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ON Saturday, all roads lead to Masvingo for President Robert Mugabe’s 92nd birthday celebrations and the Zanu-PF Youth League is preparing to host up to 50,000 people. The 30th edition of the 21st February Movement celebrations are being held under the theme: “Youth Celebrating an African Icon Through Enhanced Productivity” and the event is slated for the Great Zimbabwe Monuments.
The celebrations come at a time the ruling party is going through testing times personified by intense jockeying for power between two distinct factions known as G40 and Lacoste. There have been ugly spates between the two groups and these reached a crescendo last Thursday when war veterans were tear-gassed and sprayed with water cannons by the police in Harare after their meeting was deemed illegal.
The gathering had been called by deposed war veterans’ leader Christopher Mutsvangwa who had told the former fighters that they would be addressed by their patron, President Mugabe. It later turned out that the meeting had not been sanctioned by either of the two security ministries (Home Affairs and State Security) and the President had not been informed.
Consequently, Cde Mugabe addressed the nation last Friday where he condemned the actions of Mutsvangwa and apologised to the former freedom fighters for the harrowing treatment they received from the police after being misled by their leaders.
The President bemoaned indiscipline within the party and blasted both the G40 and Lacoste groupings for fanning factionalism and displaying unbridled lust for power at the expense of unity within the vanguard movement and service delivery. He called on those propping the two factions in the party to “shut up”.
“Let me make reference to the disturbing phenomenon of what you might say or regard as man, devouring man, devouring comrade, kind of dog fights that are taking place,” Cde Mugabe said. “During the liberation struggle, we had contradictions, sometimes differences of an antagonistic nature, very ugly, but we dealt with them in a manner which recognises that the party had ideological direction, the party had national objectives to pursue and those offended and those who offended against them were punished and this is so even unto today. We are a people’s party, but people’s party means people with various ideas. The political direction of the party must also continue to guide us. The comradeship and need for unity and togetherness of the party – that is the fundamental basis on which we build ourselves and must continue to exist.
“Now, if contradictions develop, they should be never of the nature that is that antagonistic to negative where people start fighting each other, fighting each other, abusing each other, and we are seeing this happening now. Even our young people, the party aside – there is also the culture. Our culture never, never allows a young person even an elder to abuse another but now you get we are all being abused.
The President, his wife in a manner that is very disgraceful. It is a shame.
“We don’t want to hear any divisive voice from you. The G40s or what you call Lacoste or whatever, shut up! You belong to Zimbabwe first and foremost whatever you must say. Shut up! Let us not hear any divisive voice from you – the G40s or what you call Lacoste, whatever!”
President Mugabe said the youths were preparing for the 21st February Movement celebrations and it was important to clear the path by bringing the discord in the party to rest. He said the venue of the celebrations had a historical importance to Zimbabwe and thanked the youths for choosing it.
“Our young people are arranging that get-together on their day which is in praise of the President as it is meant to be a recognition of the President’s birthday. But we regard it as the day of our youths – the 21st of February although the recognition is put on 27 February and they have prepared for, will take place at Zimbabwe Ruins,” said President Mugabe.
“We want the road to be clear. We want to go there without divisions, without the insults from any quota, with the unity of purpose, with the oneness I talked about of being Zimbabweans and going to the Great Zimbabwe is going to our birth place for we are now the Republic of Zimbabwe and the children of that Republic are Zimbabweans and that is why we are going there and I am glad our youths have chosen that venue”.
We call on all Zanu-PF cadres to be disciplined and heed Cde Mugabe’s wise counsel. The infighting in the party is detrimental not only to its well being but that of the nation. We feel it is time to close ranks and work for the development of the country. Petty fights and differences distract from the path of progress.
Online Reporter