Zanu PF readies lavish Mugabe bash

By Mugove Tafirenyika

Zanu PF has begun preparations for a lavish celebration for President Robert Mugabe’s 93rd birthday at the Matopos in Matabeleland South.

The nonagenarian leader — currently on a month-long holiday overseas — and scores of guests are expected to enjoy unrestrained feasting at the holiday resort next month, amid widespread child malnutrition, high unemployment and untold suffering of ordinary Zimbabweans.

The 21st February Movement, set up in 1986 to raise funds to celebrate Mugabe’s birthdays, will finish off the event with a gala of live performances by musicians from different parts of the country.

Almost every year, the movement has hosted plushy birthday parties for Mugabe, which have drawn stern criticism from long-suffering Zimbabweans and the opposition, who call the celebrations “obscene.”

Zanu PF youth league secretary, Kudzanai Chipanga, told the Daily News yesterday that the ruling party had chosen Matopos — where, interestingly, the grave of Cecil John Rhodes, who symbolises the British occupation of Zimbabwe, is located — to promote domestic tourism.

“We will meet with the host province soon to chat the way forward in terms of logistics. We are looking at promoting local tourism that is why we have been holding our celebrations at holiday resorts,” Chipanga said.

“Besides, Matopos is of historical value to us given that King Lobengula was buried there, so in a way we will also be honouring him by celebrating the life of our dear leader there.”

The Zanu PF Matabeleland South provincial executive is still waiting for the budget from the national executive for them to gauge how much money is required for the party, but insiders said they were hoping to raise $1 million.

“We have already set up district and provincial mobilising committees that would report to the national committee and by the end of the month we should be done with resource mobilisation,” said a provincial executive member who preferred anonymity because he is not qualified to comment.

“We want to make the event the best of them all. We take pride in that for the first time, we are hosting the birthday bash and we want to do it in style.”

In 2015, Mugabe’s birthday celebrations were held in Victoria Fall while last year they were held in Masvingo.

The annual celebrations have been hosted in the country’s 10 provinces on rotational basis.

This year’s will be the 31st edition of the 21st February Movement.

Chipanga said next year the event will be held “at any resort centre found in whatever province will be hosting the president.”

“We rotate the hosting of the event among all provinces but like I said we have made it a point that we want to promote our tourist attractions so some time to come we will be holding the celebrations at these places.” Daily News