'Green Bombers' groupings haggle over who 'owns' Mnangagwa

TEMPERATURES are rising among former National Youth Service (NYS) graduates, derogatorily known as ‘Green Bombers', amid revelations two distinct groupings are tussling to claim rights to canvass support for President Emmerson Mnangagwa's 2023 reelection bid.

This comes as one splinter group, led by Tichaona Zimbiru, threatened to physically assault dreaded Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) operatives and police officers deemed "unpatriotic" plotting Zanu-PF's electoral loss come 23 August plebiscites.

The clique, known as National Youth Service Graduates Association (NYSGA) Trust, is currently going around farms soliciting donations towards a presidential star rally they are planning to host in July.

Speaking during a meeting at Banket Sports Club recently, aimed at setting up a NYS graduates representative body, Zimbiru claimed the mobilisation concept used by CIO-linked Forever Associates of Zimbabwe (FAZ) was hijacked from his organisation, before attacking some spy agents and cops branding them "unpatriotic."

Following publication of Zimbiru's threats in NewZimbabwe.com, another formation, led by ZNYSGA national commander, Benhilda Gunda sprang to clarify there was another shadowy group of "rogue" former students.

Zimbiru's is known as the "Trust" while the one aligned to Gunda is referred to as the "Association."

"During the (Banket) meeting, leadership of the organisation represented notably by Cde Tichaona Zimbiru, with tacit support of their leader Cde Absalom Madusise, issued statements which we believe to be inflammatory, divisive, and therefore counter-revolutionary, given that Zanu-PF is a unitary party with a people-centred ideology, which brings together all its affiliates in harmony for national progress.

"We are aware that NYS graduates are now being represented by two splinter organisations going by almost the same name," said Gunda.

"We issue this statement as the Zimbabwe National Youth Service Graduates Association, which is, for all intents and purposes, to be clearly distinguished from the "Trust", which recently issued its controversial statements at Banket.

"As NYS graduates, we were trained to be disciplined and respectful of all State institutions. We do not subscribe to violence and lawlessness.

"As an association, we do not seek to involve ourselves in the internal affairs of other Zanu-PF affiliates, but rather, to build our own profile and capacities, addressing our weaknesses and further adding weight to our strengths."

Gunda dissociated bona fide NYS graduates from Zimbiru's claim that government had neglected and not according them recognition and benefits.

"We are against this spirit of entitlement, and believe that recognition should be earned, not delivered. Our thrust is to earn that recognition by making noticeable contributions, not to demand it. Good works speak for themselves," said Gunda.

The association's national commander described as "contemptuous" sentiments that the older generation of revolutionaries have blood on their hands and hence, cannot lead the new economic revolution.

"We view this with contempt. It is disrespecting the serious sacrifices that were made by that generation.

"It is precisely this same ‘blood', that of their compatriots and that of the enemy, which watered the tree of freedom whose fruits we enjoy today.

"We are cognisant of the tremendous national security threat posed by such utterances, which amount to intra-party hate speech, including treason, and we therefore strongly distance ourselves from such incitements, especially as we are faced with this watershed election, wherein all hands must be on deck, with one objective; that of winning and incapacitating the enemy through the ballot box.

"We acknowledge that disunity among cadres who preach unity in daylight and practice division during the night only benefits the enemy, and therefore hereby openly separate ourselves without any doubt, from the toxic import of the utterances made at Banket.

"We realise that such behaviour is unbecoming and unbefitting that of trained and well-oriented cadres, and therefore unequivocally, and in the strongest terms, dissociate ourselves from the views and reckless ideology now being advocated and propagated by the ZNYSGA Trust, which we view to be in contempt of the revolutionary servant leadership ethos subscribed to by our Party, Zanu-PF and our leader, President Cde ED Mnangagwa."

The association reiterated its desire to work with fellow Zanu-PF affiliates such as FAZ, Varakashi 4ED, Men BelievED and Young Women 4ED, in promoting the drive towards an emphatic win for the party and all its candidates during the 2023 harmonised elections.