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By Elvis Dumba in Banket
President Emerson Mnangagwa rose to power after he sought our blessings, chiefs in Zvimba district have said.
Gibson Jenami, Chief Katizagombo said President Emerson Mnangagwa was the rightful successor to late former late President Robert Mugabe as the two were very close.
Chief Katizagombo was speaking at the inaugural ZANU (PF) Meet-the-Chiefs outreach program in Banket.
Chief Katizagombo said President Emerson Mnangagwa visited Zvimba chiefs where he sought he got their blessings after he revealed to them that he wanted to be the president soon after the ouster of Mugabe.
“Mnangagwa was the rightful candidate to succeed late Mugabe as the two worked together closely. If you noticed Mugabe always gave Mnangagwa critical assignments both in the party and government. I’m personally a brother to the late Mugabe so I know a lot. There is a secret which most politicians are not aware of. Mnangagwa is not in that position by chance. We gave him our blessings after he approached us as chiefs in Zvimba and we told him that we already knew that he was the successor and we gave him our full blessings,” he said.
Chief Katizagombo said he never heard Mugabe complain that he was ill-treated.
“Mugabe never told us as chiefs from Zvimba that he was ill-treated. That is something which we only hear from social media and some unscrupulous people taking advantage of saying they want to start new political parties using Mugabe’s name. My appeal is, please let the old man rest in peace and don’t use him to score cheap political scores.”
Chief Katizagombo also implored ZANU PF members to be united and said the infighting in the party’s top-level leadership should be stopped.
“We are aware of the infighting at the top. I know President Mnangagwa doesn’t get involved in any fights but there are some people in top positions doing that and that should be stopped,” he said
ZANU PF Politburo member Ziyambi Ziyambi said the meet-the-Chiefs outreach program was requested by President Emmerson Mnangagwa for party leaders to interact with chiefs and appraise them on national economic and development projects being undertaken by the government.
“We were instructed by President Emerson Mnangagwa to meet regularly with our chiefs and appraise them on different government programs being implemented. Our government is currently rehabilitating roads using local resources without external borrowing. We are strengthening agriculture support systems such as Command Agriculture and Pfumvudza so that it’s not abused. We are drilling boreholes to ensure that our people get safe drinking water. The government is also reviving the mining industry through the visionary leadership of President Emerson Mnangagwa,” Ziyambi said
ZANU PF central committee member Philip Chiyangwa explained how MPs work in their constituencies for development together with councillors.
“You might not see the MP on the ground and that doesn’t mean the MP is not working. We work together with local councillors. As an MP, my duty is to be in Parliament ensuring that money is sent to the local council where the councillor implements projects on my behalf through the council. I request funding from Parliament and sometimes channel it through the councillors so you might not see the MP on the ground but we work hand in glove together with the councillors”
The meeting was also attended by ZANU PF provincial acting Chairperson Abiel Mujeri.