Youth league in fix over million-man march

THE Zanu PF youth league is reportedly in a fix on how to fund its much-publicised million-man-march slated for the Africa Day holiday, amid reports the youths have ordered schools and other State institutions to provide free transport to ferry their members to Harare.

Source: Youth league in fix over million-man march – NewsDay Zimbabwe May 13, 2016

by XOLISANI NCUBE/KENNETH NYANGANI/OBEY MANAYITI

In Manicaland, the youth league is said to be struggling to raise money for transport and has
since approached schools in the province to chip in, with those not willing to do so being accused of supporting a rival Zanu PF faction.

This also came as the youth league claimed there were some elements within the party trying to sabotage the event.
“The question is who will

fund the journey plus food given that most of youths involved are unemployed?” a party insider queried.

“This is going to be a big flop due to lack of money to ferry the youths, more so, we don’t expect such a huge number to be accommodated by any structure in Harare, as even in an open space it’s impossible.

“The place earmarked for the event (an open space adjacent to the Harare Magistrates’ Court) at most, can only carry 250 000 people standing. The question is: Where will one million youths fit?”

Zanu PF deputy youth secretary Kudzanai Chipanga could neither confirm nor deny reports that they had commandeered school buses to transport the youths.

“Each province will have to bring enough delegates to meet the one million number. The modalities of how this will be done, it is up to provincial structures, not us. We are only offering the youths and party members an opportunity to come and show solidarity to our leader Cde Robert Mugabe,” he said.

Chipanga said they would on Saturday descend on Midlands province, where a section of the youth league has accused Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s loyalists of trying to sabotage the event along factional lines.

“We will be going to Gweru this Saturday. All is set for the mobilisation rally,” he said.

The march is said to be the brainchild of the Generation 40 faction meant to torpedo Mnangagwa’s bid to succeed Mugabe.