The ManicaPost
Cletus Mushanawani News Editor
THE One Million Men March being organised by Zanu-PF youths is not meant to demonstrate against some party members, but to show the world that President Mugabe still has the support of the majority of Zimbabweans.
This was said by Zanu-PF national deputy secretary for youth affairs, Cde Kudzanai Chipanga, during a Manicaland youth inter-district meeting held at Marymount Teachers’ College on Sunday.
The meeting was attended by youth leaders from the party’s eight districts. Delegates packed the college hall to the brim and hundreds had to follow proceedings while outside.
Cde Chipanga said: “We are here to put the record straight. Some sections of the media are saying the One Million Men March is meant to be a demonstration against some party members, but we are saying that is being economic with the truth. No-one in this country has the capacity to have one million people coming together to show their solidarity other than President Mugabe. All those thinking otherwise should revisit their thinking.
“We want to use the march to show the United States of America, Britain and their allies that President Mugabe still enjoys overwhelming support especially from the youths who are the vanguard of the party. President Mugabe was voted by the majority in 2013 and this is what we want to show the world that his victory was not a fluke.”
He urged all youth leaders to go and mobilise more people to participate in the march scheduled for a date to be announced in May.
“We will give you a date where all roads and railway lines will lead to Harare. We want a bumper crowd and it is your duty as district leaders to go back to the grassroots and mobilise more people. We want at least 100 000 people from Manicaland to be among the one million people who will march on that day. This means that from each district we expect at least 10 000 people. Zanu-PF has the majority MPs in Manicaland and we expect them to play a leading role in fundraising for resources to be used during your travelling to Harare.
“As Zanu-PF leaders, we should be proactive and lead the way in fundraising activities. You should start now to mobilise for resources,” he said.
Cde Chipanga took a swipe at some Cabinet ministers whom he said were in a habit of switching off their phones when they are approached for contributions by youth members.
“We want to remind the ministers that they are in their positions because of Zanu-PF and they should not think that they are superior. They should not pretend to be smart because come 2018, the same people who are shunning us will be all over us seeking our support to mibilise votes for them. That should stop because we do not want to have headaches in 2018. We should walk together from now onwards,” he said.
Cde Chipanga called on those responsible for land distribution to also consider youths in their programmes.
“President Mugabe is on record saying all the remaining land should be availed to youths and women, but that is not what is happening. We are happy with the ongoing downsizing of farms and that land should benefit the youths.
“Land redistribution should not be on farms only, but in peri-urban areas. We also want youths in urban areas to benefit from residential stands from identified land in peri-urban. What we are saying is that in 2018, youths should go and vote coming from their own pieces of land, be it a farm or residential stand. We want proper economic empowerment policies,” he said.
Recently appointed provincial youth chairman, Cde Mubuso Chinguno, said
urged youths to guard against being used by some individuals for personal gains.
“We are aware that there are some clandestine meetings being held in individuals’ houses and as youths, please be warned that those found wanting will be dealt with. There are no godfathers or godmothers in this province. We are hearing that in Buhera, some youths are being forced to be loyal to certain MPs and we want to warn them that no-one is superior than the party.
“The same is happening in Mutasa and Mutare Urban where meetings are being held in suspended members’ houses. These members were given prohibition orders and you should not associate yourself with them,” said Cde Chinguno.
