Rains mar Uhuru celebrations … as Mnangagwa takes aim at Geza
By Auther Chimbgwa
Heavy rains marred the country’s main Independence Day celebrations that were held Friday at Mutora Open Grounds in Nembudziya, Gokwe with many people who attended the event forced to navigate puddles of water at the event.
The traditional parade of uniformed forces did not create a pleasant sight as police and military details marched on a waterlogged ground.
Hundreds of people who formed the crowd that attended the event also scrambled for freebies on soaked surfaces.
Equally, the Independence Cup final between FC Platinum and Simba Bhora lasted for an unprecedented 15 minutes due to a waterlogged surface and the delay in the teams’ arrival as their buses negotiated their way on muddy roads.
Traffic flow to the venue was also slow as drivers meandered muddy roads.
Images posted on social media by witnesses showed some vehicles trapped in mud.
The conditions of the surface at the venue of the televised event spotlighted on decades of government neglect of the country’s public infrastructure.
However, government spokesperson Nick Mangwana saw the bright side of things saying that the downpours were a blessing to the country.
“In many African cultures, a downpour during a significant event or celebration is often viewed as a positive omen or blessing from the ancestors or gods,” Mangwana said.
He added, “Rain is believed to signify the ancestors’ approval, blessings, or presence at the event…a downpour is thought to bring good fortune, prosperity, and abundance to the individuals or community involved.”
Meanwhile, in his keynote address, President Emmerson Mnangagwa taunted what he said were “shadowy elements with dubious opportunistic agendas.”
“Divisive and alarmist elements will never triumph over a nation such as ours; with a rich liberation history and born out of the
blood of the brave sons and daughters of this sacred land.
“Our law enforcement agencies, will always act according to the law and in the best interests of our Independent and sovereign motherland, Zimbabwe,” Mnangagwa said.
The Zimbabwean leader did not mention names but his comments were apparently directed at exiled former Zanu PF central committee member and war veteran Blessed Geza who has called for protests to demand his removal from power.
Mnangagwa added, “I commend you, my dear fellow compatriots, both at home and abroad, for remaining vigilant, patriotic and steadfast, never allowing ourselves to be misled by shadowy elements with dubious opportunistic agendas.”
