Mutare reverberates in joyous moment

celebrations at Sakubva Stadium in Mutare, they went, saw, but were conquered.
Mutare virtually conquered the visitors when they came in their numbers to celebrate with President Mugabe on this momentous occasion.
Those who travelled to Manicaland Province had to sleep in their cars as the expected 16 000 people overwhelmed Mutare’s accommodation capacity.
Some had to go to Nyanga, Vumba, Rusape and Chimanimani just to be among the crowd.
Having the celebrations in Mutare, an opposition bastion to Zanu-PF’s dominance of Zimbabwe’s body politic was always a tricky situation for the party’s youth league.
The Zanu-PF youth league is the custodian of the 21st February Movement since its launch in 1986.
The celebrations, however, turned out to be a massive event as the eastern border town was in a festive mood for three whole days.
Mutare was abuzz since the announcement that Sakubva Stadium would host the prestigious event.
The expectations went into overdrive during the week leading to the event.
While the traditional 21st February dinner was held on the eve of the commemorations, it was spiced by the inaugural Miss 21st February Movement.
The beauty pageant pitted girls from Zimbabwe’s 10 provinces.
Mashonaland Central beauty Seena Siyamsian was crowned queen while first and second princes titles went to Tendai Hunda (23) from Harare and Nothabo Simela (Manicaland) respectively. Fortunate Nyakufudza of Mashonaland Central was crowned Miss Personality.
Miss 21st February Movement received an international air ticket plus a weekend-for two-voucher to a destination of her choice.
She also received US$2 000.
The first princess received US$1 000, a holiday voucher for two people in Nyanga while the second princess received US$750.
Miss Personality got US$300. All winners except Miss Personality also got gift vouchers worth US$3 000 to be donated to charitable organisations of their choices from the event organisers.
The day of the event saw thousands throng Sakubva Stadium.
Organisers had no choice but to ask those seated on the terraces to move on to the pitch.
The crowd went into a frenzy as the first outriders of President Mugabe’s motorcade roared into the stadium.
Hundreds of other residents had also lined up the main road from the city centre to the stadium waving at the motorcade.
President Mugabe, who had briefly attended a meeting with the provincial leadership at a city hotel, went straight into the festivities.
He had a photo session with children who share the same birthday with him.
The children were drawn from the country’s 10 provinces.
Like the energetic man he has been known to be, President Mugabe went around the stadium greeting people.
This saw a trail of people following him as he greeted the ecstatic Zimbabweans.
President Mugabe aptly described the turnout as “a crowd of defiance; defiance of sanctions and defiance of imperialism and a rejection of intervention.”
He added: “This is an anti-imperialist fist. It’s not for your neighbour.”
After his speech, President Mugabe later cut the various cakes that were baked for the special occasion.
The cakes included an 88 kilogram cake made in the image of the Inyangani Mountains, another in that of the Victoria Falls, a crocodile symbolising President Mugabe’s totem, an ice cream cake and another silver crocodile.
The lucky thousands attending the commemorations had a chance to sample the cakes while there was plenty food for the crowd.
Manicaland Governor and Resident Minister Chris Mushohwe implored Government to ensure that the province benefits from its  natural resources.
“The economic empowerment of our indigenous people through indigenisation has demonstrated that ‘isu vana wevhu’ are able to directly benefit from the resources especially diamonds that our province and indeed our nation have.
“The ‘ngoda’ will help the nation fight neo-bondage (sanctions) which has continued to stifle our development and progress as a nation.
“The people of Manicaland where this natural resource is located should be the primary beneficiaries through mining, infrastructure development, establishment of diamond processing and value addition centre and diamond technological training institute in Manicaland and beyond.”
Zanu-PF provincial chairman Cde Mike Madiro hailed President Mugabe for his unwavering stance against imperialism and neo-colonialism.
“Furthermore, events of the present day, particularly the political upheavals in the North African region have rudely exposed the Africa Union . . . it requires men and women like you (President Mugabe) who have the mettle to define, assert and redefine a new post-liberation ideological Pan-African vision.”
The event was followed by a mini-gala where a number of artistes entertained the crowd while they had their well-deserved supper at the main venue.
The organisers also held a prize giving day for 21st February Movement golf tournament. It was agreed that the golf tournament will be an annual event to be played at Hillside Sports Club regardless of which province will be hosting the 21st February Movement Celebrations.
The celebrations are set to end this weekend with a musical gala at Chipinge Primary School.