Online Reporter
Raymond Jaravaza
THOUSANDS of delegates had by yesterday started making their way to Maphisa for the 46th Independence Day celebrations to be hosted by Matabeleland South for the first time tomorrow.
Over 50 000 people from all walks of life, including foreign dignitaries and members of the diplomatic community, are expected to attend the event that will be presided over by President Mnangagwa.
Judging by the excitement among hundreds of Maphisa residents and villagers from surrounding areas, who trickled into Maphisa Stadium to watch rehearsal displays by teams from the Zimbabwe Republic Police, Air Force of Zimbabwe and school children, energetic performances will be one of the draw cards of the event.
Paratroopers from the Air Force of Zimbabwe jumped from a plane and descended hundreds of metres in the air before landing on the Maphisa Stadium pitch.
Almost everyone with a smartphone pulled out their devices from pockets and purses to record the breathtaking displays.
Members of ZRP also wooed the crowd with motorbike rides through metal rings set on fire and dog displays. Schoolchildren were also at the main venue rehearsing the acts that they will perform tomorrow.
In addition to the large crowds that will converge at the main arena for the festivities, vehicular traffic that has not been in Maphisa is expected to descend in large volumes.
The Government has urged drivers of public transportation and private vehicles, especially from the eastern provinces, to avoid using the Bulawayo-Maphisa route to avert delays and traffic congestion.
“All the country’s 10 provinces will each have thousands of people attending the Independence Day celebrations and access to Maphisa is via two major arteries, which are either through Gwanda or Bulawayo,” Local Government and Public Works Minister, Daniel Garwe, said in an interview on the sidelines of a final inspection of facilities ahead of Independence Day.
“We are encouraging people who are coming from Masvingo, Manicaland and all the Mashonaland provinces to use the Gwanda-Maphisa Road, which will ease pressure on the Bulawayo-Maphisa Road.
“Both roads that lead to Maphisa from the different directions that people will be coming from are ready for the thousands of vehicles that will be headed to the event.”
As of yesterday morning, some delegates were already making their way to Maphisa, and as the day progressed, they were joined by scores of buses carrying school children from as far as Shurugwi, Plumtree, Hurungwe and other places.
Over 3 000 children from across the country are expected to attend this year’s annual Children’s Party, which will be held at Mahetshe Primary School today.
According to Primary and Secondary Education Minister Dr Torerayi Moyo, each of the country’s 10 provinces will contribute 50 learners, bringing a total of 500 participants.
“In addition to that, we expect 2 000 students from Matabeleland South to attend, bringing the figure to 2 500.
“Furthermore, we expect learners who will participate in mass displays and exhibitions to be 550 and all these will also come from the host province. All in all, we will have 3 050 children attending this year’s party,” said Minister Moyo.
The large number of people expected for the annual celebrations has prompted the Government to put in place an emergency services mechanism to assist in the event of accidents and other unforeseen incidents, said Minister Garwe.
“From a Civil Protection Department perspective, we have come up with a national emergency response plan in the event of road accidents or any disasters that might occur.”
