via Zanu PF youths push for Mugabe Day – NewsDay Zimbabwe February 10, 2015
THE Zanu PF Youth League is pushing government for the declaration of President Robert Mugabe’s date of birth as a national holiday in honour of the President, NewsDay has learnt.
Mugabe turns 91 next week on Saturday.
Party secretary for youth affairs in the Zanu PF politburo Pupurai Togarepi told the party’s newspaper, People’s Voice, that February 21 would be dedicated towards celebrating Mugabe’s political achievements since independence in 1980.
He said the proposed Robert Mugabe Day would be celebrated in the same manner South Africa commemorates Nelson Mandela Day.
“As (Zanu PF) Youth League, we are proposing that there must be ‘Robert Mugabe Day’ on our national calendar in recognition of the immense contributions he has made to Zimbabwe,” Togarepi said.
But the opposition MDC-T yesterday denounced the proposal, saying declaring a holiday in honour of Mugabe was tantamount to “personalisation and deification” of prominent political figures.
MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu said there was no logic in the Zanu PF youths’ request.
“As the MDC, we are against personalisation and deification of our political heroes. There is absolutely no sound and logical reason why Zimbabwe should set aside a public holiday to commemorate the so-called Robert Mugabe Day,” Gutu said.
“We already have Heroes Day holiday on our calendar and its main purpose is to pay homage to the gallant sons and daughters of the soil who paid the ultimate sacrifice to ensure that we gain our independence in April 1980. Robert Mugabe is one of the several nationalists who played a prominent role in our struggle for independence and, as such, there is absolutely no need to create a public holiday.”
Gutu added: “There are several other heroes like Herbert Chitepo, Joshua Nkomo, Josiah Tongogara, Alfred Nikita Mangena and several other national heroes of the same national standing if not higher than Mugabe. Does it mean, therefore, we should have a Herbert Chitepo Day, a Josiah Tongogara Day, Joshua Nkomo Day and so forth? Should that be the case, then every day in Zimbabwe will be a public holiday.”
However, political analyst Ernest Mudzengi described the proposal as sensible.
“Personally, I don’t see anything wrong with having such. Mugabe is a liberation war icon and that is a fact. I don’t think it’s wrong. However, what we don’t need is honouring him in a partisan manner for what he did. The liberation struggle was not for Zanu PF alone, but for Zimbabwe,” Mudzengi said.
“I appreciate his role in the liberation struggle. There have been mistakes he did along the way, but if the call is genuine and not driven along partisan politics, I don’t see anything wrong.”
COMMENTS
I am personally completely against having a Robert Mugabe day.
Mr Mugabe does not represent anything that I would wish to celebrate.
I still don’t see who’s been liberated. People might have started out with that idea but at the moment we are in the worst bondage of our history. No work. Ruled by a Dictator. Harassed and robbed blind by the Police. Cheated blind by the ministers in this Government.
“As (Zanu PF) Youth League, we are proposing that there must be ‘Robert Mugabe Day’ on our national calendar in recognition of the immense contributions he has made to Zimbabwe,” Togarepi said.
Yes he has contributed to the total destruction of our transport network. Contributed to the total dismantling of our food security. Contributed to the destruction of what was the strongest currency in the world. Co Contributed in enriching the Chinese.
” There have been mistakes he did along the way, ”
He is the biggest mistake to happen to Zimbabwe. He is no hero.
To the contrary, I am completely supportive of yhe idea. However, rather tham the 21st, which he has in his bad already as his birth day, how about the day he ‘broke his fall’?
That would be ideal. Even Jonso will be chuffed – as he who coined the broken fall retoric.
For me Robert Mugabe day is the day he fell. Most people felt happy – sadly.
How can someone even suggest this? Mugabe may have been a hero up to a point(Feb 1981) but at this moment in time he is no hero at all and hasn’t been for the last 33 years.
He will be remembered for the butchering of more than 20,000 innocent people from the Midlands and Matebeleland, clinging to power at all costs including endorsing the of killing of opponents(2008), totally destroying the economy, being so racist, driving millions of citizens to exile because of his misrule, making Zimbabweans a laughing stock, rendering the Zimbabwean dollar worthless and I can continue on and on.
Despite all these glaring failings he still wants to cling to power when he is clearly not fit enough for office and can’t even negotiate five steps. A hero would step aside and say because of advanced age I would like someone else to take the mantle but not so for Robert, he will stick in there at the expense of the rest of the populace.
Mugabe is the worst thing ever happened to Zimbabwe.
Its a good idea!
It’s a brilliant idea because this is all that Zanuidiots can think off. They jostle to outdo each other in licking Mugabe’s bums. None ever come up with anything that is good for the nation.
Zvimbwasungata..vabivepfumi, varoyi, mhondi. Even you idiots are not free which is why you line up to sing praises to this sick old man. You are damn scared of your very shadows…disgraceful imbeciles the whole lot. Calling for a Mugabarge day when all 365days are a Mugabarge holiday as he single-handedly killed the economy and industry.
Zimbabweans !!
We have been waiting for this important day ever since. No mater how much you can oppose. MUGABE’s 21st Feb movement Day SHOULD BE A PUBLIC HOLIDAY.
They don’t do any work as it is, so what would another ‘holiday’ matter to the idiots?