By Tom Marufu

President Emmerson Mnangagwa presided over the monthly National Cleanup campaign exercise at Kuwadzana Shopping centre in Banket, Mashonaland West, for the first time the programme has been held in rural areas.

Addressing the gathering, President Emmerson Mnangagwa encouraged Banket residents to exercise hygiene and make sure their surroundings are clean.

“At first when we started this programme people thought that it was only for the urban centres but now we have started going to rural centres with Banket being the first place to start with.

“I want to encourage everyone to exercise hygiene not only where they stay but individually. When you do not clean your surroundings you will breed cockroaches and if we find that you are not exercising clean hygiene we will send inspectors to find out if you have cockroaches in your home,” said the President to cheers from the crowd.

President Mnangagwa also urged unity and peace in the country, while urging those who lose in elections to concede defeat graciously while those who win to honour their promises and pledges to the electorate.

“We urge unity in the country especially in times of elections. Those who lose should accept defeat and work with the winners while those who win should honour promises and pledges made to the electorate.

“Zanu PF is a winning party and those who represent the party should always be in touch with the electorate needs and work towards achieving their pledges,” said President Mnangagwa.

President Mnangagwa also said Zimbabweans should work in order to sustain themselves.

“As Government we declared the year 2020 as the year of productivity and trade. Everyone should work, if its farming they should farm, if it is mining they should mine in order to be self sufficient,” he said.

Taking turns addressing the gathering, Mashonaland West, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs, Mary Mliswa and the Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Mangaliso Ndlovu applauded President Mnangagwa for cascading the cleanup campaign to rural areas and highlighted that the campaign compliments effort to attain the 2030 middle income vision while opening the country for business.