THE Government will fulfil its promise to provide support to food-insecure Zimbabweans affected by the El Niño-induced drought and has intensified its food aid programme in all parts of the country to ensure no one dies of hunger, President Mnangagwa has said.
He made the remarks while addressing tens of thousands of congregants at the Johane Marange Apostolic Church’s annual Passover service in Mafararikwa, Marange, yesterday. Deployment of food distribution teams, he said, has been stepped up countrywide.
“This year we did not receive good rains,” said President Mnangagwa.
“We are faced with hunger. However, as your leader, I want to assure you that we have our strategic grain reserves. We have several departments that are working in all parts of the country. They are intensifying their work. They are making sure that no one dies of hunger.
“We have escalated the deployments to all parts of the country, and we are making sure that everyone, from every level of society, is not affected by hunger. We are making sure that everyone receives adequate food.”
He underscored the point that food will be distributed for free, adding that Treasury was working with various partners to ensure all households have adequate food.
“I want to make it clear that this food is for free. We are working around the clock to ensure that supplies will reach everyone in need.”
The President revealed his spiritual side by telling the gathering that he constantly seeks God’s guidance in discharging his duties.
He said leaders should abide by God’s principles, as leadership without the Almighty’s guidance is doomed.
“If you are a leader who decides to be distant from God, you will fail,” said President Mnangagwa.
“Be close to God. I always make sure to seek God’s blessings upon my life. I believe that one cannot be a leader if the Lord has not granted that grace for him or her to lead.”
God’s servants, such as the leader of the Johane Marange Apostolic Church, St Nimrod Taguta, he added, help him to get “bountiful blessings”.
“I come to God’s servants such as St Nimrod because I know that when they talk to God, they intercede for me so that I can receive bountiful blessings from the Almighty.
“Those blessings allow me to be a leader and they give me more years to live.”
He said the Johane Marange Apostolic Church holds a special place in his heart, as he had to cut short his trip to Mozambique on Friday to ensure that he attended the Passover.
“I was in Mozambique on Friday for an important engagement with my colleagues — Presidents (Mokgweetsi) Masisi and (Filipe) Nyusi from Botswana and Mozambique (respectively). I left them both in Mozambique after our meeting because President Masisi remained there. I wanted to make sure that I did not miss your Passover,” he said.
He pledged to continue attending the Passover in years to come.
“I will continue to come and receive blessings from you and support the work you are doing as a church. I was here last year, and I pray that God gives me more years to continue coming for more years. I know that some who were here with us did not make it this year for various reasons. That is why I consider it a blessing to be here,” added the President.
“I want to thank St Nimrod for inviting me. I respect church leaders. As a President, I lead human beings, who are people of the flesh. He is a leader of spiritual beings. Human beings die but spiritual life lasts longer. So, you can see who the bigger leader is here and why I respect the church.”
The church’s local and foreign preachers praised President Mnangagwa for his humility and leadership.
Mr Isaac Makurumidze said: “We are humbled by your presence and the support that you give to our church. This Passover is our signature ceremony that we hold every year from July 1 to July 17. Every member of the church is obliged to attend and most have to skip work and other duties to be here.
“Your presence, therefore, underscores that you also highly respect our church’s doctrine.”
A preacher from Angola, Mr Eriah Zhuao, urged other African leaders to emulate President Mnangagwa’s cordial relations with the Church. The event was also attended by several Cabinet ministers and senior Government officials.
