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Tendai Rupapa Senior Reporter
MOTHER of the nation First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa has implored Gutu West residents to vote wisely and peacefully to safeguard the gains of the country’s liberation struggle as the constituency gears for its National Assembly by-election on November 11.
Amai Mnangagwa preached on unity and warned people against standing as independent candidates as that will be considered as indiscipline.
She said Zanu PF wants disciplined people and if one has been asked to stand aside, it does not mean they have been blacklisted.
Standing as independent candidates, the First Lady said, splits votes and brings disunity.
Dr Mnangagwa was in the constituency to drum up support for Cde John Paradza, who is the ZANU PF candidate.
Cde Paradza was the area legislator from 2018 until 2023, when the country went for fresh elections.
He then won the ruling party’s primary elections uncontested.
Amai Mnangagwa paid tribute to ZANU PF supporters and the rest of the province for resoundingly voting President Mnangagwa back into office during the August 23 and 24 harmonised elections.
President Mnangagwa got over 307 000 votes in Masvingo Province.
The people of Gutu West said President Mnangagwa’s leadership has resulted in massive developments in line with the Second Republic’s Vision 2030, of an upper middle-income society, and should therefore continue voting ZANU PF.
Zanu PF supporters chant slogans during their interaction with First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa at a campaign rally to drum up support for Gutu West Constituency Zanu PF candidate Cde John Paradza on Sunday.
Voters in Gutu West did not vote with the rest of the nation on August 23 following the death of an independent candidate, Christopher Mutonho-Rwodzi, in a road traffic accident.
Amai Mnangagwa arrived to a thunderous welcome by thousands of people who gathered at Chatsworth Secondary School to listen to her message and tap into her teachings.
She donated over 50 tonnes of maize-meal, flour, 200 bags of cement for the construction of schools, clinics in the area, 30 tonnes of Compound D, vegetable combo seeds, cow peas and sunflower seed, and 5 tonnes of tick-grease.
Through her Agric4She programme, the First Lady further handed over inputs including chemicals and knapsack sprayers to women farmers.
She humbly appealed for Gutu West constituency to vote for Cde Paradza.
As a mother, Dr Mnangagwa also took time to interact with the gathering and addressed a number of social issues raised by the people, to build peaceful and sustainable families.
“Firstly I want to thank you Masvingo Province for what you did on August 23. To be able to stand before you today is because of the work you did in August. Makaita zvinogara zvakadaro, makaita henyu nekuvhotera baba, President Mnangagwa,” she said.
“I am happy with your coming here as we interact, share ideas and learn from one another. I have come to humbly ask you Gutu West to vote for Zanu PF being represented here by our son John Paradza.
“Vana baba nana mai, let us hold his hand and walk with him semwana wedu. Let us vote for him so that he goes forward nebasa raakatumwa naPresident, Baba Mnangagwa. I am humbly asking for your vote. If a person wants something, he or she asks for it, that is why I am kindly asking you sanamai kuti tifambe naJohn Paradza, takatarisa sarudzo dzemusi wa 11 November.”
Amai Mnangagwa said voting for Zanu PF meant voting for a party which brought independence, peace and freedom to the country.
Agric4She patron First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa hands over farming inputs and equipment to women who included the elderly in Gutu on Sunday. – Pictures: John Manzongo
She urged people to hold fast on something that brings life and makes people enjoy their independence in their motherland.
“You will be voting for a party which brought about peace and independence. There are freedom fighters who fought for this country so that we could have independence. Blood was shed and some did not make it back home.
“When you get into the ballot box on November 11, think of the freedom fighters. Kutengesa nyika hakuna kunaka nekuti kune vakatoifira nyika ino. We want to live in peace in our country. Let us protect the gains of the liberation struggle,” Dr Mnangagwa said.
Asked on the significance of November 11, villagers said they were geared to put an X on Cde Paradza.
“Without doubt, Zanu PF represented by our son John Paradza will win. Ingori tsepete pane mwana wedu. We are rallying behind him; he has our full support. Thank you Amai for coming here with your wise wisdom and teachings,” said one villager.
Sekuru Trust Purazi said: “We are going to vote wisely and in peace. We will maintain the same peace even after the election. Development being brought by our President, baba vedu VaMnangagwa should be protected and guarded jealously. We will stand by Boss Para who was sent by the President.”
The First Lady spoke on development and urged people to work hard for the betterment of the nation.
“We also want development in our country and development comes from all of us. President Mnangagwa is always saying ‘Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo’. Tisu vene vacho; so let us work hard and contribute to nation development. Baba namai pamusha, let us do projects together and work hard for our families.
“We want fathers and mothers with good names in society,” she said.
She then asked for the characteristics of a good father and a good mother.
In response, Mrs Anna Zvifodya said a good mother is a “nharirire yemusha” (one who watches over her family).
“A good mother is one who works, teaches her children good manners and watches over her family in collaboration with her husband. A good mother is a unifier who does not cheat,” she said.
Speaking on behalf of fathers, Mr Pinnel Mugombi said: “A responsible father is God-fearing, looks after his family, works for his family with the wife being his helper, does not beat his wife but loves her and treats his sons and daughters equally.
“A good father does not marry off his children before the time is ripe.”
Vimbanashe Bunga, who spoke on behalf of youths, criticised drug abuse.
“A good boy child does not take drugs, respects his parents and marries through the proper channel,” she said.
The First Lady emphasised the need for the community to join hands and eliminate drug abuse.
The community told Amai Mnangagwa that couples no longer respect the sanctity of marriage, as evidenced by the rise in divorce cases.
This prompted the First Lady to ask: “How did your grandmother and grandfather build a long-lasting relationship, because I am being told that nowadays, this is rare and divorce cases are high?”
An elderly couple, Mr and Mrs Bindura showcased love saying love and respect have contributed to the success of their marriage.
The husband said cheat was ruining marriages.
The First Lady asked why married couples were having extra marital affairs, resulting in men and women trading accusations.
Men said women were forcing them to have girlfriends because they lack respect, quarrel a lot and did not prioritise personal hygiene.
In response, women said men were denying them conjugal rights, forcing them to have boyfriends. Others said the yesteryear love has died down because of drugs.
The community spoke about many social ills, which the First Lady took time to address.
Cde Paradza expressed gratitude to the First Lady for her visit.
“People heard that you were coming, Amai, and came out in their numbers because they value your educative programmes. I wish to thank President Mnangagwa for the projects being implemented here like the construction of roads, schools and clinics.
“Amai may you kindly thank him on our behalf,” he said.
Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services Chaplain Christine Phiri described the First Lady as a person who honours promises.
“We are happy with the First Lady’s visit today. I have come to speak about her importance because she honours her promises and assists people through and through,” said Chaplain Phiri.
“She is a champion for women empowerment. She discovered that sickness was among factors that prevented people from working and started moving around with her mobile clinic from Angel of Hope, treating people free of charge and screening all types of cancer and other ailments including Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs).
“After that, she partnered with the Zimbabwe Open University so that people can learn and are able to own businesses. She then initiated various projects for everyone and some are now in business. Amai Mnangagwa is important for the whole country as she is tackling domestic violence, which is rearing an ugly head in communities and she goes around the country building families so that people live in peace.
“The whole country is singing ‘Kana uine wako naye, nemumvura mese, naye’ its love all over. She is fighting tooth and nail to curb issues of drug and substance abuse. Our mother is saying stay away from drugs and show each other love. She has said no to divorce.
“She has been engaging the whole family set up from girls, boys and men so that people move in the right direction. She has discouraged people from prostitution so that they use their hands to earn a living. Now most of these women are running successful businesses. Today our mother has come to strengthen us ahead of the November 11 by-elections. Let us promise that we will not embarrass her and know where to vote,” she said.
Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Ezra Chadzamira, congratulated the First Lady and the President for the victory in the August elections.
“Clap hands for the President and our First Lady. Our victory is because of the President’s works and your contribution through your office. You did many things for this province. In his previous term, the President did wonderful things as you know we had challenges before the advent of the New Dispensation. The transport system, electricity and food were a big challenge, but when the President came in, all these are now things of the past. “Today our President is building roads and you saw for yourself that the roads are being rehabilitated. Dams are being built and irrigation schemes are being developed; clinics and schools are being built.
“Boreholes are being drilled and we thank our leader for the work that he is doing,” he said
Minister Chadzamira praised the First Lady for equipping women with skills and giving them projects so that they sustain themselves.
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