The Sunday Mail
Tinashe Farawo
The multitudes last Friday were reminiscent of President Mugabe’s famous 1980 homecoming rally at Zimbabwe Grounds.
Fast-forward to 2017 and the same euphoria engulfed an entirely different generation. A cheering crowd greeted the President and First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe as they arrived for the first of the Presidential Youth Interfaces at Rudhaka Stadium in Marondera. Police had their work cut out controlling the crowds which jostled to catch a glimpse of their hero. Some hung precariously from tree branches, all in an effort to see the iconic leader.
Initially, the grand occasion was supposed to be held inside Rudhaka Stadium, but authorities moved it to an open ground outside the facility to cater for the throngs. The rally pretty much served as a timely reminder of President Mugabe’s immense popularity and cross-generational appeal.
Successive surveys since his thumping of opposition MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai in the 2013 elections have confirmed as much. Marondera put the exclamation mark on those statistics last Friday. The small farming town was a hive of activity as people from all walks of life came to hear and see their leader speak. Some came on buses, lorries and tractors, while others walked for distances of up to 20km.
And President Mugabe — as usual — did not disappoint. He expressed his gratitude for the massive endorsement, coming as it did after last year’s One Million Man March. President Mugabe paid tribute to the Youth League, led by Cde Kudzanayi Chipanga, for mobilising such support.
“… mauya vamwe netsoka, vamwe nemabhazi, hongu as the One Million Man March. Iyoyo yakashamisa nyika yose, yakashamisa even vemuno muSadc, ikashamisa varungu kuti ‘Ah, munhu uyu wataiti apera ndizvo zvaachiri izvi?
“Ehe, ndizvo zvandichiri. Ndakaisa maoko muhomwe ndikati, ‘Ehe, ndizvo zvandichiri.’ Zvikanzi: ‘Taiti zvawaakuma93 hauchasupportwa wachembera.’ Ndikati, ‘Haa, aiwa, izvi hazvichembedze. Zvinoita kuti urambe uri mwana mudiki papfungwa, pakushanda nepakubatana nevamwe.’”
President Mugabe continued: “Ndinotenda nekukudza hutungamiri. Handi hwangu ndoga. Kuvhaira ikoko ndichiisa maoko muhomwe kudadaka nemi. Kudada nekubatana kwenyu neni nekubatana kwenyu nehutungamiri hweZanu-PF. Ndiko kubatana kwamaratidza kuno. “Ini ndauya naMai Mugabe tichiti tiri kuenda kuRudhaka Stadium. Tosvika kuno, maiwee! Zvakare mapamhidza futi! Ndaiti ndiri kuuya kuzotenda veMashonaland East chete zvino ndirikunzwa kuti aaakwaita vamwe vauya… ndikati aaa zvakanaka.
“Izvi zvanhasi zvavhundutsa zvakare vaye vanotauka, tauka vachiti nhasi … vachingoti vaita ichi chadimbuka, vaita ichi chadimbuka. Hazvigone, ko muri kuita izvozvi shoko ramunaronderekuti chii kuvanhu venyu chimwe chete, zuva nezuva vanoripindura nepapa. ‘Huyayi tibatane tibise VaMugabe, tibise Zanu-PF.’ Ndizvo zvinongonyorwa izvozvo chete. Aaaah, vanongonyora zvimwe. Hapeno kuti vanozviwana kupiko.
“Musangano wedu unezvinangwa, zvinangwa zvedu zveZanu-PF; zvinangwa zvezvido zvevanhu. Zvido zvevanhu ndezvipi? Gutsa ruzhinji poshi, mabasa, dzidzo, upenyu hwakanaka. Makaona zvatakaita pagore rino, Mwari vakatipembedza. Kwakanga kwarukwa mazano ndichiudzwa …”
Cde Chipanga told The Sunday Mail that more was to come. “This is just the beginning. President Mugabe is a magnet, and I can assure you that these people surpass those who welcomed President Mugabe in 1980 at Zimbabwe Grounds. That’s how popular President Mugabe is.”
