HARARE, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) — Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday said the country has attained food security during a campaign rally in Harare, the national capital, to drum up support for his ruling ZANU-PF party in the upcoming harmonized election on Aug. 23.

“We are food secure, we shall continue to remain food secure,” Mnangagwa said amid loud cheers from party supporters. “We addressed the question of food security at the household level.” 

Mnangagwa, who came to power in 2017, is seeking reelection for a second five-year term in the election which will also see voters choosing members of parliament and local council representatives. 

“We are in our third year of food security, and we are confident that in spite of climate change, we will build dams. We are promoting irrigation throughout the country to make sure we have enough irrigation in the country to irrigate our land to give us enough food each year,” he added.

According to the agriculture ministry, Zimbabwe, which has been supplementing a grain deficiency with imports, is now food secure after achieving bumper wheat and maize harvests this year. 

Mnangagwa said despite the sanctions imposed by Western nations on the country over the past two decades, Zimbabwe continues to make notable economic progress. 

In addition, he urged Zimbabweans to maintain a peaceful environment as the election approaches. Voters who spoke to Xinhua were excited about the coming election. 

“I am ready for this, and I even mobilized some of my friends, some of my people, my children for Aug. 23,” said Petronella Matsvaire, a voter from Marondera, a city near Harare. 

“We have done the groundwork. The preparations are all going well, we are just waiting for Aug. 23,” said another voter Joseph Shambare from Harare. 

Mnangagwa’s ruling ZANU-PF party’s major challenge in the election appears to be from the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change, which is led by Nelson Chamisa.