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NewsDay

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Youth Advisory Board denies Zanu PF links

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Members of the newly-appointed Indigenisation ministry’s Youth Advisory Board have refuted claims they were appointed because of their alleged close ties with Zanu PF politburo member Saviour Kasukuwere and on partisan party lines. Two of the board members, Rowdy Mabhaudhi and Fidelis Fengu, who were appointed board chairman and deputy chairman respectively, said Kasukuwere selected […]

Members of the newly-appointed Indigenisation ministry’s Youth Advisory Board have refuted claims they were appointed because of their alleged close ties with Zanu PF politburo member Saviour Kasukuwere and on partisan party lines.

Two of the board members, Rowdy Mabhaudhi and Fidelis Fengu, who were appointed board chairman and deputy chairman respectively, said Kasukuwere selected them purely on merit.

Simbarashe Mumbengegwi (Jr), son of Foreign Affairs minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, also sits on the board. Mabhaudhi, who is the son of former ZBC gospel programmes anchor Gift Mabhaudhi, said the selection process was above board.

“Those allegations are false and it is not true that we were appointed along political lines or family lines,” Mabhaudhi said.

“Our appointments are about capability and not that I belong to the Mabhaudhi family or that one of the members, Simbarashe, belongs to the Mumbengegwi family.”

Fengu, once a fierce critic of Kasukuwere’s indigenisation programmes, said his appointment was enough proof that the selection process was transparent.

“None of the people in this board are linked to Kasukuwere in any way. I for one criticised the indigenisation programme and the manner in which Kasukuwere was handling it at a number of public forums, but Kasukuwere approached me and asked if I could advise him to make it work. We are apolitical and totally independent,” Fengu said.

“On several occasions as individuals, we have challenged not only the minister, but the director of the Zimbabwe Youth Council because they had no programmes for the physically disadvantaged and their programmes were not accessible to ordinary young people.”

Other board members are Benhilda Marume, Yeukai Mazhawidza and Clever Mukasi.

Two more board members are yet to be announced.