Mnangagwa thanks Zimbabweans for ignoring stay away calls

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa yesterday thanked Zimbabweans for ignoring calls by the opposition to stay away from work saying demonstrations were not in the best interest of the country and urged unity, as it is a recipe for economic prosperity.

Some organisations linked to the opposition were posting messages across social media platforms urging Zimbabweans to "stay away" and warning of dire consequences for citizens who were going to ignore the call and report for duty.

Addressing hundreds of villagers who converged at Kondo Primary School to witness him officially opening the rehabilitated Tanganda-Ngundu highway, President Mnangagwa said demonstrations and stay aways benefited no one.

He said focus by all must be on developing the country as demonstrated by the commissioning of the Tanganda-Ngundu highway instead of wasting energy on negativity.

"For those with mobile phones, they were saying today you should stay away, stay away. Stay away yokudii? Muchigara kuitira ani? Anozotambura ndiani kana mukasasevenza?" (Staying away for whose benefit? Who will suffer is you don't work?) said President Mnangagwa.

He reiterated that such calls were destructive.

"Anozotambura marega ndiani nekuti shoko raJehovha rinoti iro nokutadza kwamaita kudya muchero uyu muchararama necheziya. Zvino umwe woti iye aiwa ngatiregei kushanda. Ko tozodyei kana tisingashande? Saka musaterera mhesva mukono idzi dzinopihwa mari nevanhu varikunze, dzinopihwa mari nevanhu vagere ku South Africa uko vatinoziva vamwe ma criminals akatiza muno varikutsvaga mari kuti kuve nemhirizhonga mukati menyika ivo vagere vachiplanner varimumahotera. Pasi navo! Saka hakuna stay away," (God says we all must work.  How do we survive if we do not do so?  Don't listen to those who are paid to lobby for stayaways.  Some of those who are paying them are fugitives who are plotting from hotels in South Africa in an effort to cause chaos here. Down with them!)," added President Mnangagwa.

"Ndizvo zvatinofanira kushaya hope nazvo zvokuronga kuvaka nyika kwete kuputsa. Aiwa."

He said he had checked across the country to see if people had "stayed away" as incited by the opposition but it was confirmed to him that Zimbabweans had gone to work as usual.

"Ndamuka nhasi ndichibvunza nyika yose dhorobho by dhorobho kubva kuno Manicaland, Mash East, Mash Central, Mash West, Midlands, Masvingo, Bulawayo, Mat South, Mat North Ziii. Vanhu vose vaenda kumabasa. Ngatitendeyi mhuri yeZimbabwe kuti aiwa nguva yokunyengedzwa yapfuura toda kusimudzira nyika yedu. Tinongoisimudzira nekushanda kwete ne violence nema stay away kupaza zvitoro kutora zvinhu zvavaridzi, kurova vanhu kwete. Toda kuwirirana, kubatana. Kubatsirana, kuronga zvinobudikisa nzvimbo yatigere sezvino izvi mava nomugwagwa wenyu mavakufamba nyore. Kana muchida kutengesa zvinhu kwaMutare munoenda nyore kana kuMasvingo zvinofamba nyore. Vaikoko zvichivuya vuno ndozvatinoda ndiyo budiriro, (I checked with all the provinces this morning and it was clear that the stayaway call was ignored. We must work for our country not to engage in violence. We want unity and development such as the road we are commissioning today)," said President Mnangagwa.

He also spoke on corruption saying the fight against the scourge will net everyone regardless of rank, totem or association.

"Ndouya panyaya yohuwori regai ndikutaurirei pasi nehuwori. Huwori hahuna mutupo. Mitupo yose motova neumwe ari muhuwori. Hamungandiudzi kuti mutupo wokuti haubi kune vanonyanya ndoupi uyoyo. Mutupo upi unonyanya? Hakuna mutupo usina mbavha mukati saka hatitsvagi mbavha nomutupo totsvaga nemabasa emunhu. Musazoti nhingi anangwa nekuti mupfupi nhingi anangwa nekuti anoyera moyo, aiwa, munhu anonangwa nemabasa ake anenge aita. Kana usingadi kunangwa shanda wakarurama. (We denounce corruption wherever it manifests itself. We are not selective when we fight it).  Hard and honest work will give you respect today and tomorrow and after your death you will be remembered for being a hard working Zimbabwean who was honest," said President Mnangagwa.

He said citizens knew corrupt individuals and must report them to the police.