News / National
Mugabe challenges Zanu-PF chefs
22 Jul 2017 at 10:32hrs | Views
PRESIDENT Mugabe yesterday called on senior Zanu-PF leaders to emulate the unity shown in the party's youth league as he invoked the spirit of his late deputy Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo while emphasising the importance of the land and unity.
Addressing thousands of Zanu-PF youths at Somhlolo Stadium, Lupane, Matabeleland North, President Mugabe said the unity of purpose exhibited by the youth league when it organised the Million Man march last year and now when the league is organising the Presidential youth interface rallies, was what the late Dr Nkomo always preached.
Yesterday was the fourth interface rally after similar engagements in Mashonaland East, Manicaland and Masvingo.
"Before Umdala wethu uNkomo passed on, I was at his bedside, wathi kimi, I want you to observe ukumbambana, don't lose that virtue, that principle, the people must remain united. Two, our country, don't let our land go back to the hands of the enemy, siboligcina ilizwe lethu, ngelethu phela," said President Mugabe.
"Those two things are very crucial, but why are they crucial? Why should we remain united? We must remain united of course because this is now Zimbabwe, once upon a time ilizwe lethu lathathwa by foreigners and we lost it. Losing it meant losing our wealth, wealth comes from the land and it must be your land, as owners not just as occupants, not as slaves or employees of the white man, not as servants of the white man but as owners of Zimbabwe," he said.
President Mugabe said it was critical to own the land fully and utilise it to develop the majority blacks as the country's development objectives are dependent on land ownership.
"If we are to prosper as a nation, families and even as individuals, unity, unity and more unity is required. It cannot be just my interests or your individual interests, no, it must be we together. We together fought for the country to become Zimbabwe, we together must defend so the country will continue in the future as Zimbabwe," he said.
"Be careful the enemy has his own tricks. We might once again be robbed of our right to control and own land. So the two go together and what are our youths doing, they are doing what precisely umdala said, be united.
"Our national youth league and as indeed the women's league and indeed Zanu-PF are all propelled by that principle or objective that the country must remain ours. We must work together; we must defend it against our enemies."
President Mugabe said it was important for the youth, as future leaders to continue the legacy of unity long after the country's founding fathers were gone.
"This is what we would like to say, we who are still alive, the elders, that you are the leaders of tomorrow, you are already leaders now but since you are younger than ourselves, you will be leaders of the future as well and I want to thank you for recognising that but I want to thank you also even as you are young and even as we are your teachers, for teaching us the elders a lesson, you are saying to your elders, look at us, we are united, sibambene, we can raise crowds and crowds of unity," said President Mugabe.
"This is a phenomenon that the elders must grasp, mina ke? I say you the youth, thank you ngiyabonga kakhulu, ngiyalibonga kakhulu the youths of all provinces for your respect, for your confidence in me and I also respect you as I said, what will I be without followers?
"I want to say, those of us who are leaders, look at what the youth are able to do. No fights amongst them, they are united, firmly united, they would have not achieved this without unity, no backbiting, no factions and no desire at the moment to be successors when the President is still there.
"The youths are saying no, the women are saying no, the majority of the people are saying no, who then is saying yes? Ngubani yena?
"Whether you are in the Central Committee or the Politburo, are you as united as your children are in the youth league? If not, why? If not, well the youths have given us an example, let us be united in the same way."
President Mugabe hailed the Command Agriculture Programme and paid tribute to the people for responding positively to the successful programme that has led to a bumper harvest thereby boosting food security.
"We are happy Command Agriculture has produced massive tonnes of maize. Even here, lots of maize has been produced in areas which normally are dry and thank God, we had good rains in all parts of the country, so akulamuntu ozalamba as before," said President Mugabe who also pledged to assist the elderly and vulnerable in need of food.
He said continued co-operation between the Government and the people would return the country to its former status of being the region's bread basket.
The President called on Zimbabweans to develop the culture of not being employees but entrepreneurs and employers through the exploitation of natural resources as he challenged those in the Diaspora to be loyal.
President Mugabe said Zanu-PF was the only party with a clear agenda of serving the country and its people unlike the opposition with their "Mugabe must go" mantra that is not accompanied by any vision for the country.
President Mugabe challenged the party to prepare for the elections and ensure that members register as voters.
He challenged particularly the youth league to get the youths from institutions of higher learning and those who have become old enough to vote to register as voters.
President Mugabe castigated renegade groups going around assaulting people using the name of Zanu-PF saying that was not the mode of the revolutionary party and must be stopped.
Earlier, First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe castigated the groups saying they should be arrested for their criminal activities.
Zanu-PF secretary for youth affairs, Kudzanai Chipanga also castigated the group which he said records videos of themselves assaulting people while chanting the party slogans and abusing the name of the First family.
Addressing thousands of Zanu-PF youths at Somhlolo Stadium, Lupane, Matabeleland North, President Mugabe said the unity of purpose exhibited by the youth league when it organised the Million Man march last year and now when the league is organising the Presidential youth interface rallies, was what the late Dr Nkomo always preached.
Yesterday was the fourth interface rally after similar engagements in Mashonaland East, Manicaland and Masvingo.
"Before Umdala wethu uNkomo passed on, I was at his bedside, wathi kimi, I want you to observe ukumbambana, don't lose that virtue, that principle, the people must remain united. Two, our country, don't let our land go back to the hands of the enemy, siboligcina ilizwe lethu, ngelethu phela," said President Mugabe.
"Those two things are very crucial, but why are they crucial? Why should we remain united? We must remain united of course because this is now Zimbabwe, once upon a time ilizwe lethu lathathwa by foreigners and we lost it. Losing it meant losing our wealth, wealth comes from the land and it must be your land, as owners not just as occupants, not as slaves or employees of the white man, not as servants of the white man but as owners of Zimbabwe," he said.
President Mugabe said it was critical to own the land fully and utilise it to develop the majority blacks as the country's development objectives are dependent on land ownership.
"If we are to prosper as a nation, families and even as individuals, unity, unity and more unity is required. It cannot be just my interests or your individual interests, no, it must be we together. We together fought for the country to become Zimbabwe, we together must defend so the country will continue in the future as Zimbabwe," he said.
"Be careful the enemy has his own tricks. We might once again be robbed of our right to control and own land. So the two go together and what are our youths doing, they are doing what precisely umdala said, be united.
"Our national youth league and as indeed the women's league and indeed Zanu-PF are all propelled by that principle or objective that the country must remain ours. We must work together; we must defend it against our enemies."
President Mugabe said it was important for the youth, as future leaders to continue the legacy of unity long after the country's founding fathers were gone.
"This is what we would like to say, we who are still alive, the elders, that you are the leaders of tomorrow, you are already leaders now but since you are younger than ourselves, you will be leaders of the future as well and I want to thank you for recognising that but I want to thank you also even as you are young and even as we are your teachers, for teaching us the elders a lesson, you are saying to your elders, look at us, we are united, sibambene, we can raise crowds and crowds of unity," said President Mugabe.
"This is a phenomenon that the elders must grasp, mina ke? I say you the youth, thank you ngiyabonga kakhulu, ngiyalibonga kakhulu the youths of all provinces for your respect, for your confidence in me and I also respect you as I said, what will I be without followers?
"I want to say, those of us who are leaders, look at what the youth are able to do. No fights amongst them, they are united, firmly united, they would have not achieved this without unity, no backbiting, no factions and no desire at the moment to be successors when the President is still there.
"The youths are saying no, the women are saying no, the majority of the people are saying no, who then is saying yes? Ngubani yena?
"Whether you are in the Central Committee or the Politburo, are you as united as your children are in the youth league? If not, why? If not, well the youths have given us an example, let us be united in the same way."
President Mugabe hailed the Command Agriculture Programme and paid tribute to the people for responding positively to the successful programme that has led to a bumper harvest thereby boosting food security.
"We are happy Command Agriculture has produced massive tonnes of maize. Even here, lots of maize has been produced in areas which normally are dry and thank God, we had good rains in all parts of the country, so akulamuntu ozalamba as before," said President Mugabe who also pledged to assist the elderly and vulnerable in need of food.
He said continued co-operation between the Government and the people would return the country to its former status of being the region's bread basket.
The President called on Zimbabweans to develop the culture of not being employees but entrepreneurs and employers through the exploitation of natural resources as he challenged those in the Diaspora to be loyal.
President Mugabe said Zanu-PF was the only party with a clear agenda of serving the country and its people unlike the opposition with their "Mugabe must go" mantra that is not accompanied by any vision for the country.
President Mugabe challenged the party to prepare for the elections and ensure that members register as voters.
He challenged particularly the youth league to get the youths from institutions of higher learning and those who have become old enough to vote to register as voters.
President Mugabe castigated renegade groups going around assaulting people using the name of Zanu-PF saying that was not the mode of the revolutionary party and must be stopped.
Earlier, First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe castigated the groups saying they should be arrested for their criminal activities.
Zanu-PF secretary for youth affairs, Kudzanai Chipanga also castigated the group which he said records videos of themselves assaulting people while chanting the party slogans and abusing the name of the First family.
Source - the herald
