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Cde Kudzai Chipanga

Innocent Ruwende Senior Reporter
Zanu-PF deputy youth secretary Cde Kudzai Chipanga has castigated Government ministers for prioritising luxury through splashing money on vehicles at the expense of other pressing necessities.

Speaking during the Million-Man-March gathering held to honour President Mugabe at the Robert Mugabe Square in Harare, Cde Chipanga said the youths were concerned about the country’s economy.

“The problem is that there are misplaced priorities. I have never seen you (President Mugabe) changing vehicles, but ministers change cars like shoes. That must be stopped. It is insubordination to change your Government vehicle while President Mugabe has been using the same car for a long time.

Resources used to import maize could be channeled to the local farmers.

“It is also disheartening to note that Government does not have money to pay local farmers who supply maize while it is busy importing maize from Zambia. Government should use that money to pay local farmers and to resuscitate irrigation schemes,” he said.

He castigated Government ministries, parastatals and local authorities for holding workshops at resort towns while channelling meagre funds for development.

Cde Chipanga said youths were also concerned with the level of corruption especially at parastatals like the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) “where new officers buy cars within two months of employment”.

He also called ministers to open opportunities for youths and encouraged them to appoint qualified youths in parastatal boards.

Cde Chipanga implored President Mugabe to lead the nation to economic independence.

“All provinces have agreed that you are our candidate for 2018. Youths and war veterans, we need each other. The war veterans are our fathers. We cannot do without them. We have no option, there is need for unity,” he said.

Cde Chipanga said youths were also concerned with the level of corruption especially at parastatals like the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) “where new officers buy cars within two months of employment”.

He castigated the responsible authorities for delaying implementation of the Youth League’s recommendation to rename the Harare International Airport to Robert Mugabe International Airport.

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Cde Chipanga also urged Government to come up with input schemes for youths as well as provide residential stands in towns and cities.

He said the Youth League had expelled some divisive members and was now a united front.

The Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) information and publicity secretary Cde Douglas Mahiya said war veterans attended the gathering to honour President Mugabe despite earlier indications that they would not attend.

“It was no longer about the youth leadership, but the President. We came because the President has done so and has called us to do so. We are not an opposition. We are part and parcel of the party. You cannot separate the party from the war veterans neither can you separate the war veterans from the party.

“When the President of the party and the leader of the war veterans calls us to be with him or calls us to a meeting, we have to do that. That is what we call in military terms; discipline. We think the event has been successful. For an icon of Africa, it is a success,” he said.

He congratulated the Youth League for holding the “successful” event.

He said after the programme, there is need to go to the grassroots and impart political understanding of the direction being taken by the party.

Cde Mahiya said war veterans welcomed statements by Cde Chipanga admitting that the Youth League needs war veterans.

“They have taken too long to recognise that. War veterans are a force to reckon with. Africa recognises the war veterans and that Zimbabwe today is independent because of war veterans.”

He said war veterans expect the youths to deliver, adding that they will get guidance from the war heroes.

He castigated youths for criticising Government leadership in public.