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Zanu PF youths throw weight behind Mafios resolutions

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ZANU PF bigwigs are reportedly canvassing for the adoption of a contentious resolution that requires President Robert Mugabe’s deputies to be selected through a vote.

ZANU PF bigwigs are reportedly canvassing for the adoption of a contentious resolution that requires President Robert Mugabe’s deputies to be selected through a vote.

BY Obey Manayiti/Everson Mushava

Dickson Mafios
Dickson Mafios

Sources within the Zanu PF youth league told NewsDay Weekender yesterday that the resolution has since been smuggled among those already passed by the youth wing.

Mashonaland Central chairman, Dickson Mafios stirred debate after he announced the province had resolved that Mugabe should not appoint his deputies. He argued the two Vice-Presidents should be selected through elections, alleging some unscrupulous leaders appointed to senior positions were abusing their positions to position themselves in the succession matrix.

Youths from several provinces have so far thrown their weight behind the resolution viewed as a plot to oust Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is among those leading the race to succeed Mugabe.

Youth league secretary for administration, Severinoh Kazizi said resolutions were still be compiled and these were expected to be ready by Monday.

“We are still compiling them and we are yet to meet, but they will be there by no longer than Monday. We are still compiling those from the provinces,” he said.

Asked if the one-centre of power resolution was passed, Kazizi responded: “It’s obvious.”

Zanu PF youth officials in different provinces said they agreed to smuggle the resolution, although it came after agreements had been reached over what to present at the conference.

“This came as an afterthought following a resolution by Mashonaland Central. To try and influence the position, some provincial persons went on to praise the resolution in the media and some provinces had to smuggle it to their existing resolutions,” the source said.

“There is a lot of canvassing, especially, on provincial leadership and most of them have bought into the idea. The idea is that the women’s league will do the same and, obviously, the resolution will pass in Masvingo.”

Meanwhile, a newly-established outfit of children of former freedom fighters, Children of Zimbabwe War Veterans’ Association (Cozwa) has thrown its weight behind the resolution to have Mugabe’s deputies elected.

One of the brains behind the formation of Cozwa, Munyaradzi Shoko told a media briefing that, while they have endorsed Mugabe’s candidature in the 2018 elections, they were strongly behind the Mashonaland Central resolution.

“I support what the Zanu PF youth league said together with Mafios that the VPs must be voted for just like what the first secretary position, the mandated of leading the people should come from the people and I think thus very fair to everyone,” he said.

“This is why we are having problems of factionalism because when they are appointed, they became too ambitious and overlook the pole of the people on ground.”