THE Zanu PF Youth League national executive members have been challenged to exhibit a high level of discipline through shunning corrupt activities that may tarnish the image of the party.
Speaking at the Zanu PF National Executive Council of the Youth League induction workshop held in Harare this week, Zanu PF Acting Secretary for Administration Cde Patrick Chinamasa said discipline was of paramount importance and highly expected from the Youth League national executive members.
“Since the Youth League is the vanguard of the party, I know you are quite aware that this year is a year of historic elections where the youth are at the centre stage of the elections as they constitute in demographic terms, more than 65 percent of the voting population.
“This workshop should therefore be used as a solid foundation to prepare you in coming up with effective youth mobilisation strategies ahead of the 2023 harmonised elections,” said Cde Chinamasa.
He exhorted youth league members to remain loyal, honest, steadfast and vigilant in light of machinations against the party and Government.
“You are the eyes and ears of the party.
“It is your duty to guard it against infiltrations, divisions and disunity. Continue to preach unity, peace and love within the party and among all our people. The future of our country is bright. Victory and prosperity in all that we do, are certain,” said Cde Chinamasa.
The youth league executive should ensure party members are registered to vote. The workshop was conducted by Chitepo School of Ideology principal Cde Munyaradzi Machacha and is a prerequisite to the Youth League’s fulfilment of its party constitutional mandate of being the vanguard of the party.
It was also aimed at arming the young leadership with the required leadership skills and to character stir the wing in a direction that is in sync with the party’s values and ethos.
The Youth League, Cde Chinamasa said, should be acquainted with all the electoral processes especially the ongoing delimitation process and put the party in an advantageous position of attaining the much needed 5 million plus votes.
“You should also be aware that the party’s strategy to garner 5 million votes plus is centred on polling station specific mobilisation and campaigning and there will be approximately 12 000 polling stations countrywide,” said Cde Chinamasa.
“The party is highly expectant that this learning process will aid in giving direction to the League, through engaging in self-criticism, cultivating tenacity for work, pursuing truth and being practical and realistic in its plans and programmes” implored Cde Chinamasa.
The national youth league executive has been implored to be ideologically correct and shun the vices which tarnish the image of the party.
He warned youth league members not to criminally raid mining claims of small scale miners, participate in armed robberies masquerading as representatives of the party, participate in peddling drugs, mutoriro, collect money from companies under the guise that the funds will go towards party activities and then do not account such money to the party, use the opportunities they may have had of photo shoots with President Mnangagwa and use those photos to intimidate the public, commit acts of violence and acts of immorality in the name of the party.
He said disciplinary measures will be taken against youth league executive members who deviate from the party ethos. Given the evolution of ICTs and its impact on society, Cde Chinamasa said there is need for the youth league members to embrace social media as a tool to market the party.
He also congratulated Cde Tino Machakaire for his appointment to the Politburo to lead the Youth League as its National Secretary.
Speaking at the same occasion, the newly appointed Secretary for Youth Affairs Cde Machakaire said the League as the vanguard of the party is expected to uphold the high values of this new era.
“Patriotism and hard honest work are and shall remain the key to our party and country’s success. In this regard, let us all take this workshop as a critical learning process to ensure that resultantly we are able to stir the Youth League in line with the party’s ethos.
“What it now entails are that you and me have been bequeathed with an enormous task of advancing our constitutional mandate of being the vanguard of the party, hence this first step of being given the right direction to fulfilment of our mandate by the Chitepo School of Ideology,” said Cde Machakaire.
He urged the youth league executive members to declare against drug abuse and name dropping.
“Indiscipline in the form of name dropping of the President and First Family taking advantage of our proximity to the President and First Family should stop forthwith. We cannot be leaders who abuse the name of our principal in so doing bringing the name of the party into disrepute,” implored Cde Machakaire. He warned that carrying out violent behaviours using the name of the party for self-aggrandisement is a non-forgivable offence.
“We must ensure that we create an enabling environment for empowerment of the youth and create awareness campaigns educating the youth to be hard working people who earn their living in a straight-forward manner,” he said. He warned members to shun vices such as corruption, illegal mining, land grabbing and being land barons.
The induction workshop was also attended by National Political Commissar Cde Mike Bimha, Secretary for War Veterans Cde Douglas Mahiya, Deputy Secretary for Youth Affairs Cde John Paradza, among party officials. – The Herald
