Zanu-PF Bulawayo youth chair survives ouster

ZANU-PF Bulawayo provincial youth chairperson Khumbulani Mpofu has survived to see another day in office following intervention by the party's national youth wing executive to stop tiffs within the provincial youth arm which were threatening to push him out. Party secretary for youth affairs Pupurai Togarepi told Sunday News last week that he had met the squabbling youths to iron out their differences.

Some party youths in Bulawayo province were pushing for the ouster of Mpofu, whom they were accusing of extorting money from local businesses under the guise of fundraising for party activities.

The disgruntled youths recently wrote to the party's national youth wing leadership, outlining a flurry of accusations against Mpofu, among them backstabbing leadership of the party's provincial main wing.

Prior to interventions by the national youth wing executive the disgruntled party youths had threatened demonstrations against Mpofu to express their displeasure at his leadership.

However, Togarepi said the infighting had been resolved after he recently met the warring parties and encouraged them to work together for the good of the party.

Falling short of clearly exonerating Mpofu, Togarepi said while investigations were being instituted, a prima facie look at the allegations against the provincial youth chairperson had shown that he might not have a case to answer.

"Without pre-empting anything, as investigations are still going on, we need to realise that some things that happen are blown out of proportion. When you look at some of the issues you will see that things were done above board and there is really no case to answer.

"We have sat down with them and told them to work together and learn to correct each other whenever they have differences. We asked them to respect leadership and work together for the good of the party," said Togarepi.

The party's national secretary for youth affairs said he would return to the province "in a couple of weeks" for further meetings aimed at effectively ending the infighting among the party's youths in Bulawayo.

Last weekend the party held belated 21st February Movement celebrations at the large City Hall, where Togarepi who was the guest of honour criticised party members who use names of party leaders to extort money.

Togarepi also blasted party youth who go about gossiping about party leadership saying such people were working against the agenda of the party.

"Don't use their names to extort people. If you want to extort people use your name.

"There are some youths we hear are in the habit of recording party leaders and then distribute those recordings via social media. Such behaviour should stop. You must learn to respect your leaders and not gossip about them," he said.

Togarepi's message was largely viewed as an attack on Mpofu, against whom allegations of extortion and recording and distributing damaging remarks by party leaders in the province were levelled.

Following Togarepi's address, Mpofu's ouster appeared imminent, but he was let off the hook, when Togarepi turned and urged party leadership in the province to iron out differences and work together for the good of the party.

Meanwhile, the Zanu-PF youth wing has come up with new regulations governing resource mobilisation for party functions.

Togarepi said provincial party executives were now required to seek authorisation from the party's national secretary of finance in the youth wing first before approaching anyone for financial assistance.

He said the move was meant to reduce cases of corruption and extortion within the party's provincial youth wings.

"We have taken a position where no one in the youth executive will mobilise resources without a letter from the secretary of finance. This is meant to make sure that the system is not abused.

"The new system requires that the provincial executive writes a letter to secretary of finance citing the organisation they intend to approach for assistance. The secretary for finance will approve the proposal and then write a letter directed to the cited organisation. This is the new procedure," he said.

Togarepi also commented on the issue of party youths who invade land and allocate each other housing stands, saying the party would not stand by such people if they were to be evicted by authorities.

He said Zanu-PF respected the country's laws and would not tolerate people who disregard the law.