Matabeleland North Presidential Youth Interface postponed

Source: Matabeleland North Presidential Youth Interface postponed – Sunday News Jul 9, 2017

Vusumuzi Dube in Lupane
THE fourth Zanu-PF Presidential Youth Interface that was scheduled for this Friday in Matabeleland North has been postponed as President Mugabe will be out of the country.

Zanu-PF Deputy Secretary for Youth Affairs, Cde Mpehlabayo Malinga confirmed the postponement yesterday during a Matabeleland North Provincial Co-ordinating Committee meeting held at the party’s offices in Lupane. Cde Malinga said they would be announcing the new dates for the interface during the week.

“I know we were initially working with Friday 14 July as the date for the youth interface but the President will be out of the country. He will arrive back in the country on the day the interface was supposed to take place. Our secretary, Cde Kudzanai Chipanga will announce the new date during the week but I must say that it might be held a day, two days or three days after the initial set date, so let’s remain on our toes and ensure that everything is in place by the time we announce the new date,” said Cde Malinga.

On the province’s preparedness for hosting the youth interface, Cde Malinga said he was impressed with the work on the ground. He commended the Government departments in the province, who he said were leaving no stone unturned with the goal of hosting a successful interface.

“This is the fourth Presidential Youth Interface Rally and I must tell you that this is the first where Government departments, led by our provincial administrator, Ms Latiso Dhlamini, have given all their possible support and I should commend them for this.

“To the youth who are leading this process I must emphasis the need for discipline. Without discipline we are going nowhere at all. We must always remember what President Mugabe is always emphasising this being the need for unity and always do things the Zanu-PF way,” said Cde Malinga.

Speaking at the same meeting, Matabeleland North provincial chairperson Cde Richard Moyo said the province was geared up for the Presidential Youth Interface Rally, encouraging people to come in their numbers at Somhlolo Stadium on the yet to be announced day.

“I know they have been misleading reports that this interface is for the youth only, let’s ignore this totally. Yes, the youth requested the interface but as their parents we have to accompany them and besides we are talking of our President, he would also like to see us, so please come in your numbers. We want to show the enemy how powerful our party is as we approach 2018 (elections). Let (MDC T leader Morgan) Tsvangirai be stressed and anyone who is dreaming of defeating us next year should be awoken from their slumber and face reality. We have seen what the other three provinces did when they hosted the Presidential Youth Interface rallies, let’s go a notch higher and fill up Somhlolo Stadium,” said Cde Moyo.

Provincial youth chairperson Cde Mbongeni Dube said they were finalising their list of issues which were affecting youths in the province which they were going to present to President Mugabe.

“We have already held our inter-district meetings and we are now finalising the document which we will forward to our President. As we approach the interface we will have a clean-up campaign here in Lupane and on the day before the youth interface we will have a carnival where we are aiming to march from as far as Jotsholo to the venue,” said Cde Dube.

Also present at the meeting were Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Development, Professor Jonathan Moyo, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises and Co-operatives Development Minister, Cde Sithembiso Nyoni and Deputy Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Cde Thokozile Mathuthu.

Cde Malinga was accompanied by national commissar in the Youth League, Cde Innocent Hamandishe. The Presidential Youth Interface rallies give youths a platform to meet and present their challenges to President Mugabe and are being held in all the country`s 10 provinces. To date the President has held these rallies in Mashonaland East, Manicaland and Masvingo provinces.

Meanwhile, President Mugabe on Friday left the country for Singapore for a routine medical check-up. The Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services yesterday said the President was expected back home mid this week. Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko is the Acting President.