Zimbabwe safer under Zanu-PF, claims Mnangagwa

Zanu-PF is the only party able to take Zimbabwe into the future, and is confident of victory in the forthcoming harmonised elections, President Mnangagwa has said.

Addressing a huge crowd at Rimuka Stadium in Kadoma yesterday, President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe was safe in the hands of the ruling party and that this would be proved at the polls on July 30. He reiterated that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) was an independent body formed through an Act of Parliament with no input from the Executive.

President Mnangagwa was in Kadoma to commission the refurbished Kadoma General Hospital, before addressing a bumper rally in the town.

The Kadoma administrative district, according to the Zanu-PF leadership, produced the highest votes for the ruling party in Mashonaland West during the 2013 harmonised elections and the trend is expected to be repeated this year.

"Zanu-PF is the party with a history and it knows the origins of the country," said President Mnangagwa.

"Ndiyo inoziva matambudziko atakapinda maari kubva kumasure kusvika nhasi uno. Ndiyozve yatinovimba nayo kuti icharamba ichiinda nesu mberi. Kubva patakasununguka tichiwana kuzvitonga kuzere zvakabva mumusangano wedu weZanu-PF." President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe was on the brink of a new dawn.

"We have a new Zimbabwe, a new dispensation, a new future, a progressive Zimbabwe, a prosperous Zimbabwe," he said.

"That Zimbabwe comes from Zanu-PF. That Zanu-PF is the people and their leaders. We are determined. We want, everyone in Zanu-PF, that there should not be any hatred and trading of insults in Zimbabwe.

"That should be a thing of the past. Ikozvino toda kuparidza kubatana, toda kuparidza kuwirirana. Toda kuparidza kusimudzira nyika yedu."

President Mnangagwa said what happened in Zanu-PF where some party members sow divisions, leading to Operation Restore Legacy, would not be allowed to happen in the party again.

"Bad spirits manifested among our colleagues, but these misfortunes bore a new life in Zimbabwe," he said.

"Right now, our Zanu-PF is united from Mutare to Plumtree, from Beitbridge to Chirundu. "Zanu-PF is united, it is solid. There are those who thought Zanu-PF could fit into their pockets, but there is no pocket which can carry Zanu-PF."

President Mnangagwa said members of the G40 cabal were dismissed and those who were still harbouring that mentality should reform. He said the new dispensation had brought democracy in Zimbabwe and in the ruling party. President Mnangagwa said ZEC was independent and Government did not interfere in its operations.

"ZEC is an independent commission," he said.

"It's not controlled by Government. It's an independent commission created through the Constitution and its composition is made through Parliament, not the Executive."

The President's sentiments came as MDC Alliance threatens to disrupt ZEC operations if the electoral body refuses to take orders from the opposition party. He said because of the new dispensation, there were 133 political parties as the country was now a democracy.

"Out of the 133 political parties, 55 are participating in the elections and out of these, 23 are participating in the presidential elections," said President Mnangagwa.

"That is democracy." He said despite all the political parties, the July 30 elections would determine "the true owners of the country".

"We do not want violence," said President Mnangagwa.

"We are a mass party and we should not worry about these small parties which get formed at night. We should not worry about them."

President Mnangagwa said Zimbabweans had their destiny in their hands and knew where their future lay. "Our destiny, as long as we march together and remain united we will march together and make Zimbabwe a better place," he said.

"Zimbabwe a proud place.

"A new dawn, a new Zimbabwe for all our people, so we say victory is certain, victory is certain. Zimbabwe ndeyedu. Zimbabwe icharamba irimumaoko eZanu-PF. Zimbabwe is in good hands. And the good hands are Zanu-PF."

President Mnangagwa castigated political parties that denigrated Government for taking care of traditional leaders.

"My Government will continue to support our traditional leaders," he said. "We will buy them cars, we will also install electricity at their homesteads and drill boreholes for them so that they remain respectable."

President Mnangagwa urged people to welcome election observers from other countries, and treat them with respect when they visit their communities. Government has invited election observers from all over the world and some of them, notably the European Union and African Union, deployed more than a month ago.