Mugabe to meet Mat South youth on August 12 at Phelandaba Stadium

The Zanu-PF Matabeleland South Presidential Youth Interface Rally will be held on August 12 at Phelandaba Stadium in Gwanda. This is the sixth interface meeting President Mugabe will be having with Zanu-PF youths.

President Mugabe, who is the Zanu-PF First Secretary, has been to Mashonaland East, Manicaland, Masvingo, Matabeleland North and Mashonaland West.

Zanu-PF Youth League secretary Kudzanayi Chipanga confirmed the dates for the Matabeleland South rally yesterday.

"We would like to urge all our members to attend in full force," he said.

"Members of other party wings are invited, that is the Women's League, war veterans, war collaborators and ex-detainees and party affiliates.

"The main wing of the party, obviously we cannot do without them, and so they are being invited to this historic event."

The youth interface rallies have been drawing huge crowds, as Zanu-PF flexes its mobilisation muscle ahead of general elections next year.

Chipanga said the event would be a success considering the support they were getting from sponsors and party members. He said preparations for the event were at an advanced stage.

"The leadership in Matabeleland South has been advised about this and we understand that they have gone far in terms of preparations," Chipanga said.

"Last time we dispatched a team to the province and as far as we are concerned with respect to mass mobilisation, they are almost 60 percent through. In terms of resources they are on the ground putting them together.

"We as the national youth executive are going to assist them with things like fuel, tent facilities and regalia, mainly t-shirts and caps. The bulk of the resources we expect the host province to avail and look after its delegates."

Chipanga dismissed reports by opposition parties that they were forcing people to attend the rallies.

"I believe they are being forced spiritually, not physically," he said.

"They are eager to attend these rallies. Some people might not be keen to attend, but the moment President Mugabe will be coming, the spirits push them to go and meet their icon.

"As a party, we do not have any intention or programme to force anyone. I have also realised that some from opposition movements and political parties are coming in their numbers to attend."

Chipanga said the interface meetings were achieving the Youth League's goals and had proved President Mugabe's popularity.

"The most important lesson we have learnt is that President Mugabe and Zanu-PF are still popular in this country," Chipanga said. "You cannot do without those two names.

"The large crowds attending the interface meetings support surveys carried out by Afrobarometer that President Mugabe is the most popular politician in this country. We need to maintain the unity existing in the party for us to achieve our goals.

"This will enable us to post a landslide win in the forthcoming 2018 general elections."

Chipanga went on: "Our youths have benefited a lot. That idea alone of having a direct interaction with the President is a milestone on its own.

"We thank President Mugabe and the First Lady (Amai Grace Mugabe) for their time. That alone is a sign that President Mugabe cares for his children and our future. It's quite a lifetime achievement which we will never forget."

The Zanu-PF Youth League is also using the opportunity to encourage youths to register as voters ahead of next year's elections. President Mugabe's engagements with the youths are expected to run until October when he would have visited all the 10 provinces.