HARARE – The Zanu-PF Youth League belongs only to President Mugabe and First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe, and no one within the rank and file should claim ownership of the ruling party’s young supporters, a Politburo member has said.
The ruling party’s National Secretary for Youth Affairs, Kudzanayi Chipanga, said while the youth respected the party’s leadership, that should not be taken to mean they were prone to being used for selfish ends.
He was addressing the Zanu-PF Youth Assembly at the party’s headquarters in Harare yesterday.
“When it comes to the ownership of the Youth League, only our President and First Lady can claim that the Youth League is theirs; no one else in the Party can have that privilege.
“When it comes to respect, we respect all the party leaders and elders, but on the issue of support, the youth supports only President and Amai,” he said.
He went on: “I stand today to reaffirm our resolution which we had from day one that only the President; and him alone, has the mandate to stand as our Presidential candidate in next year’s elections. Whoever has different plans must ship out.”
Chipanga appealed for unity within all party organs, saying togetherness was vital ahead of elections next year.
“The leadership of the party must be united at all cost as failure to come together affects the youth also,” he said
Chipanga thanked the President for intervening in ensuring youths who had been dismissed from employment in Government were reinstated.
Chipanga applauded the launch of Empower Bank last week by the First Lady.
“We thank the launch of Empower Bank by Dr Mugabe. It will give young people a chance to open and grow their businesses,” he said.
The meeting drew provincial executive youth members from the ruling party’s 10 provinces.
Also present were Vice-Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko; Politburo members Ignatius Chombo, Christopher Mushohwe and Patrick Zhuwawo; and Zanu-PF Women’s League national secretary for administration Leticia Undenge. – Sunday Mail
