Online Reporter
Joseph Madzimure
Zimpapers Politics Hub
THE ZANU PF Youth League has cautioned against the misuse of the President’s name and party standing, warning that individuals engaging in such practices for political advantage will soon be held to account.
Addressing a provincial ZANU PF Youth inter-district meeting in Harare yesterday, the party’s Secretary for Youth Affairs, Cde Tino Machakaire, declared war on “name-droppers”—con artists who unlawfully exploit the President’s name for personal gain.
“Soon, we will identify and publicly call out individuals who falsely claim to be close to the President. We will remove those people from any event where they attempt to portray themselves as close to the President. You cannot claim loyalty to the President while rewarding those who insult him.
“We have dedicated patriotic party members who have worked for the party for years without receiving any recognition. When will you reward the party cadres who truly love their party?”
Questioning the criteria of the recent trend by some prominent businesspeople to reward certain personalities with cars and other gifts, he said ZANU PF was a revolutionary party that cannot be swayed by any amount of money.
“A whole nation cannot watch only a few individuals being rewarded. We have several national projects which need to be funded. Why can’t you channel your resources to develop the country, so that everyone can benefit?” said Cde Machakaire.
Some activities, he said, were dividing the party.
“If you are new to the party, you need to learn from seasoned politicians. You can’t be a driver while you are new to the system. We have people who fought for this country—some died during the war. We need to give them the respect they deserve’’, he said.
Addressing the same meeting, Deputy Secretary Cde John Paradza warned that the clock was ticking for name-droppers.
“We will soon name and shame them in public. We are aware of their nefarious activities. They are seeking opportunities to get favours from the leadership. We know their source of income, so it’s very easy for us to stop their shenanigans. The nation deserves respect.
“ZANU PF is not a playground for personal ambitions, parallel structures or self-appointed authority,” said Cde Paradza.
He highlighted that the party had established procedures, respected offices and defined channels of accountability.
“Those who wish to support or donate to the party should do so through the laid-down processes under the guidance of the secretary general. Anything outside these structures raises questions,” he noted.
Cde Paradza said ZANU PF was an institution greater than individuals, where procedure was greater than personality and discipline remained the bedrock of the revolutionary movement.
