Story by Josephine Mugiyo, Diplomatic Correspondent
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa says the country’s opposition must hold the ruling party’s legislators accountable and keep them on their feet, saying this will ensure they deliver on their mandate.
On the political field they may have different and divergent views but this Sunday ZANU PF and CCC legislators put their differences aside and united for a tour of the first family’s Precabe farm in Kwekwe.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the First Lady, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa hosted their visitors for a programme that included a tour of the farm and an interactive session.
Precabe farm has become a benchmark for other farmers with the first family exhibiting great prowess in farming as seen in their yearly output. The members of parliament got to see the maize, potato, and soya bean crop.
President Mnangagwa expressed his appreciation to the CCC and ZANU PF legislators for their visit which gave them an appreciation of the first family’s agriculture activities.
He noted that as the first family they are doing their part in ensuring food security also highlighting the need to learn from others doing better.
“We are highly mechanised and we do our best to contribute to national food security as a family. Both myself and my wife are from humble beginnings. Every weekend we are here because we love farming. We both share a passion for farming.
“We keep our little farm very productive. We maximise production. If we hear that there are other farms that produce more than others, we make follow up and we borrow lessons from them. This means if you see someone who is better than you, befriend them and learn from them,” President Mnangagwa said.
As he spoke about the country’s politics, President Mnangagwa said it is key for the country to have an opposition that holds the ruling party accountable. This he said will ensure they are kept on their feet and deliver.
“I am also happy that you are mixed with the opposition. I am happy that in Zimbabwe there is no friction between the ruling party and the opposition. It is critically important that we have an opposition that criticizes the ruling party.
“So opposition make sure you criticize the ruling party and that way you assist them to remain in power as they discover their mistakes. As opposition be serious with your opposition that is how you can remain in opposition.”
The First Lady, Dr Auxilia Mnangagwa expressed her gratitude to the legislators for putting political differences aside and coming together for the tour.
“I want to thank you for looking beyond the political divide and coming together and agreeing to come to the farm. This is a first for legislators from across the political divide to come together and unite. You have shown that we are working together to build our nation,” she said.
After an extensive tour of the farm, the legislators were impressed with the work being done by the first family, with Thokozani Khupe and Sengezo Tshabangu saying there is a need to look beyond politics and unite for the development of the nation. They were both impressed with the farming activities at Precabe.
ZANU PF legislator, Cde Webster Shamhu also commended the first family for the great work they are doing.
“I remember you started farming at a small scale when we were given land, but today I have seen the great work you are doing,” he said.
As she hosted her visitors, the First Lady Dr Mnangagwa was hands-on preparing food to ensure everyone was catered for.
Amid calls for unity on national development issues the legislators spent their day at Precabe with various speakers all emphasizing the importance of putting the people’s needs first.
