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<\/p>\nUgandan President Yoweri Museveni today officially opens the 60th edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Bulawayo. The Herald give you live updates on this historic event. Stay logged in and join the conversation below via Disqus.<\/p>\n
14:45 \u2013 The two Heads of State, President Mnangagwa and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni have arrived at the ZITF for the official opening and have assumed their seats in the VIP section here.<\/p>\n
14:47 \u2013 Meanwhile Pastor Bothwell Phiri leads in prayer following the end of mass displays by the uniformed forces.<\/p>\n
14:50 \u2013 Minister of Industry and Commerce Mangaliso Ndlovu introduces the Guest of Honour President Museveni.<\/p>\n
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He says Zimbabwe is honoured by the presence of President Mangagwa and First Lady Amai Mnangagwa.<\/p>\n
14:53 \u2013 This year\u2019s theme dovetails with Government\u2019s thrust to anchor investment.<\/p>\n
\u201cZimbabwe is open for business and the Government has worked out the ease of doing business reforms to propel the country to an upper middle income economy,\u201d says Minister Ndlovu.<\/p>\n
14:55 \u2013 Minister Ndlovu adds: \u201cThere is no better time to consider investing in Zimbabwe than now,\u201d as he introduces the Guest of Honour to the 60th edition of the ZITF, President Museveni.<\/p>\n
He says President Museveni is no stranger to Zimbabwe as he was here in 1989.<\/p>\n
14:59 \u2013 President Museveni has been the leader of Uganda since 1986 and his administration has registered phenomenal growth in improving the living standards of his people politically, economically and socially.<\/p>\n
PRESIDENT MUSEVENI ADDRESSES THE AUDIENCE<\/p>\n
15:01 \u2013 The Guest of Honour takes to the podium and begins by expressing gratitude to President Mnangagwa for the honour to officially open the 60th edition of the ZITF.<\/p>\n
15:04 \u2013 President Museveni says his country has good political ties with the revolutionary party Zanu PF dating back to the days of the latter\u2019s liberation struggle.<\/p>\n
He says Ian Smith (the late Rhodesian Front leader) once said Rhodesia would be here for a thousand years but this did not happen as Zimbabwe attained its Independence in 1980.<\/p>\n
15:09 \u2013 He says the struggle for Zimbabwe\u2019s independence never slackened until the country attained its sovereignty through a protracted struggle.<\/p>\n
15:10 \u2013 At this juncture President Museveni congratulates the people of Zimbabwe for achieving self-rule. He condemns the illegal economic sanctions on Zimbabwe and calls their unconditional removal.<\/p>\n
15:14 \u2013 President Museveni quizzes those who imposed the sanctions that if they knew they were right, why did they revert to sanctions? \u201cWhen you impose sanctions you aren\u2019t sure of what you are doing,\u201d says President Museveni.<\/p>\n
15: 17 \u2013 President Museveni makes a clarion call for the sanctions removal and adds that he does not agree with those who say Africans cannot work together in unison.<\/p>\n
15: 19 \u2013 he says Africa is much stronger than before and has worked as one to liberate its member nation.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn 1989 when l was here (in Zimbabwe), Uganda was weaker. Uganda died and resurrected and today we are much stronger than in 1989. The idea of sanctions is cowardice, and if Africans were working together they should have put counter sanctions in support of their member,\u201d says President Museveni.<\/p>\n
15;21 \u2013 \u201cUganda went through difficult times and is posted to become one of the richest countries in the world. Uganda is prepared to walk with Zimbabwe on the journey to economic boom. Zimbabwe has the potential to emerge from the current economic challenges it is reeling under,\u201d says President Museveni.<\/p>\n
He says that he shares a common view with President Mnangagwa on the need by the two countries to promote value addition on raw materials. he says this will consolidate employment creation in the economy.<\/p>\n
15: 23 \u2013 President Museveni says exporting unprocessed raw materials leads to exportation of jobs and revenue for the country and he appeals to the rest of the continent to promote value addition and invest in job creation.<\/p>\n
President Museveni concludes by reminding President Mnangagwa that he last visited Kampala (Uganda\u2019s commercial capital) in 1963 and therefore should accept his invitation to visit Uganda again.<\/p>\n
President Museveni declares the 60th edition of the ZITF officially open and this brings to an end today\u2019s updates. Stay logged in and participate in the discussion around issues raised by the Guest of Honour<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni today officially opens the 60th edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Bulawayo. The Herald give you live updates on this historic event. Stay logged in and join the conversation below via Disqus. 14:45 \u2013 The two Heads of State, President Mnangagwa and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni have arrived […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":8016,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,8,12],"tags":[574,149,573,568],"class_list":{"0":"post-8014","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-all-news","8":"category-head-lines","9":"category-policy","10":"tag-museveni","11":"tag-president","12":"tag-uganda","13":"tag-zitf"},"yoast_head":"\n