ZAPU Youth Front and ZAWU hold a revolutionary rally in Manchester

ZAPU Youth wing leaders have sent a chilling message to President Robert Mugabe for his continued oppression of the people of Zimbabwe, saying that time is fast approaching for the people to lose patience and revolt against his rule. Just as the people of Burkina Faso toppled  President Blaise Compaore's 27 year rule last year. Blaise was forced to quit in October 2014 following country-wide protest against his attempt to stay in power.

Speaking at an open air event held at Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester on Saturday, ZAPU Youth Front leaders Arnold Dube,  Nkosi Cakes Vundla and Women's Chair Susan Ndlovu took turns to blast  the Mugabe regime for bringing misery to the people of Zimbabwe.

ZAPU youth and the Women's wing leaders blasted Mugabe who on Saturday enjoyed himself at a lavish million dollar birthday celebration party in Victoria Falls at a time when children across Zimbabwe cannot afford a meal or medication.

Opening the event ZAPU Europe Youth Chair Arnold Dube called on Zimbabwe's diaspora community to shake off the comfort of their adopted countries and start to sacrifice for their mother land, reminding everyone that freedom has never been handed on a silver plate.

Arnold Dube said, 'There is a serious problem in our country that we should never run away from.'

He further urged Zimbabweans not to look sideways but be part of the revolution that will bring change in Zimbabwe.

"Some watched as the brave warriors gathered in what at the time seemed like any other rally not knowing it was the start of the revolution. There is a few people that are part of a revolution, most can say 'I saw them' but a few can say 'I was there'. This is day one of the revolution and it won't be televised," said Arnold Dube.

Taking to the podium firebrand Cakes Vundla reminded Zimbabweans that freedom is never asked for and handed over just like that.

"You cannot go anywhere and ask for freedom and the oppressor gives it to you. The oppressor will never give it (freedom) to you because he is benefiting from oppressing you, " Cakes told the gathering.

 He continued saying, "When we say amandla ngawethu (power to the people), we should mean it when we say power is ours: meaning we have the power to remove whosoever [is in power].  Why should we shy away from the slogan that we seek regime change because we do seek regime change. And we as the Youth Front  say by all means necessary. Now we want a people's movement, whereby people will stand up and say enough is enough. It has been done before and it is not something that is impossible."

Cakes implored Zimbabweans to rise against their oppressor saying there is nothing impossible about defeating a regime that is oppressing the people. He recalled the recent toppling of Blaise Compaore, who had been in power for 27 years.

"Blaise Compaore brutalised the people of Burkina Faso for so many years after killing Thomas Sankara, but one day the children of Burkina Faso remembered Thomas Sankara, they went to his grave and wept. They went back and took their country. They didn't need guns, the government forces ran away and left the country. So what is stopping us as Zimbabweans for claiming back what rightfully belongs to us-true freedom."

At the time of his assassination Sankara was just 37 years of age and had ruled for only four years.

But his policies and his vision are still cherished both by some locals who were around when he was their ruler.  Compaoré was only 36 when he seized power in a 1987 coup in which president Thomas Sankara was ousted and assassinated.

Cakes Vundla bemoaned the continual failure of the health and educational infrastructure in Zimbabwe and said now is the time for Zimbabweans to act and refuse to be silenced.

Vundla said hundreds of thousands of children go hungry and drop out of school while a few people benefit from the country's independence and resources.

"The suffering among the children in Zimbabwe is critical, as Joshua Nkomo once said about Gukurahundi  'It is to see  to believe'.  Children are dying from diseases, women are dying from lack of medication and from complications of minor operations. There is a serious problem in our country. Why are there fewer and fewer nurses attending to patients," Cakes told the crowd.

ZAPU Women wing leader, Ms Susan Ndlovu  said, 'We have a duty to free those suffering children who cannot go to school'.

She called upon the party members to make sacrifices saying the time is now and there should be no going back.

"The Manchester Piccadilly Square open air rally is the first of the series of rallies to be organised by the ZAPU Youth Front and the ZAPU women's wing. The next one will be announced soon, keep your ears pinned to the ground, it may be in your town" concluded Ms Ndlovu.

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