BEITBRIDGES Abigail Muleya, an Upper Sixth Vhembe High School student has
won the National Under-20 Public Speaking prize.
Muleya, who comes from the border town, beat off stiff competition from students
from affluent schools to land the coveted prize.
Beitbridge Town Clerk, Loud Ramakgapola, said the Muleya girl had raised high the
flag of Beitbridge and her performance would be recorded and get special mention in
the town’s history.
"We are talking of a child from Dulivhadzimo, who has met and beat children from
the top schools of the country here. We are talking of students from schools where
parents pay thousands of United States dollars per term and here she is from a
municipal school in a remote town. We are humbled by this exploit, we celebrate
this," he said.
"We will announce what the council will do to recognise this achievement," he said.
Ramakgapola incidentally, went to the same school.
Muleya's success story was announced on social media by her uncle Beji Muleya, a
Beitbridge-journalist-turned businessman.
"This is great news for our school, Vhembe High, and Beitbridge District at large.
Well done my cousin, and thank you Vhembe High management. You made us
proud," said Beji Muleya.
The uncle's' post of her exploits triggered celebrations highlighted in Urban
Beitbridge's Ward 2 boasting of being home to arguably the largest number of
politicians per square kilometre in Zimbabwe.
This includes Vice President Kembo Mohadi and his former wife, Senator
Tambudzani Mohadi, Tinashe Mushipe, the Matabeleland South youth quota
parliamentarian, Sithabisiwe Mulowa the CCC Proportional Representative Member
of Parliament, Zanu PF's Chivi South legislator Felix Maburutse and Beitbridge East
Member of Parliament are all residents of Beitbridge Urban Ward 2 .
The ward has already started crowd-funding to reward the girl child Muleya for a job
well done and putting Beitbridge on the map.
"Wow! We are the National champions," said a resident on their social media
platform.
Another resident said: "They (Vhembe Secondary School) have made us proud. This
is great news and we have broken history as Beitbridge and Matabeleland South.
This is commendable."
A guest lodge business in the area pledged US$20 disbursed through the
Municipality of Beitbridge Public Relations Office.
"Good words have been said indeed. Let’s convert our good words into practicality…l
propose we raise a token of appreciation as a community and l will be the first to
register mine at Council Public Relations Office amounting to USD20," said an
executive of the guest lodge.
Several other people began to pledge various amounts.
Results of the Debate and Public Speaking are as follows;-
Seniors category Public Speaking
1. Mat South Vhembe high
2. Bulawayo
3. Midlands
4. Mash Central
5. Mat North
5 .Mash West
7. Mtshabezi
8. Manicaland
Juniors’ Public speaking
1. Mash Central
2. Mat South Sacred heart
3Mtshabezi
4Bulawayo
4. Mash West
6 Midlands
7. Mat North
8Manicaland
9. Masvingo
Debate Seniors
1. Mash West Kutama College
2 Mtshabezi
3. Midlands Cheziya
Juniors Debate
1. Mat North Inyathi
2Manicaland Kriste Mambo
3 Mash West Vimbai High
