via Zanu PF’s youth leader digs in – DailyNews Live by Mugove Tafirenyika 6 APRIL 2014
Zanu PF Youth League boss Absolom Sikhosana has rubbished calls for him to resign to pave way for young blood.
The 61-year-old Sikhosana told the Daily News in an interview yesterday that while he was appointed by President Robert Mugabe, it would be unwise for the youth wing to be headed by a youth in the strictest sense of the word as it would become “a child-headed family”.
Said Sikhosana: “Whoever told you at the Daily News that one has to be a youth to lead the youths must be sick. As a country, we are battling to help child-headed families, yet you think they should be left to lead themselves.
“Moreover, it is the prerogative of the president to appoint the boss of the (youth) league and nobody should tell me when to step aside.”
There is a feeling among youths in the ruling party that Sikhosana has had his time and that at 61, he no longer represents their aspirations.
Mugove Chisvo, national vice president of the Zanu PF-affiliated Zimbabwe Congress of Students Union (Zicosu) said youths should be left to lead their wings in politics.
“While experienced hands are certainly required to give direction, they should be given space to take the lead because they do not only have the intellectual capacity but also the much needed energy to run around,” Chisvo said.
The youths argue Sikhosana can be deployed to other portfolios in the politburo to give the youth league an opportunity to effectively challenge their political rivals in the battle of ideas.
The youths said it was imperative that this had to happen for Zanu PF to have life after the next elections.
But Varaidzo Mupunga, Zanu PF provincial youth member, believes the youth wing needs the experience of Sikhosana.
“Youths need elderly guidance and hand-holding to avoid a situation where young leaders make politically suicidal decisions,” Mupunga said.
Other political parties are headed by fairly younger leaders, with Morgan Tsvangirai’s youth wing led by 36-year-old Solomon Madzore, while the Welshman Ncube’s MDC youths are led by 29-year-old Gideon Mandaza.
Tererai Sithole, secretary general of the Zimbabwe National Students Union, said Sikhosana’s continued leadership of Zanu PF youths was tragic.
A Zanu PF youth, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the Daily News they could not go into the 2018 elections with Sikhosana as the youth leader because then he will be 65.
“That will be embarrassing and president Mugabe should correct that anomaly,” said the youth.
COMMENTS
Well Mugabe says he feels like a child, so Sihkosana is a mere infant at 61, right?
How is it that we are oppressed by these simpletons. What is wrong with us that we cannot get rid of them.
Yep. Good question!
Another idiot who just can’t step down and make way for others. It’s a national disease. Not only is he like Bob but he uses an analogy that makes no sense. The youth league is not made up of children but young adults. His paternalism and condescension disqualifies him. Throw him out.
common sense sikhosana are you young?
PGA!
He feels he is a youth because middle age in his party is when you reach 90.
That is the problem with appointments, you just hope the day would come one day unlike elections. Very unhealthy indeed for democracy!!!
He is obviously senile like Mugabe.
AUTOCRACY IS WHAT CAUSES A 90 YEAR OLD TO SAY THAT DL GET ME RIGHT HEY ?
What can this man offer to the youth since his approach to certain issues are weird to say the least.I remember one day in a meeting when he was campaigning for Mr G Mlilo to be the mayor of BYO he said once he is elected he would bring the Zambezi river water to Byo.I left him to finish his misguided talk then after his speech, I raised my hand to question him.When I started my question I reminded him that this proposed project has been in the pipeline before he was born,he turned a bit red with anger to say the least.Then I asked him how this G Mlilo will manage to get it started after such a long time of waiting.I then told him that over exaggerating complicated issues and simplifying them its not good for the party because when this candidate fails to implement the promised projects the public will be forced to blame the party wrongly when the claim was done by an individual with a political agenda.
The truth of the matter is that this guy is using the portfolio so as to get access to the looting trough. He couldn’t care less about the welfare of the youths he purportedly represents. All that is important to him is that the president trusts him enough to have appointed him to a senior position, and therefore gives him access to various resources he can loot with impunity. Even if Mugabe created a ministry of idiots (which he probably should), there are those who would gladly accept leadership of such just to gain access to fancy cars and the whole gravy train. Hazvishimise!!