Mujuru's youths unfazed by Bikita West loss

Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) youths say their party is unfazed by the electoral drubbing they suffered recently in the Bikita West parliamentary by-election and will use the experience gained in future polls.

ZimPF candidate, Kudakwashe Gopo got 2 453 votes against Zanu-PF's Beauty Chabaya, who garnered 13 156 votes in the by-election held at the weekend to choose a new MP for Bikita West, following Munyaradzi Kereke's 10-year incarceration for rape.

ZimPF national youth secretary, Melusi Mwinde, told Southern Eye yesterday that they were not reading too much into the results of the poll, as their focus was now on the 2018 general elections.

"As the ZimPF youths, we are unfazed by the Bikita West results," he said.

"To us, those results stand as first-time results, which should not, in any way, determine the final results of the 2018 election."

Mwinde said the election had exposed Zanu-PF's excessive appetite for power and that it had "not reformed into a modern political party that subscribes to tenets of democracy and human rights".

"Instead of investing in infrastructure development, arresting deflation and unemployment, they are busy looting the State coffers to serve their interests," he said.

"What happened in Bikita is a wake-up call to all opposition parties that Zanu-PF's rigging machinery is intact and well-oiled. We are aware of how Zanu-PF looted from State coffers to sponsor violence and dole out food handouts."

Mwinde said youths in his party were preparing to confront the Zanu-PF regime and tell Zimbabweans that it is senseless to vote for "an outdated regime".

"No one in his normal senses can vote for an outdated regime with Stone Age policies. It is a fact that Robert Mugabe will be 94 years old next year, giving him another mandate of five years is laughable," he continued.

"It is shocking that some young people are blind to the fact that Zanu-PF has stolen much from the youth, who are desperate for employment and whose rights are stolen by the regime, which subscribes to a life presidency."
Mwinde said their presidential candidate, Joice Mujuru was the answer to the challenges currently faced by the country.

"It's an open secret that Mujuru, with her liberation credentials, is the only choice next year. She is the only person who can work as a bridge towards a new Zimbabwe. She is our hope as youths. As ZimPF youths, we are not tools of violence, but we are tools for nation building," he said.