Record Crowd Attends Independence Celebrations

Part of the crowd that thronged Uhera Stadium, Murambinda B High School in Buhera for the 44th Independence Day Celebrations yesterday

Zvamaida Murwira in MURAMBINDA

MORE than 70 000 people yesterday thronged Murambinda B Secondary School in Buhera District, Manicaland Province, for the 44th Independence celebrations that were presided over by President Mnangagwa. Large numbers of people started arriving from as early as 5am at the Uhera Stadium, the venue of the event, illuminating the usually quiet Murambinda Growth Point. The celebrations were only the second to be held in a rural environment since 1980, after Mt Darwin District in Mashonaland Central Province hosted the event last year. But overall, this was the third Independence Day celebrations to be held outside Harare, again since 1980, after the 2022 celebrations were held in Bulawayo, in line with the Second Republic’s thrust of leaving no place and no one behind. By 8am queues leading into the venue snaked as long as 3km while vehicular traffic could be seen parking over one and a half kilometres away from the venue, as the area close to the venue was already full. President Mnangagwa together with his two Vice Presidents, Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi, and Cabinet ministers, were some of the dignitaries at the event. ReadMore