Starving ZANU-PF youths loot exhibition food, detergents

A number of hungry and disgruntled ZANU-PF youths from various provinces stormed food and detergents scientific women conference exhibition stands displays area, loot foodstuffs, detergents and promotional material displayed adjacent to Presidential Youth Fund launch venue this Thursday.

Several exhibitors at the ongoing Women in Science conference have counted their losses following the stampede which occurred at a local hotel soon after Mnangagwa's address and departure from the venue.

"We had been attending a three-day Women in Science conference and due to clash of the event with President's address during the Presidential Youth Fund launch, we briefly changed the venue, but neither pack our products on displays nor attempt to move them away since we had been assured of maximum security and safety to them because of the magnitude and degree of President's event," a lady from University of Zimbabwe delegation narrated.

"Our products exhibition stands and displays were adjacent to the main conference centre where they had their event and we couldn't expect hooliganism and vandalism to our products. We only got surprised when we were informed that most of our products are being looted downstairs," the lady added.

"We were saddened to witness our products being looted and vandalism to our exhibition stands. We lost some cartons of cooking oil, with some on display while others were meant for sale during the ongoing Women in Science Conference," the lady added.

"Other products which were looted include table clothing material, detergents and promotional t-shirts from the University of Zimbabwe's innovation hub," the lady added.

Meanwhile, other science-based and innovation institutions have also reportedly lost protective clothing and valuables.

"We had 300 work-suits packed under the display exhibition tables whilst other extra four were visibly on display. When we got back, we found nothing and our exhibition infrastructure had been vandalised," the head of another institution said.

"We are appealing if we could locate the cuprits from the party so that we recover our losses. Some of our institutions do not tolerate excuses, and don't take it as an accident, but deliberate mistake, hence we will be forced to pay," she added.

"This is absolutely stressful and we kindly appeal to the authorities to help us in recovering our loss. We heard that they failed to get food after the President's address in the conference centre, and this has forced them to loot everything on their way," she added.

Meanwhile, another employee from ZANU-PF Headquarters joined the exhibitors and lodged a complaint with Hotel's security details after losing more than 30 Presidential portraits which were meant for sell and display during and after Mnangagwa's main address.

"Yes my brother, I confirm losing 30 Presidential portraits which were meant for sell since it is one of our fund-raising initiatives for the party, ZANU-PF," he said.

"I called my bosses at the HQ (ZANU-PF Headquarters) and alerted them about the unfortunate incident. I also joined these exhibitors and together, we lodged reports within the hotel's security details," he added.

Reports were that, youths indiscriminately loot from the displays as an expression of frustration that they had been starved despite being bussed from various provinces to attend the Presidential Youth Empowerment Fund launch.