Zanu-PF Youth League backs Mugabe

Zanu-PF youths from all the provinces have resolved that President Mugabe is the only centre of power and as such he remains the party's Presidential candidate for the 2018 harmonised elections.

The youths, represented by Youth League secretary Pupurai Togarepi, commended the First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe for the work she has done to ensure that the league remains vibrant.

"We strongly re-affirm that his Excellency, the President and First Secretary of the party, Zanu-PF is the only centre of power as mandated by the 2014 National People's Conference, as such he remains the party's Presidential candidate for 2018 harmonised elections," read part of the resolutions.

"We commend the national secretary for Women's Affairs First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe for the work and collaboration she has done to ensure that the Youth League remains vibrant at national level and in all the 10 provinces."

The resolutions come as the Zimbabwe Liberation War Collaborators Association met and resolved that President Mugabe should also be the party's candidate for the 2018 polls. Togarepi said they had also resolved that youths must not be used as drivers of factionalism and that they should remain united and shun those intending to use factionalism to divide them.

He said the senior party leadership should be compelled to resolve differences amicably and refrain from using social media in resolving issues. The party's youth wing has recently been marred by divisions and violence that witnessed counter votes-of-no confidence being passed against provincial youths' leadership.

Mashonaland West Youth League turned into a theatre of confusion, where the ousted chairperson Vengai Musengi and his deputy Joseph Nyariri passed a counter vote-of-no confidence on the new provincial executive led by Tawanda Rupiya.

The Youth League also recommended that Government allocates funds to the National Youth Service and called for stern measures to curb corruption within the party and Government.

"National Youth Service must be compulsory and designed to expose youths to work experience, inculcate the right ideological values, instil discipline, empower and equip them to embark on programmes of value addition and beneficiation." The Zanu-PF National People' Conference started on Monday and will be officially opened by President Mugabe on Friday.