adminNzvimbo Growth Point in Mashonaland Central province on Thursday, Zanu-PF second secretary and Vice President Cde Joice Mujuru said they were determined to repossess Bindura South and Mazowe Central as the revolutionary party was now much stronger.
Bindura South was won by Mr Abednico Nyaude while Zanu-PF lost Mazowe Central to Mr Shepherd Mushonga, both of the MDC-T.
Vice President Mujuru said this while welcoming President Mugabe, who is also Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces who was launching the revolutionary party’s campaign rallies that are set to be held across the country.
The Vice President commended President Mugabe for coming up with people-oriented education policies since 1980 when the country attained its independence.
Vice President Mujuru said the education policies had transformed the lives of several people through construction of several schools.
“We used to come to Howard Mission. That was the only secondary school then. There were no Government secondary schools. But we now have a lot of secondary schools because of President Mugabe’s leadership,” said Cde Mujuru.
She also commended President Mugabe for restoring the dignity of black people.
“It is your desire to have the life of the majority to improve, including the preservation of our culture,” she said.
Vice President Mujuru urged financial institutions to participate in economic development by lending people money.
“Let us share resources. Yes, it might take time to be achieved, but banks should lend money to people to support economic development,” she said.
As the Vice President continued with the national tour, yesterday in Masvingo she paid glowing tribute to co-operatives and small enterprises for making an enormous contribution to the development of the economy since the attainment of independence.
Speaking during commemorations to mark the International Co-operatives Day in Masvingo, VP Mujuru hailed co-operatives for aiding Zimbabwe’s developmental thrust that has seen the country record massive improvements in the socio-economic sphere.
She said Government would continue to prioritise co-operatives and small enterprises in the provision of funds, saying many Zimbabweans managed to uplift their standards of living through them.
“I want to emphasise that as Government we are very happy with the contributions that have been made by co-operatives and small enterprises in the development of our economy since independence,” she said.
“Co-operatives in particular have helped our people to uplift their standards of living and we are very proud of that as Government.
“Our Government will continue to prioritise co-operatives and even President Mugabe recognises the important role that is played by co-operatives to an extent that he went on to create a stand alone ministry that deals specifically with co-operatives and small enterprises.’’
VP Mujuru said that co-operatives and small enterprises were topical during most Cabinet meetings, an indication that Government was satisfied with the role which they played in the country’s economy.
She challenged co-operatives and small enterprises to amalgamate and establish their own bank that would provide easily accessible and cheap loans. VP Mujuru said the co-operatives bank would complement the role which was being played by the country’s conventional banks that were providing funding to co-operatives.
She challenged people to take advantage of the on-going indigenisation and empowerment drive which is meant to ensure that Zimbabweans were masters of their own destiny.
She said the indigenisation of the minds of the people through access to education was followed by the land reform programme which saw blacks being given land to rectify colonially-engineered land ownership inequities.
VP Mujuru said the on-going indigenisation of foreign companies was part of a consistent and pre-planned drive by Government to make sure that Zimbabweans become masters of their own destiny. Addressing the same gathering, Small to Medium Scale Enterprises and Co-operative Development Minister Sithembiso Nyoni paid homage to President Mugabe.
She said the President was the only leader in Africa brave enough to embark on a wholesale programme to empower the majority of his people through the land reform programme and the on-going indigenisation and empowerment drive.
VP Mujuru visited a chicken rearing project at Jairos Jiri Home in Mucheke, before touring the Vashandi Housing Co-operative at Victoria Ranch and the Hillside Extension Housing Project where 5 000 housing stands for low income earners are being developed.
Online Reporter