Train, buses secured for Gwanda interface rally

A TRAIN and more than a hundred buses and trucks have been mobilised to ferry youths to the Presidential Youth Interface rally scheduled for Gwanda, Matabeleland South province on Saturday. President Mugabe is expected to address thousands of youths expected to throng Phelandaba Stadium for the 6th Presidential Youth Interface rally.

The last Presidential Interface rally was in Mashonaland West province where a 60 000-strong crowd packed Chinhoyi University of Technology grounds to interact with Mugabe.

In an interview yesterday, Matabeleland South provincial youth league chairperson, Dingimuzi Phuthi, said all roads lead to Phelandaba Stadium on Saturday.

"We have mobilised a train from the National Railways of Zimbabwe to ferry youths from Beitbridge to Gwanda. We have also mobilised more than 100 buses and trucks to ferry youths from different corners of the province to Gwanda," said Phuthi.

He said the country's iconic leader was visiting the province for the second time in less than a year.

"Our leader who is the Commander in Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and First Secretary of the ruling party Zanu-PF, President RG Mugabe will be visiting the province soon after we successfully hosted the 21st February Movement celebrations in Matobo district.

"I urge the youths and party supporters to come in their numbers to this interface rally. Remember this is the last major political event in the province before the National People's Conference which we are again hosting in December," said Phuthi.

Tents have already been pitched while the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority has installed a new transformer at the stadium.

Phuthi said the rally would prove that Zanu-PF "was the only game in the province."

"We are a well-oiled machine and results have shown that Zanu-PF rules the roost here," Phuthi said. "It is now time to continue with our mobilisation strategy as we head into next year's harmonised elections."

In the 2013 harmonised elections, Zanu-PF won all the 13 constituencies in Matabeleland South.

The revolutionary party reclaimed some seats that had been in the hands of the MDC since 2000.

President Mugabe has already met youths in Masvingo, Manicaland, Matabeleland North, Mashonaland East and Mashonaland West provinces.

Zanu-PF Youth League Secretary, Kudzanayi Chipanga said last week that he expected a bumper crowd at Phelandaba Stadium given the attendance figures at the other five interface rallies.

"Our senior members have been helpful and we see nothing short of a highly subscribed rally," said Phuti.

Chipanga said the revolutionary party would continue flexing its mobilisation muscle.

"The provincial leadership is on the ground and as always, we are targeting large numbers," he said. "We will chip in with things like fuel, tent facilities and regalia like T-shirts and caps.

"The bulk of the resources we expect the host province to avail. Our aim is to translate those numbers into votes so we are going to use every opportunity to encourage our members to register as voters.

"We are going into the sixth rally and to date we have been impressed with the attendance."

Members of the Women's League, war veterans, war collaborators and ex-detainees and party affiliates were invited to the event.

"It's a youth event, but as is the norm, we work with other organs," Chipanga said. "The President is coming to interface with the youths, hearing their concerns and everyone should be in place to meet the leader, President Mugabe."

The Zanu-PF Youth League meetings with the President are expected to run until October when he would have visited all the country's 10 provinces.