THE beleagued Zapu party youths on Thursday threatened to usurp power from what they termed “too old” leadership that is suppressing vibrant young people from rejuvenating the party ahead of next year’s elections.
Irate youths said they supported the expelled former Bulawayo chairman Retired Colonel Lazarus Ray Ncube, who said the party must be led by young people to meet the modern day political demands.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the youths said the leaders, whom they described as old and tired, were failing to develop the party, but resorted to suppressing, frustrating and firing people who wanted the party to be vibrant.
“These old leaders’ children are not in our structures. Their wives are not members of the party,” said the youth member. “They are even failing to mobilise their own families to join the party. What can they bring into the party? In Bulawayo we have no offices and they are busy expelling people. Does that help the party in any way? When we seek help they do not act. What are leaders for?
“We are working towards taking over leadership of the party and we will soon chuck these old people out. They have nothing to offer except victimising us. Most of them went to war at a youthful age and gave the whites a torrid time,” said a youth member.
He said they were allowed by the then system to be vibrant and they liberated the country.
“At over 70 years of age, helpless and powerless as they are, they must not expect us not to behave like them in our youthful age,” he said. “We want to do like they did when they were young. This is our time to lead the party and they must go and rest.”
The party’s national people’s council (NPC) chairman Isaac Mabuka on Thursday said no one was being blocked from occupying any position as everything in the party was done through the constitution of the party.
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“If they are members of the party they know how the party is run. If they are not used by someone (they will follow party structures),” said Mabuka.
“If they want positions, they know that is done at congress – and it is coming next year – so they must be going to the people to look for support. There is no way someone can just be imposed in a post without congress.” In October, Zapu NPC expelled Ncube and last month they expelled national youth member Mqondisi Moyo from the party.
