Zanu-PF youths gear for nationwide campaigns

The Zanu-PF Youth League will soon roll out nationwide campaigns that will start at grassroots level.

This came out at a meeting on Wednesday that was attended by the party's youths from Harare Province and the wing's national executive members at Zanu-PF's Harare provincial offices.

Zanu-PF Secretary for Youth Affairs Pupurai Togarepi said the party intended to create future leaders who defend the party and the nation.

"We are going to campaign at grassroot level and our initial campaign will be for our President," he said.

"We made a covenant with the President that he is going to be our leader.

"During the campaigns, the youths should remember that they are ambassadors for the party and the President and, therefore, should exhibit the true characteristics of our leader and the party.

The youths should be disciplined, upright and not corrupt.

"They should be peaceful and never engage in any violence because our President wants free and fair election."

Youths, Togarepi said, were justified in campaigning for President Mnangagwa as he had exhibited good leadership qualities from the time he assumed office in November last year.

"The President has shown the international community that Zimbabwe is open for business and there have been a lot of international organisations visiting our country," he said.

"We have also witnessed a number of investors making enquiries on investing in our country."

Togarepi encouraged youths to be innovative and engage in income-generating projects.

"Politics is no longer the business, but we are now concentrating on developmental projects and employment creation," he said.

"The party will come up with a fund to assist youths with loans for businesses.

"We have a company, Murenga Projects, which will be assisting youths willing to venture into various income-generating projects."

Togarepi urged youths to take advantage of social media to campaign and defend the party.

"Youths should be on Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp, but should not entertain those denigrating the party, but should defend it," he said.

Youths, he added, should emulate President Mnangagwa's strong character and patience.

"It is not easy for someone to assault you in front of your wife, but our President remained quiet", he said.

He did not quit the party, but remained loyal and this is why he has our support."

Zanu-PF's Youth League Secretary for the Commissariat Godfrey Tsenengamu said youths should from time to time meet and discuss their challenges and expectations of the party.

"We will be embarking on a nationwide campaign and we are now getting into the second phase," he said.

"We will also engage the youths so that they tell us their challenges and expectations.

"We have a listening President who is willing to assist us. The youths will support President Mnangagwa 100 percent."