adminLeonard Ncube Victoria Falls Reporter
THE Zanu-PF Youth League yesterday vowed to remain resolute and stand by President Mugabe and the party in fighting those working against the revolutionary party. Speaking at the 21st February celebrations in Victoria Falls, National Secretary for Youth Affairs Cde Pupurai Togarepi said the Youth League would not hesitate to name and shame anyone working against Zanu-PF.
“We will not hesitate to name and shame any officials who will be working against our revolution and your leadership for there is only one centre of power. To all those still engaging in Gamatox activities be warned-shape up or ship out,” said Cde Togarepi as he congratulated President Mugabe on his 91st birthday on behalf of the party’s youths.
He said youths were grateful to the First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe for exposing and crushing retrogressive activities of former Vice-President Joice Mujuru and her cabal.
He said this year’s celebrations were unique as they marked President Mugabe’s milestone achievements.
“This year’s event takes place at a time when the party and country have gone through some historic milestones. After successfully hosting the 6th National People’s Congress, the region and continent acknowledged your exceptional leadership qualities and gave you a vote of confidence,” said Cde Togarepi.
Cde Mugabe was last year elected Sadc chair and recently assumed AU chairmanship.
“Your election is one of the biggest anti-imperialist activities of all times as it saw you once more defeating the country’s detractors who tried in vain to block your victory through various dirty tricks, which included pouring in of large sums of money in a bid to influence African leaders not to vote for you.
“Your leadership of the AU will no doubt reignite the Pan-African revolutionary flame as per the principles of founding fathers. This role is indeed divine as you are the only surviving leader who was present when OAU was born.”
Cde Togarepi said President Mugabe, the patron of the 21st February Movement will remain an icon because of his revolutionary and indigenisation policies that have empowered youths.
He said the youth league was proud to celebrate the 91st birthday of a revolutionary icon, a principled, selfless and straightforward leader.
Cde Togarepi, who on Friday held a party for children born on the same day with President at a Victoria Falls Farm School, advocated for a revival of the Youth Fund, review of the national youth service and expansion of the cadetship programme in tertiary institutions as a way of enhancing empowerment of youths.
Sister parties from Botswana (Botswana Democratic Party), African National Congress (South Africa), PPRD of DRC, Chama Cha Mapinduzi of Tanzania and Swapo of Namibia attended the celebrations.
In their solidarity messages, representatives of the parties said President Mugabe’s legacy would help destroy what remains of imperialism on the continent.
“We are here to wish President Mugabe a happy birthday. We are told he is an icon of the struggle in Zimbabwe but in our view as a party Cde Mugabe is an icon of the revolution in Sadc and Africa as a whole. We believe that as AU chair he is going to hit on the head of imperialists which
is the International Criminal Court,” said ANC Youth League Secretary for Gauteng Province Cde Bones Modise.
Cde Modise said President Mugabe had achieved a feat which no other leader had achieved.
“Ninety-One is not easy to achieve, you can even ask cricket players. ANC and Zanu-PF are inseparable as our leaders worked in the same trenches when the two parties were planning to overthrow colonial rule. We were here for the 6th Congress and today we are here because our relationship is strong and no amount of enemy will break it,” added Cde Modise.
Cde Serge Kadima, in charge of national affairs in the PPRD said their party owed its success to President Mugabe.
“For PPRD Youth League President Mugabe is like a father because we know what he is always doing for our country. He is always close and available when we fight and comes with solutions. Our country needs peace and he is always there to help,” said Cde Kadima.
Added Cde Kadima: “Our party learnt a lot from Zanu-PF and that alone shows how close the two parties are. That is why we are invited to every event and we invite them as well.”
Cde Sixtus Mapunda of Chama Cha Mapinduzi said Zanu-PF was one of the founders of the revolutionary struggle in Africa hence the need for solidarity with the party.
“When you talk about revolution in Africa we talk about parties such as Zanu-PF, Chama Cha Mapinduzi, ANC, Swapo and a few others. We work like brothers and sisters because we have a common belief in ending any form of exploitation in Africa,” said Cde Mapunda who is Chama Cha Mapinduzi’s secretary of the youth league.
“We are elated by attending these celebrations so that we learn from His Excellency as the remaining leader from all founding fathers,” he said.
Namibia’s Swapo party views President Mugabe as an inspiration.
“We bring revolutionary greetings and birthday wishes from our party. President Mugabe is an inspiration to everyone. You are a good friend to our founding President Sam Nujoma we shall be honoured if Your Excellency could visit Namibia this year to attend the 12 May Movement 2015 marking the 86th birthday of His Excellency Dr Nujoma,” he said.
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