MEDIA, Information and Publicity Minister Webster Shamu yesterday congratulated President Mugabe on the occasion of his 88th birthday. In his message, Minister Shamu said he felt honoured to serve under President Mugabe.

“On the occasion of your 88th birthday, the honourable Minister of Media, Information and Publicity, Cde WK Shamu, Secretary Cde George Charamba and the entire staff of the Ministry of Media, Information and Publicity join hands with the First Family in heartily congratulating His Excellency, the President Cde Mugabe on the occasion of his 88th birthday.

“We feel proud and privileged to serve under your visionary leadership. We pledge loyalty and total commitment,” Minister Shamu said.

In a related matter, Zanu-PF chairperson for Chambara district in Chegutu, Mrs Constance Tsomondo-Shamu yesterday marked President Mugabe’s birthday by donating food hampers to 142 children at Chishayabvudzi Primary School.

A total of 40 Zero Grade pupils, 60 Grade One pupils and 42 Grade Two pupils were given the hampers at a ceremony attended by parents of the children.

Addressing the pupils, teachers and parents, Mrs Tsomondo-Shamu urged parents to desist from ill-treating children.

She called on them to embrace the extended family and offer equal treatment, proper upbringing and care to children under their custody. She stressed the need for teachers and parents to give special attention to the physically handicapped and the girl child particularly those in difficult circumstances.

Mrs Tsomondo-Shamu lamented the increasing occurrences of children living in unusual situations, a development which she said called for urgent special attention.

Some of the children she cited included street children, those abandoned and those that have been into forced marriages.

She hailed President Mugabe for the country’s phenomenal success in the provision of education since 1980 when the country attained its independence.

President Mugabe, said Mrs Tsomondo-Shamu, led by example when he donated computers to schools in the country, and enrolling disadvantaged students at universities in South Africa under the Presidential Scholarship Fund.