ZANU-PF Midlands province yesterday said it is targeting to mobilise more than 120 000 people for the seventh Presidential Youth Interface Meeting scheduled for Gweru on Friday.
The revolutionary party has 536 party districts in the eight administrative districts in the Midlands.
The province will today hold a Provincial Co-ordinating Committee meeting to finalise preparations for the rally.
President Mugabe, who is the Zanu-PF First Secretary, will officiate at the event to be held in Mkoba.
Zanu-PF Youth League secretary Kudzanayi Chipanga yesterday said all was set for the event.
“Preparations are now at an advantage stage,” he said. “In terms of human mobilisation, the province is mobilising to its capacity. In terms of resources, they are almost done, they are just waiting for the day when the President will come. This is what we are getting from Midlands province, but at the same time tomorrow (today) we are going to have a final preparatory meeting to officially conclude all the planning.”
Chipanga said they would assist the province with fuel and party regalia. “At national level we have given them tent facilities for the VIPs and VVIPs,” Chipanga said. “We are going to give them 10 000 litres of fuel and 10 000 T-shirts. We hope that these resources are going to be a top up on what they have mobilised already.”
Zanu-PF Midlands youth chairperson Prosper Machando said he was on the ground mobilising party cadres. “We are targeting not less than 120 000 people considering we are a big province,” he said. “We have done enough for the people to attend and what is left for them is the day. In terms of preparations, we haven’t faced any challenges. We are almost complete and we are only putting final touches on a few issues. Everyone has been supportive and tomorrow we are going to have a final provincial coordinating meeting to cap everything.
“It is our hope that we will have a successful event.”
President Mugabe has been visiting provinces around the country interacting with the youths and directly responding to their concerns. He has been to Mashonaland East, Manicaland, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Mashonaland West and Matabeleland South.
The interface meetings are being organised by the Zanu-PF Youth League. Zanu-PF is using the platforms to launch a massive campaign for voter registration of youths ahead of the 2018 harmonised elections.
The revolutionary party is also using the rallies to show its mobilisation prowess, as each rally is being attended by huge crowds. During the interface meetings, the youths are articulating social, economic and political issues affecting them. Among other issues, the Youth League is advocating for young people to have access to land, agricultural inputs and participate in mining activities.
The engagements are expected to run until October when President Mugabe would have visited all the 10 provinces.