Zimbabwe is in safe hands: ED
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has said the country is in safe hands as youths are coming up with innovative ways to sustain the economy in different areas and have demonstrated outstanding capabilities.
He was speaking on the sidelines of the 153rd Recruit Correctional Officers’ Pass-out Parade at Ntabazinduna Training School on Friday, on the outskirts of Bulawayo where he was showered with gifts by the graduating recruits.
The minted correctional officers gifted the President a tricycle motor vehicle, a chicken plucker and two Boer goats for breeding.
The President said he was indebted to them for their kind gesture, which he was not expecting.
“Despite the skills I have, I really fail to find words to thank you enough. I did not expect that students would think of capacitating me as a farmer. Honestly, I will make use of this gift, to fulfil your desires and your warm feelings towards me. I shall always cherish this gift for the rest of my life. It is really beyond imagination that the students could think to this extent. This shows that there is a future, our country has a future. You, young people, are going to take over from us and as we go, we feel we are leaving behind innovative generations,” said President Mnangagwa.
The President, a passionate farmer who owns Precabe Farm in Sherwood, Kwekwe said he was grateful to the recruits for their kindness and apt gifts.
The recruits said they took heed to the call by the President to transform prisons through farming and have a Boer goat project and gifted him one male and a female to start breeding on his farm.
“Ndinotenda, ndine purazi, saka dziinde kupurazi kwangu kuKwekwe. Musadzipe Minister of Justice (Cde Ziyambi Ziyambi) angadziendesa kwake, ndinomuziva, make sure haasvike padziri. (I have a farm in Kwekwe, so may these goats go there, please do not give them to the Minister (Ziyambi Ziyambi) he may take them to his farm,” said President Mnangagwa drawing laughter from the guests.
A wooden chair that was made, with a carving of a crocodile and lion, which is the President’s totem was also gifted to him by the graduating recruits.
Correctional Officer Grade One Thiabold Rusike presented the gifts to President Mnangagwa and gave a detailed explanation and description of the gifts and how they work.
“We as Recruit Correctional Officers (RCOs) of course number 153 found it wise to prepare something nice for you and we all know that you are a passionate farmer. So, we decided to buy this machine for you as a first gift. It is called a chicken plucker. The motor of this machine is five horsepower, it can pluck at least or an average of six chickens in one go within a minute. The machine requires electricity to function and not solar power,” said Rusike.
The recruits did not only secure one but three gifts for the President.
The second gift was a tricycle motor vehicle.
“It is a good machine, its engine capacity is 10hp and has a maximum carrying capacity of 400 kilogrammes at one go. It can carry two people at one go, the driver and the passenger who will be assisting the driver or a travelling companion. The trailer can open all doors, so that whenever you are carrying your load, which is overlapping you can open the doors. It can also be tilted like a tipper truck,” said Rusike.
Best graduating female student, Correctional Officer Grade One, Jane Lackson said the journey to their historic graduation was not an easy one as two of their colleagues fell by the wayside.
She said they were going to add value to ongoing projects that are being undertaken at various prisons around Zimbabwe.
The pass-out parade saw 752 graduating. — @NyembeziMu