All road users must prioritise safety by exercising caution and strictly adhering to traffic laws during the festive season to reduce road carnage, President Mnangagwa has said.
He also lauded First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa as a
tenacious and diligent individual, who had overcome numerous challenges to
achieve academic success.
The President was speaking at an event to celebrate the
First Lady’s attainment of a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Tourism and
Hospitality Management in Chiweshe, Mashonaland Central.
He implored road users to respect traffic laws and help
reduce road carnage.
“The festive season is a time to be merry; however, let us
respect road rules. We should enjoy responsibly to ensure safety for ourselves
and those around us,” President Mnangagwa said.
“Let us reduce road
carnage. Drivers be cautious on the roads and your cars must be road worthy.
This is not a message for Mashonaland Central only, but for the nation. This
year let us reduce road carnage by being extremely cautious.
“Normally, this period of the year records an increase in
the number of road accidents, but this year we want to reduce it.”
Turning to the celebrations, President Mnangagwa described
the First Lady Dr Mnangagwa as a persevering and hard-working woman, who had
fought against the odds to succeed academically.
The First Lady graduated last month with a Doctor of
Philosophy in Tourism Management at Midlands State University (MSU). “She is a
very determined, hard-working woman. When we got married she only had her
Ordinary Level passes, but now she holds a PhD,” President Mnangagwa said.
“Over the years, I have watched her working hard and
elevating herself academically and today we rejoice with her because of the
achievements she has worked hard for.”
President Mnangagwa encouraged school children to emulate
the First Lady’s drive and academic ambitions.
He said: “To the school children here, the First Lady was
also a learner, such as yourselves at a local school nearby, she now has a PhD.
“Nothing is impossible with hard work and determination. It
is good to have ambition and determination as this leads to success. Such drive
motivates generations.”
President Mnangagwa called on every household to contribute
to the country’s self-food sufficiency by planting early.
‘‘The rainy season is upon us. As the Government, we
distributed inputs across all provinces. We want food security at household
level. Each household should plan to be food-secure and seek help from the
relevant authorities when and if they need it,” he said.
“Forecasts are saying the country will receive normal to
above-normal rainfall. Each household should say, ‘I would want to be food
self-sufficient with my family’ and the Government is there to help you.
“If we do that, we will be food self-sufficient as a
country. What is surplus and above consumption of a family, becomes the
national reserve of our motherland. Be one of those families that can produce
surplus at the family level and contribute to the motherland.”
Zimbabwe, the President said, was among the few countries
in Southern Africa that were food self-sufficient and households should work to
ensure the status was maintained.
“Most of the 16 countries in SADC, if not all, think highly
of Zimbabwe. This is because year in, year out, decade in, decade out, Zimbabwe
is food secure, we must not lose that position. We are an agriculture economy,”
he said.
“We have had years of drought, but they are generally years
apart and some parts of the country have rains, and we end up with enough food,
that is a mark of a sovereign state.
“Since the rains are upon us, I appeal to you all to have
the determination to farm. Even though there is enough for everyone, let us be
determined to be food self-sufficient.”
Sunday Mail
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