Online Reporter
Fungai Lupande-Mashonaland Central Bureau
The dust had barely settled on the morning horizon when the first buses began rolling in, and by mid-morning this usually quiet farming town had swelled into a sea of colour, song and expectation.
When President Mnangagwa and First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa finally stepped into the arena, the crowd erupted. The euphoria was unimagined.
Ululations filled the air, whistles rang out, and thousands of young people broke into imitations of the President’s famous dance moves.
The excitement was so intense that some climbed onto chairs, straining for a glimpse of the First Couple as they made their way through the throng.
Zanu PF Mashonaland Central provincial chairperson Cde Kazembe Kazembe described the atmosphere as high on the “lovemeter” — his gauge of the immense affection shown to President Mnangagwa by the people.
The celebrations, the Munhumutapa Day commemorations, drew people from across Mashonaland Central and beyond.
Youths from Chipinge, Guruve, Zvimba, Muzarabani, Shamva and Mazowe — and from all corners of the country — converged on Mvurwi for the historic occasion.
Residents from across the province were determined to travel to Mvurwi to celebrate the President’s 84th birthday and witness what many described as a historic day.
Addressing the gathering, Cde Kazembe thanked the people of the province for their support.
“Your Excellency, we welcome you to Central Province. We welcome you with joy, President, here in your province, in your Central Province,” he said.
He thanked the youths involved in various initiatives and projects, saying the province would not turn back in supporting the President.
“Your Excellency, we thank everyone present here and the other offices represented. As things stand, we are deeply grateful,” he said.
“We thank the President for recognising that your birthday falls on our Youth holiday. We are very grateful.”
Speaking on behalf of the Youth League and the youths of Zimbabwe, Secretary for Youth Affairs Cde Tino Machakaire congratulated President Mnangagwa on his birthday and thanked him for choosing to spend the day with young people.
“On behalf of the Youth League, Your Excellency, and the young people of Zimbabwe, we say congratulations! Congratulations! Congratulations on your birthday,” he said.
Cde Machakaire wished the President continued good health, wisdom and strength as he led the country and the ruling party.
He said young people were not merely leaders of tomorrow, but partners in building Zimbabwe today.
“It is clear that under your leadership, young people are not simply leaders of tomorrow. They are partners and leaders in building Zimbabwe today,” he said.
He urged the youth to use the opportunities available to them wisely — to build businesses, create jobs and establish sustainable livelihoods — and said the day should connect the country’s history to its future. The Youth League also highlighted developments in higher education, skills innovation, regional integration, business incubation, housing schemes and infrastructure development.
Cde Machakaire said young people were receiving home ownership deeds across Mashonaland Central districts, while village business units and other transformation programmes were being implemented across the country.
“These are not promises; these are opportunities.
These are real results, and this is empowerment in action,” he said.
“The future of Zimbabwe belongs to this generation — a generation that is productive, a generation that is skilled, and a generation that knows its history and honours its leadership,” he said.
Deputy Secretary for Youth Affairs Cde John Paradza said young people were benefiting from opportunities created under President Mnangagwa’s leadership in agriculture, mining, vocational training, entrepreneurship, housing, sports and other empowerment programmes.
“Opportunities must produce results. Empowerment must produce skills. Skills must produce industries, and our youth must become pillar owners of our national development,” he said.
Cde Paradza said the Youth League accepted the responsibility of protecting the peace, stability and future of Zimbabwe. He urged young people to be disciplined, productive, innovative and patriotic in contributing towards Vision 2030.
“We must use these opportunities to build businesses, jobs, industries, and sustainable livelihoods for our people. That is how we honour your leadership. That is how we secure our nation’s future,” he said. He described Munhumutapa Day as an important occasion for young people to understand Zimbabwe’s history, celebrate their identity and honour their heritage.
“A generation that knows where it comes from will have the confidence to determine where it’s going. Munhumutapa Day must therefore connect our history to our future,” he said.
Cde Paradza also paid tribute to the First Lady for her support to the President and her efforts to fight drug and substance abuse.
For many who travelled long distances to be there, the day was personal.
Erita Tauro, from Manhenga in Bindura Rural, said she boarded a bus at around 4am to attend.
“We are extremely happy, especially as the Mashonaland Central province, because we are proud of our President. Our President does wonders for us. He does so many great things that were never done before — projects he runs, fixing our roads, and fixing the infrastructure,” she said. Barbara Chiponda, from Chirunya village in Mbire, said the turnout demonstrated the province’s love and support for President Mnangagwa.
“President Mnangagwa is a visionary leader and we love him. We also love our First Lady who spends most of her time with us in Mbire cooking traditional foods,” she said.
Chiponda said development projects, particularly road rehabilitation and other infrastructure initiatives, were being implemented in the province — but appealed for more transport support.
“We are appealing for more allocation of vehicles in the province. Where I live in Mbire we want to attend meetings in Bindura, but we fail due to lack of vehicles,” she said.
From Muzarabani, Lancelot Magede said the huge turnout was a clear indication of the popularity of the celebrations.
“No one was forced to come. Some were even left behind,” he said, adding that some people were still travelling to Mvurwi to see the President on his 84th birthday.
Local traditional leader Chief Makope called for the preservation of Zimbabwe’s cultural heritage and forests.
He said clans such as the Samanyanga, Soko and Shumba Murambwi traced their origins to the Mutapa tradition.
“Culture and good character must be preserved. We wish the President a happy birthday,” he said, while urging young people to stop destroying forests.
“Forests are life; we get oxygen from trees.”
Politburo member and Bindura North MP Kenethy Musanhi described the turnout as massive, saying more than 100 000 people had attended.
“Some couldn’t even get inside, it was an overflow! The overflow of people standing outside is huge,” he said.
Bindura District Coordinating Committee chairperson Mr Lucas Chigede said people came in large numbers to celebrate the President and show their appreciation for development projects being implemented across the country and in Mashonaland Central. He wished the President long life, happiness and good health.
The celebrations were attended by senior Government and Zanu PF officials, traditional leaders, youths and members of the community. The Youth League pledged its continued support for President Mnangagwa and his leadership, saying young people were ready to contribute to national development.
