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Thupeyo Muleya/Charity Ruzvidzo Chronicle Reporters
MATABELELAND South province has said it is ready to welcome First Lady Cde Grace Mugabe when she takes her “meet the people tour” to Pelandaba Stadium in Gwanda today.
Zanu-PF provincial chairman Cde Andrew Langa, who is also the Minster of Sports, Arts and Culture, said the stage was set for Cde Mugabe’s rally.
He called on people from the province to attend the rally in their numbers.
Cde Langa said all senior politicians from Matabeleland South were already in Gwanda ahead of the First Lady’s visit.
“We’ve covered a lot of ground in terms of logistics and we’re very hopeful that we’ll fill the 30,000 seater Pelandaba Stadium.
“As the provincial leadership we’ve mobilised over 15 buses, trucks, small vehicles from colleagues and the community for transporting people from all the seven administrative districts to Gwanda,” he said.
Cde Langa said people should be seated at the stadium by 9AM with the rally expected to start at 10AM.
“All roads should lead to Pelandaba Stadium where we expect to hear the words of unity and wisdom from the First Lady who is a mother to all of us.
“As you’re aware a mother is the backbone of every household and we’re all excited and ready to receive her guidance and leadership,” he said.
“The First Lady is a mother figure to all the citizens and hence we’re saying everyone is welcome to attend the rally at the stadium.”
Since her nomination to assume the leadership of the Zanu-PF Women’s League at the party’s December Congress, the First Lady has so far held rallies in Mashonaland West, Midlands, Harare, Masvingo and Manicaland provinces.
At all gatherings, her messages have been centred on unity and development.
After the Gwanda rally, she is expected to address people at Lupane at Somhlolo Stadium tomorrow and will also hold another rally in Bulawayo at Amazulu Sports Club on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Affirmative Action Group (AAG) has said it will take advantage of the First Lady’s “Meet the People” rally to be held in the city on Wednesday to present a petition on the plight of vendors.
AAG vice president Sam Ncube said the petition will detail brutalities suffered by vendors at the hands of police officers.
“As the AAG we’re very happy the First Lady is coming to Bulawayo for her rally. We feel she’s the ideal person to listen to our problems and pass them on to the President. Most vendors are women, some old and others young who’re suffering from police brutality,” said Ncube.
“Last week the First Lady spoke about police brutality in the Midlands province. We want her to know the situation is also the same in Bulawayo. Police forcibly take away their wares and arrest them to pay fines. These people are making an honest living they should be left alone. We want them to stop.”
He said his organisation had started engaging vendors on what to include in the petition.
Ncube said he was optimistic the First Lady would not turn a deaf ear to their plight as she was against violence of any kind.
During her “Meet the People” rally in the Midlands last week, the First Lady castigated the police for harassing women who are into vending at a time when some families are struggling due to the effects of the illegal sanctions imposed by the West.
Cde Mugabe said police should learn to pay for their services and goods like everyone else, instead of confiscating people’s goods that they take home.
The First Lady also criticized the decision to demolish people’s homes by some local authourities, before first providing alternative accommodation.
derick.khumalo