Source: Mugabe’s interface rallies sabotaged? – DailyNews Live
Fungi Kwaramba 29 July 2017
HARARE – A storm is brewing in the ruling Zanu PF party amid suspicions by
members of its youth league that the so-called factionalists could be
sabotaging President Robert Mugabe’s youth interface rallies in spite of
their success.
Mugabe is currently going around the country’s 10 political provinces to
address youths and get to hear their grievances.
Dubbed “youth interface rallies”, the Zanu PF leader has addressed four of
them and will be heading to Chinhoyi on Saturday for his fifth rally.
While the interface rallies have been well-attended, some within the Zanu
PF youth league are convinced that the turnout could have even been
better.
During Mugabe’s rally in Lupane on Friday last week, the party’s youth
secretary for the commissariat, Innocent Hamandishe, pointed an accusing
finger at senior officials in Zanu PF for sabotaging the rallies.
“President, I want to bring it to your attention that we are having
problems in getting the necessary support in terms of resources such as
fuel, transport and other logistics for our programmes,” he said.
“We cannot even get access to all the vehicles that the party bought and
we are wondering what crime we committed as the youth league,” added
Hamandishe.
Zanu PF is presently divided along two factions – Generation 40 and Team
Lacoste – that are both angling to position a candidate who will succeed
Mugabe.
Because of the divisions caused by the factional fights, it has been
difficult for Mugabe to unite his party, even as the country hurtles
towards crunch elections next year.
As broke as it is, Zanu PF recently bought 320 vehicles, including
off-road trucks, sedans and hatchbacks that have been branded with the
ruling party’s colours and have been given to the party provincial
structures.
There is, however, opaqueness on the source of funding for Zanu PF
projects, with the opposition alleging that the ruling party is using its
muscle to commandeer struggling parastatals to finance its rallies before
next year’s elections.
It is now emerging that even the Zanu PF youths are not happy with how the
vehicles are being allocated, amid suspicions that those in control of
these assets may be sabotaging their programmes.
Zanu PF enjoys the power of incumbency and the opposition accuses it of
using State resources to finance its programmes.
During the youth interface rallies, Mugabe usually travels by air to the
venues while his ministers travel by road.
While these are classified as party activities, it is the government which
meets the attendant costs.
These gatherings are also funded from donations from well-wishers and
companies, many of which are struggling due to the tough economic
situation.
During his youth engagements, Mugabe’s visits are usually preceded by a
flurry of activities, including the filling up of potholed roads and
refurbishments of dilapidated buildings with the costs being met by
government and local authorities.
Ahead of Mugabe’s visit to Chinhoyi on Saturday, the party has mobilised
40 000 litres of fuel to be used to transport Zanu PF supporters to the
venue of the interface rally.
Contacted for comment, Zanu PF secretary for youth Kudzanai Chipanga
referred questions to the party’s spokesperson, Simon Khaya Moyo, whose
mobile phone was switched off.
MDC spokesperson Obert Gutu alleged this week that some of the money used
by Zanu PF comes from the illicit sale of diamonds and other precious
minerals.
“We have always stated, rightly so, that the Zanu PF regime is a
fully-fledged Mafia outfit. Like in all Mafia organisations, there are
always shadowy and opaque ways and means of financing operations,” said
Gutu.
“There are credible reports that the Zanu PF regime is actually dealing in
illicit oil secured from some parts of the Middle East.
“This is a very well-organised and well-financed scheme that involves
international business tycoons who are benefiting from the looting of
Zimbabwe’s precious minerals and wildlife,” he said.
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