Staff Reporter

President Mnangagwa assured the nation that no one will die of hunger as the Government is mobilising extensive resources to combat the severe drought conditions induced by El Nino.

This assurance came during the President’s keynote address at the main Independence Day celebrations held at Murambinda A Primary School in Manicaland Province yesterday.

"Tiri hurumende yeruzhinji rwe Zimbabwe. Singu-hulumende wabantu. The Second Republic, under ZANU PF, is a people-centred government committed to wholeheartedly attending to the needs of our communities. In both rural and urban areas, no Zimbabwean will succumb to starvation. Adequate resources are being mobilised towards national food security," President Mnangagwa declared.

Further elaborating on the measures being taken, President Mnangagwa explained that the Food Deficit Mitigation Programme is expanding rapidly.

"The Food Deficit Mitigation Programme is gathering pace following the identification of vulnerable communities and households in every district and ward. Drawing from our traditional heritage, cultural norms, and values, we are tackling the drought in unity; no one and no place will be left behind. Meanwhile, my government is implementing a robust winter cropping programme as we broaden our Strategic Grain Reserves. Furthermore, measures are in place to reactivate winter maize projects in Chiredzi, Muzarabani, and Binga,” said the President.

The President urged the citizens to embrace the newly introduced Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) currency, which is designed to be more stable than its predecessors.

"Our ZiG currency is anchored by our God-given gold and other strategic mineral resources, as well as foreign currency reserves. This development will boost our confidence and pride in our own national currency and further help protect our currency from attack by the country’s detractors. This is our currency; we all have a duty to support this transformational development," he emphasised.

In line with the Government's mantra of decentralising national events, President Mnangagwa announced that the next year’s Independence Day celebrations will be hosted in Midlands Province, ensuring that the spirit of national pride and unity is spread across all regions of Zimbabwe.