Zapu's Zawu and Youth Front Elects new leadership

Delegates from the country and diaspora yesterday, 07 April 2013, thronged Pelandaba Hall located in Pelandaba township in Bulawayo, to witness the selection of interim committees within Zapu's wings namely the Zimbabwe African Women's Union and the National Youth Front. The committees will run for a period of 24 months thereafter elections will be run for which the new office bearers will occupy offices for the period determined by Zapu constitution.

Addressing the delegates was Zapu president Dr. Dumiso Dabengwa who said "Zawu organ of Zapu is the wings; the Youth are the legs of the party and without that Zapu cannot move. People in the country are saying they do not see Zapu because the party lacks wings and legs" "Now that the party has grown wings and legs, it is now assured of unprecedented growth" Dr Dabengwa said to a rapturous applause from the hall.

Zapu President thanked the people in the diaspora, who made the Zawu and Youth Front events run concurrently and successfully, by providing financially support for the events.

 Dr Dabengwa stated that the challenged bedeviling the country is the democratic deficit, where the generality of the citizenry does not have a say in the running of the country. He further went on to say tha Zapu strongly believes in devolution of power, not bogus devolution as enunciated in the new Constitution. Zapu believes that progress, unity and creativity in the general populace can be unlocked and unleashed only through a truly devolved state. He said that Zapu wants the country  to revert to the original five provinces namely Manicaland, Mashonaland, Masvingo, Midlands and Matebeleland, by so doing this will promote the entrepreneurial and creative spirits of these regions and thereby introducing competitive democracy which will see the country develop to an economic giant within a short period of time. Dr Dabengwa stated that the role of the central government will be reduced and left just to focus on strategic and issues of national significance.  

He bemoaned what is happening in Marange where diamonds are mined to fatten people's pockets and the proceeds from the diamonds never get to the minister of finance or national coffers. Dr Dabengwa said that it was unfair for the people of Marange not to directly benefit from their resources.

"The leadership elected today is on interim basis and Zapu is looking at the Zawu and Youth to take it to power, come elections this year" Dr Dabengwa said.

Also present at the Conference was Zapu's Vice President Emelia Mukaratirwa, who urged women to stand up and work for the party. "The problems of scarcity and squalor directly affect women, exorbitant prices in super markets, lack of jobs in the industries, lack of medication in hospitals and many problems in the country affect women directly to empower a woman is to empower the nation" Ms Mukaratirwa said.

Among the delegates were representatives of various departments in the party and also representatives of non-governmental organizations.

Getrude Makwila from Matebeleland South was elected National Zawu Chairperson, Virginia Dube was elected as the Secretary for Zawu; Treasurer became Grace Dlamini from Matebeleland North; Winnie Khumalo from Bulawayo was elected into Organisation and Mobilisation and Sofia Tore from Mashonaland Central was elected Secretary of Education
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 National Youth Front Chairperson became the agile and firebrand Mehluli Moyo  from Matebeleland South; Vice Chair Clover Chanakira from Harare; Secretary for Administration is Future Msebele who is based in the Republic of South Africa; Organizing Secretary is Sherperd Mpofu from Midlands; Treasurer is Desmond Mhlanga from Matebeland North; Secretary for Health and Welfare is Josiah Kaseke from Mashonaland Central; Secretary for Economic Development is Oscar Mlotshwa; Secretary for Information and Publicity is Hector Chikowore from Bulawayo; Secretary for Culture and Sports is Antonate Ncube from Mashonaland West and Secretary for Security position went to Mthulisi Mpofu  from Bulawayo Province.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Mehluli Moyo vowed to mobilise the youth to join Zapu in their thousands. "In Zapu Youth Front we do not believe that the youth are the leaders of tomorrow, but we strongly believe that we are leaders of today, we shall decide our own destiny, the majority of problems in this country are affecting the youth, we shall not wait until we get into power to come up with empowerment programmes for our youth" Mr Moyo incandescently delivered his speech to huge applause and ululation in the Hall.

"Zapu is now ready to for the elections. We shall deliver a resounding victory for Zapu in the forthcoming elections" the newly elected Zawu Chairperson Ms Getrude Makwila said.