Zanu PF targets 150 beasts for Mugabe feast

By Don Makanyanga

ZANU PF is targeting 150 beasts for slaughter during President Robert Mugabe’s birthday bash set for Matopo in few weeks time.

The Zimbabwean leader’s birthday bash has been an annual ritual in Zimbabwe’s political calendar with party loyalists often falling over each to pledge donations to Mugabe.

One such politician is Matopo North MP, Never Khanye who could have gone overboard in trying to please Mugabe through demands for beasts from local farmers.

“We have set a target to raise 150 cattle for the event, all A2 farmers who got offer letters must donate a beast each for this event and those that will fail we will take it that they don’t appreciate what the President has done for them,” Khanye said.

The Zanu PF legislator was quoted as speaking at a preparatory meeting for the celebrations.

Some 100 000 delegates are expected to attend the feast, often described as an unnecessary display of gluttony and misplaced priorities by the same party politicians who have failed dismally in their government positions.

Mugabe was born 21 February but celebrations are often held at a later date convenient to the veteran leader.

This year’s celebrations have been set for Rhodes Estate Preparatory School in Matabeleland South.

Khanye’s demands for cattle came barely a month after Manicaland Zanu PF provincial youth chair, Mubuso Chinguno said they were targeting newly-established diamond mining firm, Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) in a bid to raise US$250 000 for the birthday bash.

The choice of venue has been slammed by the opposition as it brings back memories of the 1980s Gukurahundi atrocities on civilians in the regional under then Prime Minister Mugabe.

An estimated 20 000 civilians, the majority Ndebeles, were killed in the region.

The opposition is also concerned President Mugabe and his loyalists have time to congregate and feast in a country battling massive poverty under his rule.

Khanye dismissed the plans by the opposition to hold demonstrations on the day.

“We are going to ignore them, we will not be dictated to by the opposition because all they do is opposing just for the sake of it. We won’t be swayed by detractors,” said Khanye. Radio VOP