HUNDREDS of Zanu PF youths in Bulawayo, led by their district chairpersons, yesterday stormed the party’s provincial headquarters demanding that five members of the youth provincial leadership be suspended on allegations of fanning factionalism.
BY KHANYILE MLOTSHWA
The five members targeted include acting chairperson, Anna Mokgohloa, acting secretary for administration, Leo Nyoni, the acting secretary for administration; secretary for commissariat Boniface Mutsure, secretary for transport, Maqhawe Sibanda and Dean Hlomai, who is in charge of production and labour.
The five are reportedly aligned to G40, a faction that is opposed to Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa succeeding President Robert Mugabe.
Addressing the youths, one of the district chairpersons said: “We demand that the above-mentioned vacate the office with immediate effect. We are declaring that from this day onwards, the above will not be considered as provincial leaders.”
They accused the five of corruption and tribalism.
The youths also targeted politburo member and Minister of State for Provincial Affairs for Bulawayo, Eunice Sandi Moyo, who is First Lady Grace Mugabe’s deputy in the women’s league. They accused her of fomenting a crisis in the youth league.
Sandi Moyo is allegedly linked to G40, which reportedly is pushing for First Lady Grace to take over from her husband. Zanu PF national commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere and Higher Education minister, Jonathan Moyo are reportedly some of the brains behind G40.
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“We are angry with this province especially the youth league,” shouted another district chairperson. “What they are doing is sabotaging the programmes of the party, and sabotaging the President (Robert Mugabe)’s programmes. Down with fuel coupons thieves! Down with tribalists.”
The district chairpersons said they will deliver a petition, “with a heavy heart, as we have since realised that the ideological principles set forth by our founding fathers are under threat.”
“We note with grave concern, that Zanu PF youth league has been hijacked by a cabal of nefarious clique with factional and divisive tendencies that has left the entirety of the league in disarray,” read part of their statement.
The district chairpersons said there have been numerous suspensions in the party’s provincial structures due to factionalism.
“While the President continues to teach and preach unity within the party ranks, the gang continues to disregard the calls by the head of State and party, with suspensions and expulsions of fellow comrades from the executive alleging that all their actions have the blessings of politburo member, Eunice Sandi Moyo,” the district chairpersons said.
The chairpersons accused Sandi Moyo of “undue interference with the affairs of the youth league.”
“This again stands as a form of defiance, by the same (Sandi Moyo), against the calls by the first secretary of the party for members to desist from such behaviour,” read the statement.
Contacted for comment, Sandi accused the youths of being “mistaken” accusing this paper of starting “the whole issue.”
“You (NewsDay) started all this when you wrote a story accusing me, and now the youth feel they can do anything,” she said.
“We are not part of the NewsDay, we are part of Zanu PF. If they think (youth) using your paper to raise issues that they feel must be dealt with by the party is the procedure, then they are mistaken.”
