Mnangagwa's son pulls out of Zanu-PF youth race

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa's son, Kudakwashe, has pulled out of the race for Zanu-PF top youth leadership posts at an elective party youth conference slated for next month in the capital.

The ruling party on Sunday held provincial youth conferences across the country, where four candidates from each province were selected to contest for national youth executive posts.

Kudakwashe was reportedly eyeing a top position in the party's youth league.

Yesterday, he confirmed his withdrawal to NewsDay saying he was already a provincial executive member in the party's main wing and was fully behind the youth league.

"I decided to withdraw my candidature to pave way for more comrades in the province to have a shot in the national executive elections race. As we gear up for the 2023 plebiscite, it is crucial that Zanu-PF youths have all hands on deck, leading from the front and behind," Kudakwashe said.

"I continue to serve the youth league as a provincial executive member. The youth in the Midlands province will always be united and speak with one voice, and that is to garner five million votes come 2023."

Zanu-PF Midlands youth chairperson Ernest Dzoro said the weekend elections went on well.

"Our elections went on well and there was unity," he said.

The selected candidates in the Midlands province were Phineas Makombe, who came out tops, followed by Nomatter Tsopotsa, Patience Chishumba and Vusimusi Manjonjo.

In Mashonaland East, the late Transport and Infrastructural Development minister Joel Biggie Matiza's son Batsirai will be representing the province in the national executive.

Others in the national executive are Tawanda Mudowo, Magret Nyerere and Beatrice Kamuche.

After the death of his father, Batsirai announced that he was going to contest for the Murehwa South constituency primary elections, but withdrew at the last minute.

Addressing delegates at the provincial elections at Marondera High School, provincial chairperson Daniel Garwe said it was time to unite and work for the party.

"These elections are over and we are now focusing on working for the party. We are still mobilising five million votes hence we need unity within the party so that we achieve the target in 2023," he said.

In Matabeleland North province, provincial secretary Bigboy Nkiwane yesterday said the four candidates who won were Thubelihle Ncube (Hwange), Sitsha Mhlanga (Umguza), Allman Ndlovu (Tsholotsho), and Sibangezile Ndlovu (Bubi).

The Zanu-PF national youth conference is slated for May 4 to 8.