Opinion / Columnist
What constitutes a youth in Zimbabwe politics?
16 Jun 2019 at 14:10hrs | Views
I have always been intrigued by members of Zanu-PF that fall under their youth branch or wing. The leadership is made up of middle-aged men probably in middle life crisis no wonder they are not in sync with reality.
Which normal youth would support this party called Zanu-PF with no jobs,a degreed young man is reduced to a conductor at Zupco, or selling airtime cards .l could go on and on.
Youths in urban areas have turned into cheap liquor indulgence as they can't face each day in sober reality.
Recently, Zanu-PF "youths" threatened to disrupt opposition protests. Yes, there will be young people among them bribed by opaque beer to join these men in their 40s who constitute Zanu-PF youth wing but the majority are overaged grown-up men.
I would advise anyone to visit areas where illegal mining has become a source of livelihood and you will see the illegal miners clad in stained Zanu-PF regalia. These illegal miners have become the defacto youth wing of Zanu-PF. This offers protection if they do not tow the line the security agencies will be unleashed on them.
Kwekwe town, where the junta leader is nicknamed the godfather of Midlands, is one case in point. In 2008 one would dare never publicly support Zanu-PF in this small town. Youths, led by current Minister of State Security, known as Al shabab terrorised innocent people.
A glance at all centres where there is illegal mining will show the same scenario, overzealous overaged youths singing for their supper by sworn allegiance to Zanu-PF.
It defies common logic that a right as enshrined in the Zimbabwean constitution is seen in a different context. People have the right to protest peacefully, why trample on that right?
Our police seem confused about Zimbabwean law. We will respond against the protesters as we are mandated by the constitution to protect people. Why not respect the highest law of the land that says people can demonstrate peacefully?
This is a typical case of applying the law selectively as always been the case.
The silence after those utterances from the over aged youths is not a shock at all. Zanu-PF has been good at using people to further their evil intentions.
As Zanu-PF spearheads its efforts to transform urban areas into rural areas their "youths" will keep their heads buried in the sand like ostriches and say Zimbabwe is super.
Their leaders will drink the expensive whisky, bring trinkets after a trip into foreign lands while the middle-aged youths wallow in abject poverty and you say l will fight you for saying we want jobs!
Which normal youth would support this party called Zanu-PF with no jobs,a degreed young man is reduced to a conductor at Zupco, or selling airtime cards .l could go on and on.
Youths in urban areas have turned into cheap liquor indulgence as they can't face each day in sober reality.
Recently, Zanu-PF "youths" threatened to disrupt opposition protests. Yes, there will be young people among them bribed by opaque beer to join these men in their 40s who constitute Zanu-PF youth wing but the majority are overaged grown-up men.
I would advise anyone to visit areas where illegal mining has become a source of livelihood and you will see the illegal miners clad in stained Zanu-PF regalia. These illegal miners have become the defacto youth wing of Zanu-PF. This offers protection if they do not tow the line the security agencies will be unleashed on them.
Kwekwe town, where the junta leader is nicknamed the godfather of Midlands, is one case in point. In 2008 one would dare never publicly support Zanu-PF in this small town. Youths, led by current Minister of State Security, known as Al shabab terrorised innocent people.
It defies common logic that a right as enshrined in the Zimbabwean constitution is seen in a different context. People have the right to protest peacefully, why trample on that right?
Our police seem confused about Zimbabwean law. We will respond against the protesters as we are mandated by the constitution to protect people. Why not respect the highest law of the land that says people can demonstrate peacefully?
This is a typical case of applying the law selectively as always been the case.
The silence after those utterances from the over aged youths is not a shock at all. Zanu-PF has been good at using people to further their evil intentions.
As Zanu-PF spearheads its efforts to transform urban areas into rural areas their "youths" will keep their heads buried in the sand like ostriches and say Zimbabwe is super.
Their leaders will drink the expensive whisky, bring trinkets after a trip into foreign lands while the middle-aged youths wallow in abject poverty and you say l will fight you for saying we want jobs!
Source - AT Kadada
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