Ousted Zanu-PF Youth leaders 'accepts' Mugabe's new deployee

FORMER Zanu-PF Secretary for Youth Affairs Pupurai Togarepi says he respects President Mugabe's decision to replace him with his former deputy, Kudzanayi Chipanga, the State press says.

Zanu-PF First Secretary President Mugabe confirmed Chipanga as substantive youth league secretary during the Youth League's National Assembly meeting in Harare on Saturday.

Chipanga had been acting since the suspension of Togarepi in March this year. Togarepi, who is also chairperson of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Collaborators Association (Ziliwaco), said he had no hard feelings about the President's decision, as he took a swipe at the private media for purveying lies about his reaction.

"I accept the decision by the President with all my heart," he said while addressing the press in Harare on Monday.

"I congratulate Kudzanayi Chipanga and I am very confident he will lead our youth forward successfully. I am, however, worried about these distortions in the media. There is nothing amiss regarding procedures followed by the President as it is his prerogative to appoint Politburo members.

"I am worried by journalists who decide to create news instead of sourcing news. A case in point being an article in NewsDay where the reporter lied that I contended that my removal was not procedural despite that I told the reporter that the President was the only appointing authority and it is his right to change his team.

"There was yet another story in the Daily News on Sunday where despite refuting that my removal was associated with the removal of Monica Mutsvangwa, the paper repeats the story at every turn. I don't understand what the motive is, but I strongly suspect an underhand."

Togarepi said he would remain loyal to Zanu-PF and President Mugabe expressing his gratitude for being accorded the privilege to serve under his leadership.