Zanu PF grabs Youth Council seats

via Zanu PF grabs Youth Council seats – NewsDay Zimbabwe August 31, 2015

Zanu PF youths last week grabbed all the seven contested posts at the Zimbabwe Youth Council, raising fears that all future government-funded youth developmental projects would be implemented in a partisan manner.

by XOLISANI NCUBE

Among those elected into the board last week were party Youth League secretary for administration Lewis Matutu, who will head the political and governance unit of the council, Zanu PF-linked Zimbabwe Congress of Students Union president Tonderai Chidawa (advocacy and education), Vivian Bhanhire (Sports, Arts and Culture), Youth Alliance Against Corruption leader, Gilbert Musungwa (environment and tourism) and Misheck Mutandwa (mining), Kudakwashe Ndawara (health and welfare) and Trisheila Ziwila (agriculture).

The youth council is a quasi-government organisation tasked with assisting in the development and implementation and educating youths on income generating projects.

It is understood that top Zanu PF officials directed that the executive elected at Mukwati Building last Thursday, should not include opposition activists.

“The Zanu PF headquarters made it clear that no one who is not a party member should get an opportunity to be elected to the board. As that was not enough, certain party members who are linked to a faction allegedly fronted by Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere were not supposed to win as they were accusing them of being a reformed Gamatox,” an official source said.

According to the Youth Council Act Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment minister Chris Mushohwe is mandated to appoint a 15-member board with seven of them being elected while eight would be directly appointed based on their technical expertise.

Mushohwe yesterday confirmed that his office was reconstituting the Youth Council Board, but refused to disclose its new composition.

“At an appropriate time, we shall inform you who has been appointed into the board,” he said.

But the source said the ministry had already done the interviews and shortlisted several youths for appointment.
But they were analysing the names before forwarding them to the President’s Office for further scrutiny and subsequent appointment.

Zanu PF activist Tendai Wenyika, radio personality Ruvheneko Parirenyatwa, Melody Mbire and William Chaitezvi have reportedly been shortlisted for appointment.

Opposition parties have accused Zanu PF of abusing the Youth Council to further its interests especially towards election time.