Grandpa Mugabe to engage youths

THE Zanu-PF Youth League has revealed plans to engage President Mugabe to interface with youths in their respective provinces as a follow up to the oversubscribed Million Man March last year.

Addressing a Bulawayo youth inter-district conference on Sunday, party national secretary for Youth Affairs, Kudzai Chipanga, said the provincial meetings are meant to make the President aware of the specific problems youths face in their respective provinces.

He said the youths were facing challenges with the implementation of promises made by the President to the youths at the Million Man March.

Chipanga mentioned the challenges in Umvutshwa as an example where land was allocated to youths for housing but said some officials were stalling the project.

"This time we are not going to have a Million Man March again just because we want these youths to have direct access to the President. You adopted a one centre of power at the 2014 congress, what it means is that when the youth want to meet the head of State, we don't go through anyone but have direct access to the President.

"What we are now doing as the youth this year, we are now going to request the President to come and meet youths province by province. We are going to request the President to come to Bulawayo and we don't want any youth from any other province," said Chipanga.

"The youths will then share the issues that affect the Bulawayo youths one on one. So the youths, this year you are not coming to Harare, the President is coming to you."

Chipanga called on provincial chairpersons to begin preparing for the meetings with President Mugabe.

He said the youths would maintain their position in support of President Mugabe until his very last day.

"As the youth league, we have taken a very clear position, we are saying that we are very clear and know what we want. We said it before that as the youth league we are the majority in terms of the population census of this country. We said the majority rules.

"Us as the Zanu-PF youth league say President Mugabe must be our life President. We are saying for as long as President Mugabe is alive, he will remain the Zanu-PF and State President. That is what we as the young people and as the majority want," said Chipanga.

"You the elders might have different views, that's your democratic right to have different views but express those views through the ballot box. Express your views through a congress. We had a congress in 2014 and you were given an opportunity to choose a President of your choice but you did not stand up. After congress you are now trying to do your funny machinations, we will never allow that."

He said those elements aspiring for President Mugabe's position should wait for the 2019 congress but they will not have the vote of the youth.

"Come and campaign for the position in 2019 but we can assure you that you will not get a single vote from the youth. Our vote is with President Mugabe. This tendency of trying to interfere with the activities of the youth league must stop. There has been heavy interference from the main board in the affairs of the youth league," said Chipanga.

"This time last year similar machinations were happening but as the youth league we held the One Million Man March in support of the President. Let me be very clear, we support only one person in this country, the only person that we support is RG Mugabe.

"The rest, we don't support you, we just respect you. There is a difference between respect and support, we respect you our elders, we don't support you, we only support President Mugabe."