Vusumuzi Dube
Harare Bureau
THERE is a growing chorus across the country among Zanu PF structures and affiliates for President Mnangagwa to continue at the helm as his unparalleled achievements, building towards Vision 2030, can only be attained if he remains in office beyond 2028.
All the country’s provinces have been roundly endorsing President Mnangagwa, with the slogan “2030 vanenge vachipo” refusing to die despite the President’s indication that he will not continue beyond 2028, in abidance with the country’s Constitution.
Yesterday, at the Zanu PF caucus in Parliament, legislators from the ruling party chanted the slogan “2030 vaMnangagwa vanenge vachitonga”, as the calls for the President to stay on reach a crescendo.
This has been the order of the day during most District Coordinating Committee (DCC) meetings across the country, as party structures keep rallying behind the man who has transformed Zimbabwe in a few years, stabilised the country’s currency and restored the nation’s status as the bread basket of Africa, notwithstanding the drought being experienced within the SADC region.
Just last week, the Zanu PF Midlands Provincial Youth League called for the extension of President Mnangagwa’s tenure beyond 2028, saying this would allow him to personally deliver Zimbabwe to the promised land.
This came out during a Midlands ZANU PF Youth League interdistrict conference in Gweru, where among resolutions by the provincial wing was to have more youths benefiting from land and having collateral for them to access loans from banks.
Zanu PF Midlands Provincial Youth League Chairman, Cde Ernest Dzoro, said the youths had anonymously agreed to have President Mnangagwa complete his Vision 2030, while in office.
“The Midlands Youth League has resolved that President Mnangagwa should be in charge until 2030, so that he sees his vision coming to fruition,” he said.
“We have many other issues on the table as youths so we have seen it fit to allow the President’s tenure to be extended so that everything in this grand vision that seeks to have everyone and every place developed becomes a reality.”
Zanu PF Politburo member and National Secretary for the Youth League, Cde Tino Machakaire, has been charged with youths across the country to deliver the message that President Mnangagwa’s term must be extended.
“My task is to take your issues to the President and tell him that the youths have said that they want you to be in charge up until 2030.
“I will be coming back to you with a response on this, whether your request has been accepted or not,” said Cde Machakaire.
In Mashonaland East, members of the Youth League are organising a march this weekend, which, among other things, seeks to persuade the country’s first citizen to stay on.
Matabeleland North Zanu PF provincial chairman Cde Richard Moyo last night said his province also wishes that the President continues in office beyond 2028.
“Yes, as Mat North that is what we were also thinking, that he should continue beyond 2030 because of the targets that he has set for himself.
“The work he has done in the last six years is great, Zimbabwe has changed completely, and the country still needs him,” said Cde Moyo.
Mashonaland Central provincial chairman Cde Kazembe Kazembe last night said they would soon have their Provincial Coordinating Committee meeting.
Last Saturday, it was the same chorus in Masvingo as the now ubiquitous songs and slogans for President Mnangagwa to continue were the order of the day.
Zanu PF Masvingo provincial chairman Cde Robson Mavhenyengwa said the province wanted President Mnangagwa to remain in office beyond 2028.
“The message was clear from everyone who was in attendance at the interdistrict meeting that the ruling party in Masvingo wants President Mnangagwa to remain in office beyond 2028,’’ he said.
“We know that constitutionally the President is not supposed to continue in office after 2028, but we are saying if it’s possible, if there is an opportunity to do so, we will humbly request that he remains in office up to 2030.
“We want him to continue up to 2030 as a province. This is not a personal decision from me, but it’s a decision that is coming from the party members in Masvingo province. We are saying we are seeing the infrastructural projects that are taking place, the developments that are taking place that are in sync with President Mnangagwa’s vision to make Zimbabwe an upper middle income society by 2030, so in our view it will be better if the President remains in office up to that year so that he can see through his vision of making Zimbabwe an upper middle income economy.’’
In response to the deafening calls for President Mnangagwa to continue in office, Zanu PF Political Commissar Cde Munyaradzi Machacha said he will deliver the message to the President.
“You have made me happy you by what you were singing here (Masvingo Polytechnic), there is nothing that happens in this country without having started in Masvingo and you know very well that the other time you sang (in 2017) kuti kumagumo kune nyaya (there is trouble at the end) and we indeed saw the end that you were talking about.
“I was saying President Mnangagwa spoke in Mutare where he said that now that I have served my two terms (up to 2028) I now want to go and rest, I need to look for someone who will walk in my footsteps and complete my vision (2030) but now Masvingo again is saying the President should remain in charge so now what will I go and tell the President,’’ asked Cde Machacha rhetorically to roaring applause from the delegates.
“But the President is saying he wants to rest? Hallellujah, fellow Cdes you are giving me a very difficult task, but I promise you that I will execute the task that you have given me,’’ added Cde Machacha, to wild applause and cheering from the delegates.
Such has been the case across the country’s districts that have felt the development that leaves no one and no place behind which have been brought by President Mnangagwa.
Online Reporter