The Sunday Mail
Norman Muchemwa and Rumbidzai Muparutsa
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa will preside over the Heroes and Defence Forces celerations as the court challenge filed by the MDC-Alliance does not stop him from performing such national duties, a ZANU-PF Politburo member has said.
Addressing members of the media at the Zanu-PF Headquarters in Harare yesterday, the ruling party’s National Secretary for the Commissariat Dr Engelbert Rugeje said the national celebrations were going ahead as scheduled in all of the country’s 10 provinces.
He said the court challenge had only affected President Mnangagwa’s inauguration which was scheduled for today but everything else is going ahead.
“We are receiving some media reports saying because of the poll petition which has been launched by the opposition, this would mean that other national events have been called off, that is not true as the petition only affected the inauguration.
“Our heroes and defence forces celebrations will proceed as programmed and we expect these celebrations to take place at the National level here at our national shrine, and provinces will also assemble at traditional places, where they normally assemble for such events,” he said.
Dr Rugeje implored all Zimbabweans particularly the young generation to observe Heroes Day celebrations as a way of appreciating the role of the gallant fighters of the revolution.
He also hailed the country’s security forces for maintaining a peaceful environment in the country and also urged Zimbabweans to attend the Defence Forces Day celebrations in their numbers.
Dr Rugeje also thanked Zimbabweans for the peaceful environment exhibited during campaigns and on the poling day.
“On behalf of the Party Zanu-PF, I wish to extend our profound appreciation on the manner in which our campaign for the 2018 harmonized elections progressed. I think you all agree with me that we witnessed an extra-ordinarily peaceful environment.
The national political commissar urged all Zimbabweans to observe peace always and work together for the good of the country.
The country held harmonised elections last month which many observers hailed as peaceful and but were tainted by violent demonstrations from hooligans aligned to the MDC-Alliance which left six people dead.
