By Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo|The Masvingo Land Developers Association has donated 10 tonnes of maize meal towards President Robert Mugabe’s birthday bash, attracting the ire of thousands of angry residents and villagers in the drought ravaged province.
The Zanu PF controlled association is under fire for attempting to please Mugabe while thousands of villagers across the province are facing starvation.
Goddard Dunira, the association’s coordinator last week said the gesture was meant to appreciate and celebrate the sound leadership of the controversial and veteran leader.
Angry residents and villagers dismissed Dunira’s utterances as cheap political grandstanding meant to bootlick Mugabe, who is blamed for the current economic chaos in the country.
Dunira however said:”As land developers we have benefited from the land reform exercise as well as from President Mugabe’s leadership, so we have seen it necessary to donate mealie meal for the 21st February movement celebrations. We feel proud to be part of such a big event,” said Dunira.
Dunira who is also a councillor in Chivi and at present the Zanu PF provincial secretary for transport, said thousands of people would be ferried to and from the Great Zimbabwe monuments but he did not specify how the transport funds were raised.
Mugabe’s birthday bash is expected to chew up at least 1 million dollars at a time the government is struggling to feed thousands of villagers facing starvation not only in Masvingo Province but the rest of the country.