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FIRST Lady Grace Mugabe will on Monday hold a rally in Gwanda as part of her “Meet the People” tour.
The Zanu-PF provincial leadership has called on supporters to come in their thousands to meet her.
She will also hold rallies in Lupane on Tuesday, and Bulawayo on Wednesday.
The Bulawayo rally will be held at Amazulu Sports Club, while the Lupane rally will be held at Somhlolo Stadium.
Zanu-PF Matabeleland South provincial chairman Cde Andrew Langa yesterday said the Gwanda rally was initially set for Filabusi in Insiza district but was later moved to Pelandaba Stadium as Gwanda district was a central location.
He said the Gwanda rally would start at 9AM.
“In terms of the road networks, it was decided that Gwanda would be a suitable location because it is central. We call upon all people to come in their thousands to give the First Lady a big welcome. We want it to be similar to the welcome we gave the First Family at the same venue in the run-up to last year’s elections,” said Cde Langa.
“This is an opportunity for the people of Matabeleland South to come and listen to the First Lady and hear the message that she has brought us.”
Cde Langa also congratulated the party for clinching council seats in Matobo and Mangwe in by-elections held recently.
“We want to congratulate the councillors for their victory. This is testimony that Zanu-PF is the party of choice and come 2018, we’re going to sweep all constituencies and seats in the local authorities,” he said.
Zanu-PF Matabeleland North chairperson Cde Richard Moyo said they held a preparatory meeting yesterday ahead of the First Lady’s rally at Somhlolo Stadium on Tuesday.
“The rally will start at 10AM and we’re calling on all people of Matabeleland North to come to Somhlolo Stadium in their numbers. Ten buses have been hired to ferry people to the venue,” said Cde Moyo.
Zanu-PF Bulawayo provincial secretary for information and publicity, Cde Rebecca Manjere, said: “Our slogan is ‘Omama ku Amai’ (Women to Mother) and we’re happy that the First Lady is coming to address us. We’re also happy about her nomination for the Women’s League secretary post. She will listen to our plight because she’s a loving mother,” she said.
“She’s already looking after orphans and widows, showing that she has such a big heart. We’re confident that she’ll serve our interests as women and that our grievances will be heard.”
Cde Mugabe is set to assume leadership of the Women’s League after the party’s congress in December. She is holding rallies in all the country’s 10 provinces as she prepares to assume the reins — her first political assignment.
She has already held rallies in Chinhoyi, Harare, Gweru and Masvingo. Yesterday, she made a stop in Mutare.
Meanwhile, Bulawayo chapter of Widows of War Veterans has unanimously endorsed Cde Grace Mugabe for the post of Secretary of the Women’s League.
They also endorsed President Mugabe as the party’s Presidential candidate at the December congress.
At a meeting held at Davies Hall, the widows said the President and First Lady were the rightful candidates for the posts.
The Bulawayo provincial chairperson of the widows association Sikhululekile Ngwenya-Ndlovu said the association’s executive met and endorsed the President and the First Lady.
“As the widows association, we are happy to be endorsing Cde Mugabe as our presidential candidate, he is a tried and tested leader and we are confident that with his wisdom, the revolutionary party is safe in his hands,” said Ngwenya-Ndlovu.
In endorsing the First Lady as the secretary for Women’s Affairs, the widows said they were confident that she would be able to address their plight.
“Dr Mugabe is a woman who has the plight of women and orphans at heart, she is already looking after orphans at her children’s home and therefore as mothers with orphans we are optimistic that she will hear our cries and challenges,” said Ngwenya-Ndlovu to applause.
She lambasted some individuals in Zanu-PF Bulawayo province for trying to sow division in their association by holding bogus district elections without the executive’s knowledge.
“Bomama ngizondile (women, I am angry), I don’t want people who try to seek favours from other sections of the party using my name, I hear there are people who go about lying about our association leading to some war veterans leaders in the province holding elections to change our leadership,” said Ngwenya-Ndlovu.
She attacked some ‘men’ in the party who tried to manipulate the widows into electing certain individuals to party posts.
Online Reporter