The ManicaPost
Samuel Kadungure Senior Reporter
THE Zanu PF Women’s League has set its machinery in motion to mobilise 500 000 new members as part of its contribution to the 800 000 new voters being targeted in Manicaland.
The Women’s League national secretary for administration, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa last Saturday and Sunday convened inter-district meetings in Makoni and Buhera respectively to capacitate and hone the persuasion skills of its grassroots leaders.
Sen Mutsvangwa, who is also the Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, said they will use successes of the New Dispensation to lure more female members into the party.
Provincial chairlady, Cde Happiness Mafuratidze-Nyakuedzwa had earlier on said the 500 000 women will be their contribution to the 800 000 voters being targeted in Manicaland for Zanu PF to win the 2023 elections resoundingly.
Sen Mutsvangwa implored women to be united, shun factionalism and instead use President Mnangagwa’s Government success as their launch pad to mobilise women in their communities.
“Manicaland has a target of 800 000 voters and women by virtue of being the majority can attain their own target of 500 000 new members. As leaders in your communities, cover every blade of grass and give your counterparts strategic direction. Conscientise them about what President Mnangangwa’s Government has achieved,” said Sen Mutsvangwa.
She challenged women to respect and support each other, adding that Zanu PF needs the numbers, and no one should frustrate those who want to join the party.
“Our role is to mobilise people to join Zanu PF, and not frustrate them to ensure that the party wins the 2023 elections resoundingly. We should unite, learn from each other and cross-pollinate constructive ideas,” said Sen Mutsvangwa.
She said President Mnangagwa introduced the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP), which has since been succeeded by the National Development Strategy (NDS1), to stabilise, grow the economy and open opportunities that entice local and foreign investors.
“President Mnangagwa listens and implements tangible solutions to the people’s problems. He has imported about 1 500 buses to address transport challenges in the country. The 2021 farming season is poised to produce the best summer crops ever. Most of the maize crop was planted under the Pfumvudza and Command Agriculture programmes which are Government sponsored schemes aimed at reviving agriculture, improving farmers’ economic and food security conditions in the country.
“Last year, Government was forced to use scarce foreign currency which was meant for drugs to import grain after harvesting 900 000 metric tonnes. This season we are expecting to harvest 3,7 million metric tonnes against a national requirement of 1,7 million tonnes. We will not be importing any grain which will enable the Government to save foreign currency. The great chunk is coming from Pfumvudza which is a brainchild of President Mnangagwa,” said Sen Mutsvangwa.
She said the grain was expected to be delivered to GMB which is paying $32 000 for a tonne of maize, $38 000 for traditional grain and $48 000 for wheat and soya bean.
Payment should be processed within 72 hours or a week after delivery.
About 1 800 mobile buying points will be established countrywide, she said.
“The President has declared the roads a state of national disaster. The roads and bridges are being repaired to enhance trafficability and easy transportation of farm produce to markets. The MDC-run local authorities have been an embarrassing disaster in Harare, Mutare, Gweru and other urban areas. In urban areas, the roads are all potholed, sewerage is flowing all over, exposing our people to diseases while water shortages have become chronic, forcing the Government to intervene and restore sanity,” said Sen Mutsvangwa.
She said the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe foreign currency auction system has effectively stabilised the local currency and paralysed the black market.
“There is no country without a national currency, in South Africa they have the rand, Mozambique have meticais, and our currency has stabilised,” said Sen Mutsvangwa.
Sen Mutsvangwa also hailed President Mnangagwa for exuding astute leadership qualities during Cyclone Idai which devastated Chimanimani and Chipinge and in handling the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Government has repaired road, bridges and houses are being built. After Cyclone Idai came Covid-19 and had the President not immediately set up an Inter-Ministerial Taskforce to coordinate a national response and ensuring that our hospitals are adequately equipped, this country would have been a disaster,” she said.
Sen Mutsvangwa said the national lockdown was introduced to save lives, adding that President Mnangwagwa’s rapport with other world leaders resulted in the country receiving free Covid-19 vaccines, which has seen nearly 500 000 people being vaccinated, putting the country on course to attain herd immunity.
