Zanu-PF youths warn Pakistani businessman

THE Zanu-PF youth league yesterday warned an unnamed Pakistani businessman to desist from meddling in the affairs of the ruling party by sponsoring divisions within its Bulawayo structures.

Addressing a provincial youth inter-distinct conference at the Davies Hall party provincial headquarters, Zanu-PF national secretary for youth affairs Kudzanai Chipanga called on the businessman to concentrate his energies on his business ventures.

It turned out during the meeting that two youth league members who were said to be among the 14 who resigned last week were tricked into signing resignation letters.

"We hear there is mobilisation of youths here in Bulawayo and money is circulating in the city of Bulawayo. We hear that there are foreigners sponsoring youths and some members of the youth executive to cause disunity in the youth league," said Chipanga.

"There is a Pakistani national who is sponsoring some individuals within the youth league, if there are some here who associate with that person, tell him that Chipanga said hands off the youth league. He must stop meddling in the affairs of the Zanu-PF youth league but concentrate on his or her own business.

"Whatever he is selling he must concentrate on that, Zanu-PF is not for sale. We are reliably informed that some resources from that Pakistani are used to sponsor vendors to come and demonstrate. The reason why those vendors are coming to demonstrate at your party offices is because they are being funded by the Pakistani. That must stop, we have good relations with Pakistan as a country so this Pakistani national must not tarnish the existing relations between the two nations."

During yesterday's meeting provincial secretary for education Sharon Ante and secretary for the disabled Memory Chirodza said they had been misled to sign the document of their "resignation".

They alleged that at different times, Cdes Davies Muhambi, Munashe Mutusa (both suspended), Aaron Ncube, Nation Ndebele, Lennox Mupomwe, Pelagia Hove, Gwinyai Mucheka and Delight Ngwenya visited their homes and made them sign the petition under false pretences that it was to reaffirm that they were not leaving their positions.

Chipanga revealed that some more members had indicated that they were out of Bulawayo when the petition was written. As a result, he said the youth league had endorsed the resignation of Cdes Ncube, Ndebele, Mupomwe, Hove, Mucheka, and Ngwenya who had shown that they had resigned out of wilful intent. He directed the Bulawayo youth league to hold a meeting today and co-opt six members to fill the vacant positions on a balance of gender.

He said Cdes Muhambi and Mutusa already on suspension will have their cases referred to the National Disciplinary Committee of the party for determination while the other four members purported to have resigned were given up to end of day today to state their positions before the youth league makes a decision.

Cdes Muhambi and Mutusa, Chipanga said, stand accused of denigrating party leadership in social media.  Muhambi is also alleged to have said he can't fundraise for President Mugabe's birthday celebrations. However, Muhambi denies the allegations.

"Zanu-PF is a revolutionary party and needs men of steel, amadoda sibili, I'm happy as youth leader that finally God has separated water from oil. God is great. We were going to be in a difficult situation if we were going for elections with undedicated cadres but look, God is for us all," said Chipanga.

"Two comrades who were part of the delegation which was moving around mobilising people to resign, Davies and Mutusa, are already suspended and waiting for their matter to be heard at the NDC. It's only that they have added another crime by embarking on provincial duties while on suspension, put that charge in writing and send it to us.

"The other six comrades, I cannot say they were misled because they were part of a gang that was misled as they travelled in the night mobilising people to resign so I endorse their resignations, they are no longer members of the provincial executive as they voluntarily resigned."