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Cde Gomwe

THE Zanu-PF Youth League Harare Province has over the past few weeks been in turmoil amid reports of blatant interference by some  members of the main wing principally provincial chairman Cde Amos Midzi and Politburo member Cde Tendai Savanhu. A sub-plot to the infighting has been revelations that some forces are bent on derailing the First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe from taking over the reins of the national Women’s League, a move which has been endorsed by the Women’s and Youth Leagues. Our Senior Political Writer Tichaona Zindoga (TZ) caught up with Harare provincial youth chairman Cde Godwin Gomwe (GG), who – along with other youth leaders – wants to brief President Mugabe about the goings on in the province, to discuss these and other issues.

TZ: We understand that the Youth League wants to receive and brief President Mugabe when he comes back from China. What are the issues that you want to tell him?
GG: First of all, we would like to welcome the President for the successful visit to China where he signed a number of lucrative deals. Secondly, we want to reaffirm to the President that the Youth League stands by him and the First Lady Amai Mugabe.

We have our concerns as Harare Youth League stemming from the interference that is coming from some members of the main wing who are giving us instructions on how to conduct our affairs as the Youth League.

This interference also manifested itself during the just ended Youth Conference where Harare Province chairman Amos Midzi, Politburo member Tendai Savanhu and Noah Mangondo (Central Committee member) gave us instructions to elect Varaidzo Mupunga as the Secretary for Administration. As the chairman, I was not given the role to interact with the youths as they view me as a threat and have been trying to surround me with their loyalists. As the youth chairman I know that the youths had their choice for the position of secretary for administration in Cde Innocent Hamandishe but Cde Midzi and company spread the word that Cde Hamandishe was not wanted by the party. In fact, he was called by Cde Mangondo who threatened him that he would be arrested and that he had received an instruction from party secretary for administration Cde Didymus Mutasa that he shouldn’t stand. Apart from influencing the process by dropping names, they also gave district chairmen some money to vote in a particular manner and we have the evidence in which the chairmen got and signed for US$10. I was never consulted or advised on such monies nor had I knowledge of the purpose.

During the conference, after the election of Cde Mupunga I got intelligence to the effect that I was going to be dealt with. I was accused of having lost control of the province and of insubordination.

TZ: What did you do after learning about these things?
GG: After the youth conference, along with seven other provincial youth chairmen, we approached the President and each of us outlined what we were encountering in our respective provinces. We told him about the interference which had rendered us powerless. We highlighted that those who were interfering had the agenda of toppling President Mugabe in December. After three days Cdes Midzi, Savanhu and Mangondo mobilised  some youths to sign a petition for the passing of a vote of no confidence in me.

They used three youth executives, namely provincial commissar Tendai Diwa, Brian Wenjere (deputy secretary for Information); and Munyaradzi Mugomoza (business and liaison). They coerced district chairpersons alleging that senior party members were unhappy that I had embarrassed them before the President.
The move to institute the so-called vote of no confidence is unconstitutional because a vote of no confidence is not passed by district chairpersons.

TZ: It would seem that matters have come to a head following the nomination of the First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe to lead the Women’s League. What is really happening?
GG: When Amai was nominated and endorsed by the Women’s League as Harare Province Youth League we sent our young women along and when the Youth League met in Mazowe to endorse the nomination, I co-ordinated the youths to go there, but it was when I was confronted by Diwa who asked a lot of questions and said that Cde Midzi did not know about the meeting. As a result, youths from Epworth (where Cdes Diwa and Midzi come from) did not turn up and some of them phoned me to report that they had been barred from attending the event because Cde Midzi did not know and approve of the programme. When they saw the event on television they also phoned to inquire and I told them that indeed the programme had gone ahead.

From all this we see a hidden agenda on the part of Cde Midzi and company. They didn’t think we had knowledge of their shenanigans and it is for this reason that they do not want me as chair approaching Congress because they see me as a stumbling block to their plans. The same issue of the Mazowe meeting is what led to the assault of Cde Takataka as he was accused by Cde Savanhu of mobilising youths without his consent as MP and Politburo member for Mbare. Cde Savanhu believes that he should bless every programme by youths, which is wrong because it constitutes interference.

TZ: In light of this do you feel free or safe to conduct your life and party business?
GG: I do not feel safe because they are planning a war against me and plotting to have youths rise against my leadership using propaganda and money. I currently do not enjoy a good working relationship with Cde Midzi as he is circumventing me in party programmes while he wants to act as the de facto youth chairman.

TZ: Can you shed light on allegations that some senior party members were not happy that you defeated Cde Jimu Kunaka in the last elections?
GG: That is a fact, when I won the elections they did not welcome me and were not happy. Even today, they still give some programmes to former chairman Kunaka. I am being accused of having bulldozed my victory because I did not have the blessing of Cdes Midzi, Savanhu and Mangondo.

TZ: Has the Youth League been given any directions to conduct its daily activities or chant particular slogans?
GG: Yes, on July 19 during an inter-district provincial conference that was attended by Cde Mutasa we were forced to chant the slogan that said, “Pamberi naPresident Mugabe, Pamberi naVice President Mujuru, Pamberi naNational Chair Cde SK Moyo, Pamberi naSecretary for Admin Cde Mutasa”.

We were shocked and some youths openly questioned this new development saying we traditionally knew that only President Mugabe was mentioned in the slogans. The youths asked me how this could be especially when party commissar Cde Webster Shamu had at the Chinhoyi National People’s Conference stated that no other name should be sung or chanted in party slogans.

TZ: So you have a full plate ahead of meeting the President?
GG: Yes, and as the Youth League we would also want to express our unhappiness with the Minister of Youth who has done nothing for the youths and when he comes to our meetings he even attacks us that we are dirty yet with our dirt we campaigned for the party to win the last elections resoundingly.