Source: Shut up: Youths tell war veterans – DailyNews Live Mugove Tafirenyika • 27 April 2016
HARARE – The bad blood between war veterans aligned to embattled Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Zanu PF youths linked to the Midlands godfather’s ruling party enemies, the Generation 40 (G40) group, is getting worse by the day.
Consumed by factional interests and miffed by what they see as a condescending view towards them by the country’s former freedom fighters, Zanu PF youths associated with the influential G40 faction bluntly told the war veterans leadership yesterday to “shut up” as the former liberation movement’s succession wars continue to escalate.
This came after a faction of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) linked to Mnangagwa suggested earlier this week that the youths’ planned one million-man march next month was threatening to become a monumental disaster because they allegedly lacked the stamina to organise such a massive event.
In addition, there had also been earlier claims by the youths that some war veterans and senior Zanu PF officials were working frantically to scuttle the march, fearing that this would be used to ratchet up the current pressure that is being exerted inside the party on Mnangagwa and his close allies.
Party deputy secretary for the youth, Kudzai Chipanga — while at pains not to appear disrespectful of the war veterans yesterday — told the Daily News that the former freedom fighters should “shut up” if they had nothing constructive to contribute to the march, which the youths claim is to show solidarity with President Robert Mugabe.
“We will not wait for the so-called ideological lessons (from war veterans) while the party, the president and the country are under threat.
“We cannot afford to disengage from the battle-field so that we go to school because by the time we are back from school the country will be gone yet it is in the interest of Zanu PF youths and the country at large to see the president rule until death do us part,” he said.
Chipanga added that their planned May demonstration was part of their “war in defence” of Mugabe and the party “against foreign and internal enemies, seeing that we now have more opposition parties than ever before”.
“Moreover, we have seen some of us selling out the revolution. We also saw what happened with the likes of (former Vice President Joice) Mujuru, Rugare Gumbo and Didymus Mutasa.
“We cannot afford to fold our arms under those circumstances saying we are waiting for (Victor) Matemadanda’s lectures.
“If war veterans have anything new to teach us that is not enshrined in our Constitution, then they are welcome because they brought the freedom we have now, including the freedom to march, but they should use the proper channels, so that the Zanu PF central committee can consider including them in the Constitution,” he said.
Chipanga’s stinging rebuke came after suggestions by Matemadanda that the youth league’s planned march was being organised secretly and that the G40-aligned youths had allegedly failed to mobilise effectively for the event.
“That is why some people think that this is a factional thing because if it is supposed to be a State occasion, it must be told to people who should help in time through proper communication channels and not to tell a person what they must do at a rally or try to character assassinate,” Matemadanda told State media on Monday.
But Chipanga scoffed at the suggestion, saying Matemadanda should “shut up unless he has just been blessed with the gift of prophecy to predict that we have failed to mobilise even before the event”.
“We have since directed our provinces to report any problems they may face to us so that we can engage those involved in sabotaging the event because we want all stakeholders including the women’s league and even the war veterans to be part and parcel of the march.
“We are well on course in terms of our mobilisation and I think Matemadanda should be someone who has just received a new (prophetic) blessing,” Chipanga added sarcastically.
COMMENTS
It use to be you have respect for your Elders. Now since Zimbabwe is under a trance of living a Western life style, I guess disrespecting your elders is a common thing now, as it is in the Western world. The youth want to do a million youth march for what? To take their lazy asses out and demand free money from institutions and private business concerns. This is what Zimbabwe is turning into. A country with no work ethics taught to the next generation as the current generation does the same. When children see the Elders and parents doing bad things, the youth automatically does the same thing. You lead by example.
Zimbabwe needs to teach its youths that in order for them to be prosperous for the next generation of the country, they need to be taught a work ethic and earn what they need. Nothing is owed to this next generation because they fought for nothing, but waiting for the hands outs the government has been marketing to them for the past 2 decades, and policies to take from other investing business concerns that have nothing to do with so called marginalize Zimbabweans. Yes Zimbabwe where keep out of the mainstream business interest in the country during the Smith regime. So all that was under white colonial rule. So if the country wants to adjust the playing field push Indignation only to the Europeans who want to do business in Zimbabwe, because they are the only ones who profited and took advantage of the native population. Minister Zhuwao and government seems to want to setup a welfare state like the U.S. has done with blacks and other minority and it keeps them from earning and working to take their place in the future of economic growth. It makes them lazy and this is the problem in Zimbabwe. Government itself now has caused the problem with bad operations, corruption, at all levels and the youth looks at this and think it is okay to take from other Zimbabweans. You see the facts are yes white colonial rule made Zimbabweans suffer and still do up until today. But the major problem is the key government officials that do not have a clue of what and how to move the economy forward. Zimbabwe cannot keep using this useless mantra of the sanction from the West have cost them $45 Billion over the last decade. When those sanctions are nothing and minor at best. It should not stop Zimbabwe from opening up it economy to the world. This problem is government official have become so comfortable lining their own pockets and not held accountable. Who’s fault is it the supposedly $15 Billion has been lost in diamond revenue? The West or internal forces. Zimbabwe has huge resources but have dummies in charge of these offices and do not have a clue of what they are doing but keep getting these positions only to prove their incompetence. This is not an insult, these are the facts. Mining for instance, what experience do the current Minister and Perm Secretary have in the mining industry? None. Minister of Finance, what background does he have in Finance. None, he is a trained Attorney working for Justice Most of his professional term. Minister of Agriculture, what experience does he or have ever studied in the Agriculture markets before he got that office? None. 3 of the most important positions that moves a country and all three offices are clueless and have no idea what they are doing, but destroying the country with their ignorance. No disrespect, just facts… High government cannot continue to just shuffle incompetent people in positions of great important to move the country forward. Minister of Indeginsation, what experience? Related to the President. You see positions are supposed to be issued for the best interest of the country, not for political posturing. But government has become self serving, and it is obvious. There are competent people in all parties here but leadership seems to want to keep everything political. Government cannot continue to say they love the people of Zimbabwe only if you are of the ruling party. It does not make sense. Are not all native Zimbabweans the people of this country, or are they being pushed on party politics. You cannot as a government say you love Zimbabweans on only cater to those within your house. Is Zimbabwean under this new so called constitution of democracy supposed to have the freedom of choice no matter what party is in office? Or is it just a rouse to keep socialism and the feel of dictorship in the peoples mind. This is what the Smith regime practices of Zimbabwean people. And if it was wrong when the white colonials ruled this country, it is wrong with it is practice with a black face. I personally do not care about the so called Western countries stopping Zimbabwe from moving forward. Like this IMF foolishness. We have Finance wasting time looking to borrow more money to pay arrears to the IMF, World Bank and African development bank. It is the dumbest thing I have ever heard of from stand point of reducing debt. You cannot from one source to pay another source and not still hold the same debt but only now to new creditors. And then asking for new credit to fall even deeper in debt. Stupidity is at all time high. And the IMF, World Bank and others are only laughing at Zimbabwe as they move of this foolishness. In the meantime resources sitting that could and can relieve all financial burdens but again, dummies in charge of those offices. With the current resources Zimbabwe has, we could remove all external debt and have a minimum of a $20 Billion dollar GDP within 24 months. Facts. Ask yourself why is it so hard for government to wake up and see clearly and stop being distracted from criminal bodies like the IMF, AND WORLD BANK to do what is necessary to move forward with ease. It’s because people at the top levels are still afraid of the White powers. They may say they are not from their mouth, but the actions of Zimbabwe prove different. You see the white race have intimidated the rest of the world for so long. Even when you have physical independence you are still a slave in your mind to what the colonial ruler left you. So those still give the former oppressors control over our daily actions. For all that it is worth. Zimbabwe still has the greatest potential of any country in Africa to develop at a top level and be dominant within the region and continent. Zimbabwe, ask yourself this question. If the whites of the western order think the country is so badly run and in bad position. Why do Whites come to Zimbabwe everyday looking for deals and resources? Because these same white people and other races know. If they are not on this continent to take or steal resources their worth home countries cannot survive. This is the power of Zimbabwe. To my brothers and sisters, and leadership and all parties native to this country. Do the right things, stop being divided on outside sources want to keep you unstable? Look in the mirror; we are all black Natives of this country are we not Zimbabwean no matter what tribe you are from. Start to act like a people that love and respect each other. Then you will see the fear on your enemies faces. That is your enemies worst fear, is for Zimbabweans to be as one, walk as one and prosper as one. That is called real unity. Peace to all my African people worldwide. Who will love us, if we do not love are selves first? This is not about the Colonial West and other that want to keep living for free off our resources. This is about black Zimbabweans, period. The same way the whites when the ruled all about whites. NEVER APOLOGIZE FOR YOUR BLACK THOUGHS, YOUR BLACK LOYALTIES, YOUR BLACK MOTIVES, YOUR BLACK HISTORY, YOUR BLACK PRIDE, OR YOUR BLACK SKIN, BE STRONG, BE PROUD, BE UNAPOLOGETICALLY BLACK. Because the facts are when have you ever heard of your former oppressor apologizing for the Whiteness and their race, for anything they have ever done to any people worldwide? So why should you?
Blaming others for ones misfortune is the nom de Guerre of most . We are no different and that includes all people. The problem we face in our beloved country is people are treating Mugabe as a god or a devil who is to be feared by the masses but respected by that small clique of misfits who believe everyone else must do as we say or else. The war vets are demanding respect only and they know none is being given. Let these youths begin to respect themselves first , understand how the country was built , the hardships every one faced to build the country etc and maybe they will respect all people. By being indoctrinated to hate others by ZANU , this has created all our problems. ZANU must learn from their past and evolve. At the moment ZANU is setting a bad precedent for all youths .
Could the youth of today be lazy layabouts because ZANUpf have destroyed all job opportunities? Elders deserve respect, but first they have to earn it. The behaviour of the current elders provokes disrespect. Mugabe would probably have retained a modicum of respect if he had retired at the right time to a modest rural homestead, too late now.