PRESIDENT Mnangagwa yesterday urged people in urban areas to vote out inept opposition legislators and councillors who have been failing to deliver services to residents countrywide.
Addressing thousands of Zanu PF supporters during a rally at Airport Village Stadium in Harare yesterday, President Mnangagwa said people should vote wisely during the August 23 harmonised elections to safeguard gains of the liberation struggle.
He reiterated his call against political violence during the campaign period, on voting day and afterwards.
“We are against violence. Let us have this peace before, during and after elections. We need peace and harmony. So what we want is peace and unity in our country. We as Zanu PF, we spent 15 years in the armed struggle, fighting to liberate our country Zimbabwe from colonial rule. So nobody, nobody on this planet will teach us about democracy because we fought for it ourselves.
“We are highly qualified to teach those countries who say they want to teach us democracy, NO, it is us who are qualified to teach them democracy. We are a people’s party, we are an indigenous party, we think African, we dream African. Hatifanane nezvimwe zvimusangano zvinorota zvichinonga zvadonha pasi petafura dzavarungu. Every five years we subject ourselves to a general election and we are going to have these general elections on the 23rd of August,” he said.
President Mnangagwa said Zanu PF should win more parliamentary and council seats in Harare province to bring back development and corruption-free administration.
“As you can see, most of our towns are in the hands of the opposition. Garbage is not collected, sewage is always bursting. This time, kick them out. Kick them out through the vote, that’s a democratic process. If you cannot deliver, you get removed by a vote. Those who can do the work will be voted in.
Go out in your numbers to vote on August 23. Kick them out through the vote, that’s a democratic process. If you are incompetent the vote will remove you and those who are competent will be brought in through the vote. On the 24th of August we want them to sleep with their shoes on,” he said.
“We have only one seat in Harare. This time we want more seats so that we can fix the service delivery challenges in this city.”
President Mnangagwa warned foreign election observers to stick to their mandate, and refrain from interfering in the country’s electoral processes.
“This interference from outside is unacceptable. We as a sovereign State and a member of the United Nations, we have a sovereign right to run our elections. Those countries who want to observe must restrict themselves to the role of observing our elections not to interfere in that process. We will not accept it.
“After all, they have elections full of faults in their countries. I will not name the countries but we are highly qualified to teach them democracy, so they must learn from us,” he said.
Speaking at the same event, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga urged supporters to vote for President Mnangagwa and Zanu PF Members of Parliament and councillors.
“We are going for the elections and Harare lets go out and vote for the ruling party.
“It’s just three Xs on President Mnangagwa, your MP and your councillor. We will kick the filth out of Harare,” he said.
VP Chiwenga reiterated the need for people to vote for the ruling party which brought about the country’s independence.
The rally was also attended by Vice President and Second Secretary of Zanu PF Cde Kembo Mohadi, Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona, other Cabinet Ministers and senior Government officials.
