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NewsDay

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Zanu PF, Chipanga must look beyond their nose

Opinion & Analysis
News that Zanu PF plans counter protests against pro-democracy campaigns is probably the most laughable story at the moment, except it is not a laughing matter. Infact it shows how bereft of common sense that the Zanu PF leadership is.

News that Zanu PF plans counter protests against pro-democracy campaigns is probably the most laughable story at the moment, except it is not a laughing matter. Infact it shows how bereft of common sense that the Zanu PF leadership is.

NewsDay Comment

Instead of acknowledging that people have genuine grievances, Zanu PF chooses to see shadows and fails to address the concerns raised.

One of the issues raised by activists is the shocking levels of corruption, widespread poverty and economic collapse in the country thus Zanu PF youths would have used their time better if they campaigned against corruption, instead of against the very victims of that vice.

We would appreciate the youths’ gusto if they took to the streets to protests against the excesses of the likes of Energy minister Samuel Undenge, who seems to have spent most of his time at the helm of the ministry making the strangest decisions.

Yesterday’s NewsDay also makes startling disclosures about Mines permanent secretary, Francis Gudyanga, revealing that he is almost neck-deep in corruption, but Zanu PF youths fail to raise their heads and act like it’s business as usual.

Examples abound of how government ministers have paid lip service to anti-corruption and good governance tenets and this is what is angering Zimbabweans.

Forget this hogwash about a third force or Western nations cajoling Zimbabweans into protesting, the truth is that citizens are absolutely knackered by government’s excesses and would love to see some action being taken.

Maybe Kudzanai Chipanga, the Zanu PF deputy youth league boss, lives in a parallel universe, where he is unaffected by the rampant corruption in this country and is willing to lead a mindless demonstration against what affects the people.

Chipanga might be in awe of President Robert Mugabe and thinks he has to defend him at every turn, but it is time he and his boss put themselves in ordinary Zimbabweans’ shoes and tried to understand what afflicts them.

People are protesting not because they have nothing better to do, but because they are tired of watching their futures being washed down the drain of corruption, greed and avarice.

Zimbabweans read the newspapers every day and are shocked by the levels of corruption, but their shock is only matched by the government’s inaction on the matter.

If Chipanga and his merry band of followers were truly demonstrating in support of Mugabe, then they should first speak out against corruption, bad governance and the state of the economy, because anything else will not wash with ordinary Zimbabweans.

We hope Zimbabweans see beyond this empty protest and see it for what it is: A desperate attempt by Chipanga and his lot to earn favour and brownie points from Mugabe.