OVER 90 cattle will be slaughtered at President Robert Mugabe’s 90th birthday celebrations which are being held today at Rudhaka Stadium in Marondera, a senior Zanu PF official said.
BY PHYLLIS MBANJE
The lavish celebrations come at a time thousands of Zimbabweans are going without food because of poor harvests in many parts of the country and floods that have displaced thousands at the Tokwe-Mukosi dam basin.
The United Nations agency says at least 2 million Zimbabweans are estimated to be food insecure between January and March this year. Mugabe, who returned from a cataract operation in Singapore yesterday, turned 90 on Friday.
Mashonaland East Zanu PF provincial chairperson, Ray Kaukonde said preparations for the bash, for which at least US$1 million was budgeted, were going on smoothly yesterday, adding that this year’s event would be bigger than previous ones.
“We are happy that all the preps are going according to plan. Over 90 cattle will be slaughtered in honour of the President,” he said. Kaukonde however, could not disclose how much had been raised or which foreign dignitaries would grace the occasion.
“Those questions are best answered by the youth secretary Absalom Sikhosana,” he said.
However, Sikhosana’s phones were not available yesterday. In previous interviews Sikhosana was quoted as saying everything was in order for the 21st February Movement celebrations and that people had been “very generous”.
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He also hinted that some liberation movements in the Sadc region would attend the bash.
“I can tell you that people from United Kingdom, America and the West have contacted us inquiring about the event. Also, the countries in the East have already told us that they want to come. The event is over-subscribed.”
The celebrations, which are being run under the theme, Zim Asset — Growing the Economy for Youths: Empowerment and Employment were said to be for the youth, who are looking for opportunities and employment.
The unemployment rate stands at over 80% in the country. However, the celebrations have raised the ire of ordinary Zimbabweans who felt the money used for the party could have been used for other crucial national commitments.
MDC-T Bulawayo Youth Assembly said there was no need to celebrate Mugabe’s birthday as it would worsen the suffering of Zimbabweans. “Why take US$1 million that could pay civil servants, assist Tokwe-Mukosi flood victims and rebuild bridges?” said MP for Mpopoma-Bekithemba Nyathi, who is also the party’s youth provincial chairperson. During the run up to the celebrations, there were reports that teachers and some members of the police force in Mashonaland East province were forced to contribute US$2 each towards the birthday bash. The teachers said Zanu PF activists moved around schools in the province ordering them to contribute.
Teachers and other civil servants have been calling on government to review their salaries in line with the poverty datum line.
Last year’s celebrations, which were held in the mining town of Bindura, were estimated to have cost over US$600 000 and former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ), Gideon Gono donated a gift of 89 cattle to Mugabe.
Speaking at the wedding of Gono’s daughter last year, Mugabe said the former RBZ governor had lived up to the pledge to give him cattle that corresponded with his age on his birthday.
It was not possible to ascertain whether Gono had fulfilled the pledge this year.
Presidential spokesperson George Charamba last night referred The Standard to Gono.
“Why don’t you ask Gono the benefactor because the President is the receiver,” Charamba said.
Gono’s mobile numbers were unavailable last night.
