admin
Walter Nyamukondiwa Chinhoyi Bureau
Zanu-PF Politburo member Cde Ignatius Chombo and Mashonaland West provincial chairperson Cde Temba Mliswa are locked in bitter wrangle over the election of candidates to represent the province in the Youth League elections to be held on Saturday. Cde Mliswa ruled out elections for the remaining vacancy, saying it should automatically be reserved for a woman, while Cde Chombo is insisting that elections be held between Cde Innocent Makuyana of Zvimba district and Cde Memory Chitsaka of Makonde.
He drew the ire of representatives from Zvimba when he ruled that Cde Chitsaka is the automatic winner owing to the gender imbalance in the provincial youth executive.
“This contest is between male and female and as the chairman the decision which I will make and if I have to lose my chairmanship so be it,” he said.
“The decision is gender based, its 50-50 and I am guided by the party’s position on gender and the constitution and so there will be no elections.”
The matter was then put to the Youth League provincial chairperson Cde Vengi Musengi who concurred with Cde Mliswa.
But Cde Chombo, who is also the Zvimba North legislator, said the two should go for an election, saying Cde Mliswa should have persuaded Cde Makuyana to step down instead of making a declaration.
Cde Chombo argued that every position was up for contest, including even that of the President.
“Every position must be contested, unlike the position that you (Cde Mliswa) took that Politburo members should not be challenged,” he said.
“If it is true that we have two out of 40 youth members as women, then it means we have to restructure that organ, than doing it here.”
The Zanu-PF Youth League is set to meet in Harare from Thursday to Sunday where elections for those to be seconded to the Central Committee will be conducted.
The youths will also discuss several issues, including those to do with the economy at the conference being held in preparation for the party’s National People’s Congress in December.
Online Reporter