News / National
'Mat North a Zanu-PF stronghold,' claims Grace Mugabe
22 Jul 2017 at 10:34hrs | Views
FIRST Lady Grace Mugabe yesterday declared that Zanu-PF will make a clean sweep of all constituencies in Matabeleland North in next year's general elections, saying the opposition stood no chance against the ruling party as she promised a slew of agriculture projects.
Speaking at a Zanu-PF youth interface rally at Somhlolo Stadium in Lupane, addressed by President Robert Mugabe, Grace said the Bulawayo Kraal Irrigation Scheme in Binga would boost employment in the poor province.
"MDC wants to make Matabeleland North their playground, but this time they won't win," she charged.
Grace promised to return to Bulawayo Kraal next month to assess progress after visiting the scheme in 2015.
The scheme was launched by former Vice-President Joice Mujuru before she was unceremoniously pushed out of government and Zanu-PF in 2014 at the instigation of the First Lady.
Grace also denounced Zanu-PF groups including the Munyaradzi Soko-led Children of Zimbabwe War Veterans Association, a pro-G40 group that was allegedly spearheading political violence in her name. The First Lady said she was aware of a video that had gone viral of Zanu-PF youths driving a Hummer who went around perpetrating violence.
She said she was surprised by the high turnout at the rally in an opposition stronghold.
"Matabeleland North is a vast province which is sparsely populated," Grace said.
"I am amazed at how you managed to mobilise all these people to come here for the meeting."
Zanu-PF secretary for youth affairs Kudzanai Chipanga claimed the ruling party had already won the 2018 elections.
"Matabeleland North province youths are behind the President, you President, 120%. They have showed this by building their own provincial office to show that Zanu-PF in this region is here to stay," he said.
"Zanu-PF has already won the elections, what we are only waiting for is Zimbabwe Elections Commission (Zec) to give us statistics to show how we have won and at what performance and after that we will be focusing on social economic independence."
However, he encouraged ruling party youths to register to vote in the elections.
Thousands of people among them school children gathered at the stadium as early as 6am and were kept entertained by several groups.
Mugabe was accompanied by Vice-Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phekelezela Mphoko as well as ministers and Zanu-PF politburo members.
Speaking at a Zanu-PF youth interface rally at Somhlolo Stadium in Lupane, addressed by President Robert Mugabe, Grace said the Bulawayo Kraal Irrigation Scheme in Binga would boost employment in the poor province.
"MDC wants to make Matabeleland North their playground, but this time they won't win," she charged.
Grace promised to return to Bulawayo Kraal next month to assess progress after visiting the scheme in 2015.
The scheme was launched by former Vice-President Joice Mujuru before she was unceremoniously pushed out of government and Zanu-PF in 2014 at the instigation of the First Lady.
Grace also denounced Zanu-PF groups including the Munyaradzi Soko-led Children of Zimbabwe War Veterans Association, a pro-G40 group that was allegedly spearheading political violence in her name. The First Lady said she was aware of a video that had gone viral of Zanu-PF youths driving a Hummer who went around perpetrating violence.
She said she was surprised by the high turnout at the rally in an opposition stronghold.
"I am amazed at how you managed to mobilise all these people to come here for the meeting."
Zanu-PF secretary for youth affairs Kudzanai Chipanga claimed the ruling party had already won the 2018 elections.
"Matabeleland North province youths are behind the President, you President, 120%. They have showed this by building their own provincial office to show that Zanu-PF in this region is here to stay," he said.
"Zanu-PF has already won the elections, what we are only waiting for is Zimbabwe Elections Commission (Zec) to give us statistics to show how we have won and at what performance and after that we will be focusing on social economic independence."
However, he encouraged ruling party youths to register to vote in the elections.
Thousands of people among them school children gathered at the stadium as early as 6am and were kept entertained by several groups.
Mugabe was accompanied by Vice-Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phekelezela Mphoko as well as ministers and Zanu-PF politburo members.
Source - newsday
