjoyed democracy brought by President Mnangagwa," he said.

"They are now abusing that democracy if they make public statements that they can overthrow this democratically elected Government before 2023. This democracy should now be guided because we cannot allow people to abuse it."

Matuke urged Zanu-PF members to defend the revolution by saying no to demonstrations. The celebrations were attended by senior Zanu-PF members in the province led by Secretary for Production Josaya Hungwe.

In his remarks, Hungwe said President Mnangagwa was ordained by God and no one should fight him.

"President Mnangagwa is a people's President," he said.

"His Presidency was not a secret. "A call was made publicly through radios and televisions that those interested to take the post of President come forward.

"President Mnangagwa threw his name in the hat and won, so if you are not happy with his leadership go and ask God."

Also present were Politburo members Paul Mangwana (legal affairs) and Pupurai Togarepi (youth affairs) and Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando, among several provincial members.