PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday described urban dwellers as “sell-outs” for continuing to vote for the opposition.
Addressing thousands of Zanu PF supporters at a rally in Mutasa South constituency, Manicaland to celebrate the party’s March by-election victory, Mnangagwa said evidence dating to days in the liberation war showed that most “sell-outs” were residing in cities and towns.
“I have heard that some parts of Mutasa South are rural and urban. I know that in urban areas when we fought the liberation struggle that’s where most sell-outs ran to. It honestly does not surprise me that those from urban areas don’t support the revolutionary movement because they are sell-outs,” Mnangagwa thundered.
The ruling party has failed to win Mutasa South since the formation of the opposition MDC in 1999.
Zanu PF is now on a drive to win urban constituencies in the hands of the opposition, with the party dangling title deeds to urban dwellers, especially in Harare to win votes.
Mnangagwa said youths supporting the opposition were unpatriotic.
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“This next generation should be taught to be patriotic about their country. They should be taught that their freedom was brought through the liberation struggle. They are the ones to whom we are going to leave the leadership of this country,” he said.
Mnangagwa said Mutasa South would now benefit from government projects after falling into the hands of the ruling party.
Mnangagwa warned non-governmental organisations to stay away from politics or risk being banned.
He also warned against stealing presidential inputs meant to benefit the masses, saying there would be serious consequences.
“If we catch you stealing presidential inputs tikakubata mazuva ako anowunyana (your days will shrink) but if you do the right thing mazuva ako anotandavara (your days will increase).
Many Zanu PF officials have been caught red-handed looting free presidential inputs amid claims by the opposition that the inputs were being distributed in a partisan manner to buy votes for the ruling party.