Zanu-PF Youth boss bashed for supporting Grace Mugabe

Zanu-PF Harare province Youth League vice chair Edson Takataka was yesterday allegedly severely assaulted by party youths in Mbare for supporting First Lady Grace Mugabe's endorsement for the post of Secretary for Women's Affairs in the Politburo. Takataka was allegegedly set upon by a mob in the presence of Mbare legislator, Zanu-PF Politburo member and Lands Deputy Minister Tendai Savanhu at a constituency meeting in the suburb.

The case was reported at Mbare Police Station under RRB Number 2202971, and Takataka was last night at Parirenyatwa Hospital receiving treatment for his injuries. According to Harare province youth chairman, Godfrey Gomwe, his deputy was assaulted after Savanhu questioned Takataka's loyalty to the provincial leadership.
 
The alleged assault comes after President Mugabe slammed party officials who intimidated youths and bought votes at the organ's recent conference, which was marred by poor organisation and electoral malpractices.

It is also understood that at a meeting with ministers in Harare on August 15, President Mugabe again condemned the abuse of youths and their structures in intra-party factional contests. At yesterday's meeting, Savanhu slammed youths for not consulting him on how they should vote at their conference.

After the alleged attack on Takataka, Savanhu could not be reached for comment. However, Takataka yesterday said, "He (Savanhu) told the meeting that he was not happy with the province's leadership which mobilised youths to go to (endorse the First Lady) without his knowledge as the leader of the province. Savanhu also accused us of mobilising youths yesterday (on Friday) to go to the Agricultural Show."

He went on: "When I was responding to the allegations that's when I was hit by a chair on my stomach and other youths joined in and I was severely assaulted. I have told Savanhu that I don't respect (his) leadership and I take instructions from the chairman of the province (Amos Midzi)."

Yesterday evening, The Sunday Mail witnessed Savanhu's aide and driver at Mbare Police Station vainly trying to persuade Takataka to withdraw the case, before the party provincial youth deputy chair was taken for medical treatment. Gomwe was also there when the pleading was going on.

Gomwe said, "As you can see he is sending his aide in an effort for us to have an out-of-court settlement but this is wrong. The President is on record saying no to violence." Youths who went to make the police report were hurling obscenities at Savanhu's crew as they tried to do their damage control.

However, Savanhu denied the allegations. "The youths at the meeting asked for the youth vice chairman to go outside because other members were not agreeing with what he was saying."

On allegedly opposing the First Lady's endorsement, he said: "That's nonsense and it is not right for people to use the name of the First Family to advance selfish interests." Amai Mugabe's entry into the politcal arena has thus far been driven by the Youth and Women's leagues, amid indications that more ruling party constituencies will soon add their endorsement.

At the same time, factional fighting is taking centre stage ahead of Zanu-PF's Congress in December.

This saw some party officials trying to enmesh themselves in Youth and Women's leagues' conference processes and outcomes, drawing President Mugabe's ire.

The President said the concerned senior party officials - whom he equated to "prostitutes" and "rubbish" not be shocked when he cleared the decks at the December Congress.