Residents to resist Grace Mugabe naming of school

Residents of Gwanda will resist a move that sectors of the ZANU PF's Women league in Gwanda are going to be tabling a proposal to the ruling party to have Jahunda Primary School in the town renamed the Grace Mugabe Primary School.

In an interview with Bulawayo24 the Spokesperson for the Gwanda Residents Association Mr. Bekezela Maduma Fuzwayo said that the information has not been officially communicated to the Association but if it turns out to be the case he does not see the residents of Gwanda accepting the move.

"That kind of information has not been made available to us either officially or unofficially but as an individual I cannot and do not want to completely rule out the rumour. All I can say is that I do not see the people of Gwanda delighting in the proposal," said Fuzwayo.

Information made available to Bulawayo24 via a tipoff is that some of the women in the Gwanda District ZANU PF women's league are lobbying their sectors to recognise the first lady in the provincial capital by naming one landmark structure in her name. Various possibilities are reported to be under consideration such as naming a road or a government complex in her name but top on the list is renaming the town's oldest primary school.

Asked what the residents would do if the proposal is put through, Maduma Fuzwayo decline to commit himself to a course of action saying the residents will decide through their structures and a collective decision for the town reached.

"Like I said this is really still too premature to make any comment about, as an Association we have ward structures that will be given a task to consider that if it ever comes through and then a decision involving everyone will be taken,"

"But well we all know from past experiences that if the ruling party comes up with a resolution to that effect it will certainly go through and be implemented without any resistance. For now one can only sit back and hope that the powers that be in the party will be considerate to the people of Gwanda and see that practically imposing the name of the first lady on Jahunda Primary School will not be in the best interest of the town. Maybe if she would come and build a fourth primary school in the town which we desperately need then no one will resist it being named after her," said Fuzwayo. Gwanda is currently discussing a motion raised by council to rename the town's main street after President Robert Mugabe. Residents of the town have in the mean time also been calling for the renaming of some of the town's streets and suburbs in honour of some past senior citizens and leaders of the town.