The Zimbabwe Organisation of the Youth in Politics (ZOYP) said their members had gone into hiding, fearing for their lives following the disruption of their meeting in Kwekwe last week by suspected Zanu PF, where US ambassador Charles Ray officiated.
ZOYP executive director Nkosilathi Moyo and programmes officer Jasper Maphosa said they had fled their homes as suspected hooligans had reportedly visited their homes, chanting slogans and threatening them with unspecified action. The mob allegedly verbally attacked Ray, singing abusive songs while blocking the venue of the Youth Dialogue meeting he was scheduled to address.
“All that we want is to go back to our homes and live in peace, but with the hooligans, we might not survive. We are monitoring the situation at the moment whilst we are here, then we would go back to Kwekwe if all is well,” said Maphosa. The meeting was later cancelled by the police despite allegedly sanctioning it earlier on.
“As ZOYP, we are not for or against any political party, but we stand for the youths regardless of their political affiliations. Our desire is to professionally create a platform where youths from different political parties be it MDC and Zanu PF come and sit together,” said Moyo.
