Chronicle Editor
Michael Magoronga, Midlands Correspondent
President Mnangagwa yesterday morning took people at Kwekwe Long Distance Bus Terminus by surprise when he visited unannounced and bought eats from vendors, personally.
He alighted from his motorcade and headed straight towards the market place and bought a packet of roasted groundnuts, snot apples and maize cobs.
This triggered a stampede from vendors, commuters, bus drivers and everyone else.
As a “listening President”, he also got to listen to some challenges facing vendors.
Commuter omnibus operators who ply local routes mobbed the President who was accompanied by State Security Minister Owen Ncube.
After President Mnangagwa bought a few items, he left in his motorcade.
Patricia Moyo, who sold groundnuts to President Mnangagwa, said he paid using local currency and asked her about challenges she was facing.
“We heard his motorcade and suddenly he appeared. I was elated when he headed straight to my market where he asked how much I was charging. After I told him, he took money out his pocket and paid. I even gave him change,” she said.
Afterwards, she was so relieved to have articulated her problems to the highest office in the land.
“I am hoping that he is going to address our challenges like he promised. I, for one, told him the problems we are facing and he promised to look into them,” said Moyo.
A commuter omnibus operator, Thabani Sibanda, said he never thought the President would visit a market place and bus terminus.
“Well, we were all dumbfounded when he appeared. We could not resist rushing towards him. All of a sudden, he was mobbed. But we were also happy that we talked to him,” said Sibanda.
In March, OK Supermarket in Kwekwe closed doors for security reasons after the President entered the shop for his usual groceries.
In June last year, President Mnangagwa made a surprise stop at Chicken Inn in Chegutu to buy a “Two Piecer” meal.
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