The ManicaPost
Cletus Mushanawani
ZANU-PF provincial youth league has come out guns blazing against Zimbabwe Liberation War Collaborators Association’s provincial chairperson, Angeline Mponda, accusing her of speaking ill against President Mugabe and Zanu-PF’s leadership.
However, Mponda who was quoted in the Press saying her organisation will not rally behind President Mugabe and Zanu-PF during the 2018 harmonised elections, claimed she was misquoted.
Addressing a Press Conference at the Manicaland Provincial Administrator’s boardroom last Sunday, Zanu-PF provincial chairperson, Cde Mubuso Chinguno, said as the vanguard of the party they were taken aback by Mponda’s utterances which he said undermined the office of President Mugabe and Zanu-PF’s leadership.
“Mponda is from Manicaland and is a member of the Provincial Co-ordinating Committee by virtue of being the provincial leader of ZILIWACO.
‘‘As youths, we are saying she should stop attending all PCC meetings forthwith. She was never forced to give the media the interview where she attacked President Mugabe and the party’s leadership.
‘‘As Manicaland, it was one of our resolutions to have President Mugabe as the party’s candidate for the 2018 harmonised elections. The resolution was also endorsed during the 16th National People’s Conference last December in Masvingo,” he said.
Cde Chinguno added: “As youths, we are equally disturbed by the silence from the ZILIWACO’s national leadership over the issue.
‘‘Only Harare and Mashonaland West provinces have come out in the open castigating Mponda’s utterances.”
Manicaland youths have also thrown their weight behind calls to have President Mugabe as the life President of Zimbabwe.
“No succession issue should be discussed when President Mugabe is still alive. We are fully behind his leadership.
‘‘As youths, we will not attend any meetings where the succession issue will be tabled.
‘‘Anyone who is bent on causing divisions in Manicaland should be warned that youths as the vanguard of the party will deal with those individuals,” said Cde Chinguno.
In an unsolicited interview on Monday, Mponda who was accompanied by ZILIWACO provincial secretary, Cde Patrick Dangare, distanced herself from the story which was published in The Daily News of January 12, 2017 in which she was quoted saying ZILIWACO membership would not campaign for Zanu-PF over alleged empty promises.
“Yes, I met the reporter who did the story when I was in Harare, but I never uttered anything denigrating the party’s leadership. I was on my own when I met the reporter, but I did not know where the reporter got those words from.
“As ZILIWACO we are solidly behind President Mugabe’s leadership as he is the only one who understands our plight better.
‘‘We have been with Zanu-PF in the trenches since the days of the liberation struggle and we cannot turn our backs on the revolutionary party now,” said Mponda.
She later issued a Press Statement, which read: “I regret having my name being quoted in the Daily News whereby it was said war collaborators have dumped President Mugabe including our party Zanu-PF.
‘‘As an individual I did not see the story in which I was misquoted. I am loyal to the party and its leadership. ZILIWACO in Manicaland will continue rallying behind Zanu-PF.”
The statement added: “Zvisinei hazvo ruzhinji rwaana mujibha naanachimbwido runotarisiravo kuti dai rwawana mugove wekushandira rusununguko rwenyika kwavakaita muhondo yeChimurenga kubva kuhutungamiri hwenyika. Vakuru vedu tinokumbirisawo kuti vationere nyaya iyi nekuti vamwe vedu vanoshupika kuzvirapisa, kuendesa vana kuzvikoro, zvekudya pamwechete nezvekupfeka mukurarama kwavo.
“Vazhinji vedu vari kupera kufa vasina kuvhetwa kuti vawane mugove wekushanda kwavo saka vakuru ngavatirangarirevo ipapo. Zvakanaka kuti titaurire vatungamiri vedu chokwadi kuti vamwe vedu vanoda rubatsiro rukuru nekuti tikavanyepera tinogona kuvarasa pamuono wechimiro cheupenyu hwaana mujibha naanachimbwido.”
