Youths told to shun factionalism

Nduduzo Tshuma Political Editor
ZANU-PF youths must align themselves to the party and not individual members or other provinces as such acts lead to factionalism, party deputy youth secretary Cde Kudzanai Chipanga said yesterday.

Addressing party youths from Matabeleland North in Lupane, Cde Chipanga was commenting on the expulsion of former provincial youth chairperson Tamuka Nyoni.

He said Nyoni, who was expelled along with seven former youth chairpersons in March for gross indiscipline, was engaging in the politics of personality cults.

“This province should desist, but with the leadership of Cde Richard Moyo, you don’t do it, it’s only Tamuka Nyoni who was pursuing funny politics. The province is just equivalent to any other province in Zimbabwe.

“There’s no province that rules the other. Matabeleland North is just as good as Manicaland, Harare and Matabeleland South. Tamuka was acting like he was being controlled from another province yet all provinces are controlled from the Zanu-PF headquarters,” said Cde Chipanga.

“Youth league, you’re controlled by the national executive of the youth league. If you see us double dealing tell us that we’ve lost track and therefore shouldn’t stand in front of you. Don’t like me as an individual but love the Zanu-PF party. Don’t follow individuals but follow the party.”

Cde Chipanga, accompanied by members of the national youth executive, was visiting Matabeleland North to update the party youths on the one million man march scheduled for May 25.

The march is in solidarity with President Robert Mugabe. “This is the ninth province we’re visiting, the people here aren’t as many as the ones we’ve visited but they’ve the highest morale compared to other provinces. They’re not many in terms of numbers but they’re many in the Zanu-PF spirit,” said Cde Chipanga.

“The spirit of the youths of Matabeleland North explains why there’re no problems of factionalism here. Matabeleland North is the only province President Mugabe knows that come rain or thunder you’ll stand by him.

“It’s the only province where no one had a vote of no confidence passed against them or suspended. What it means is that Matabeleland North province recognises that there’s only one centre of power in the party.”

Cde Chipanga said the unity reflected by Matabeleland North showed that the province was being led by a straight forward chairperson paying tribute to Politburo and Central Committee members for not interfering with his work.

He said the youth league has selected May 25 for the March coinciding with the Africa Day commemorations in accordance with President Mugabe’s status of not only being the country’s leader but a continental icon.

“When the time comes for elections, we rally behind President Mugabe. You don’t send anyone to vote on your behalf. You vote on your own and put your X next to President Mugabe’s name,” said Cde Chipanga.

“After voting President Mugabe, we no longer want middlemen between the youth and President Mugabe. We don’t want bridges but we want direct injection to get to the President. Gone are the days.”

Cde Chipanga said youth issues were being distorted hence the league wanted to build a strong relationship with President Mugabe and meet with him regularly to update him on their issues.

Cde Chipanga said the platform would be used to present the youth grievances and call for youths to be included in critical sectors of the economy.

He said the land reform programme could not be concluded without youths fully benefitting from the distribution of the resource.

Cde Chipanga said Bulawayo and Harare provinces had benefited from land from the government and the programme would be rolled to all provinces.

Cde Chipanga said the march would be inclusive of all the party’s supporters from all walks of life.

He said the provincial chairperson, politburo and central committee members as well as parliamentarians should lead the youths from their respective provinces on the day of the march.

Cde Moyo pledged support from the party’s provincial main wings to the million man march saying the structure was fully behind the leadership of President Mugabe.

Acting Zanu-PF Matabeleland North youth chairperson, Cde Wellington Tagarira, said they were guided by the party’s Politburo member Cde Obert Mpofu’s stance that the province is not taking part in factionalism.