Victory is certain, says Mnangagwa

ZANU-PF is certain of victory in next month's harmonised elections and the plebiscite to be held on 30 July will be a mere formality, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said.

Addressing thousands of Zanu-PF supporters who packed White City Stadium in Bulawayo yesterday, President Mnangagwa said he is confident of romping to victory in next month's polls.

"This gathering is a Zanu-PF gathering and I say to you as your leader, let us unite and mobilise and win the July 30th elections. Those elections are just a process to renew our mandate to rule the country. That's the purpose of the election, otherwise we are the rulers. This party, our party is bigger than any individual in this party. No individual can put this party in one's pocket, but the party itself can put us all in the party pocket."

President Mnangagwa, who is the ruling party's Presidential candidate preached peace, as he implored party supporters to refrain from violence to ensure a clean electoral victory. He said the open invitation for international observers to observe next month's polls was a testimony of his administration's commitment to credible polls.

"We don't need any violence at all. Unity love and peace. We need an untainted thunderous victory. We have invited for the first time in history of the country worldwide observers. We have said our elections are transparent, are fair and credible. Anybody who wants to come and observe our elections must come and observe. We have opened the gates. We would want you as Zimbabweans to show your maturity, your warmth to visitors that are coming into our country."

President Mnangagwa said under his administration, politics should be placed at the back seat to give priority to economic recovery.

"Upon my inauguration on the 24th of November last year, I promised that my administration will henceforth look into developmental issues and put political issues in the back seat. We are agreed with my administration that from now on, Zimbabwe is open for business."

"Currently, our Ministers were political. Pamberi neZanu-PF, pamberi nekubatana, ndobasar avangavachiita iri. Zvino nhasi zvasanduka. Pamberi ne business, pamberi ne economics, pamberi ne wealth, phambili lokunotha. Ndobasa rama Minister."
He said development should emanate from provinces whose Gross Domestic Product should feed into the national balance sheet.

"There shall now be provincial GDPs in each single provinces. Identifying the growth of the economy in each single province. Provinces are going to compete. There is not a single province which has peculiar resources to itself."