EDITORIAL COMMENT: Youths show  the way President Mugabe
President Mugabe

President Mugabe

President Mugabe yesterday brought the eastern border city of Mutare to a standstill as he moved in with the juggernaut of the Presidential Youth Interface programme.

This was the second leg of the massive rallies being spearheaded by the Zanu-PF Youth League, after the first one in Marondera a fortnight ago. Sakubva Stadium was packed to the brim and thousands of other people overflowed outside the venue.

For those who may be slow to learn, the enthusiasm in Mutare and Marondera is telling of the national mood as Zimbabweans are falling behind President Mugabe and the ruling party.

All to a good cause. The party leads in enunciating the national vision, crafting relevant policies and transforming the livelihoods of the people despite glitches here and there.

This is why the programme of Command Agriculture is by far the most compelling idea on the political market and already other dimensions of the economy are being considered for a holistic and forward thrust. And yesterday,

Mutare reverberated. But that is hardly our biggest take-away of the day. In our view, President Mugabe made an important injunction that the youths in Zanu-PF should be left to pursue their programmes without much interference from unscrupulous members of the main wing.

The context in which he said this is very clear: Zanu-PF is currently facing problems emanating from personality clashes that have so far projected to national status all within a bigger subset of jostling for power and succession. Youth are easy fodder for these schemers who want to strengthen their backs.

The schemers can manipulate and they corrupt. President Mugabe rejected both. Hands off the youth, he said.

The youth and its leadership must not be enticed, induced or bought. Those in the main wing must not project their divisions and poisonous politics on to the youth.

We agree with these sentiments for the main reason that the youth of Zanu-PF are showing stability and leadership which very soon is going to bear nationally. It is a comforting proposition because people often wonder about the calibre of future leaders.

This is why the youth dividend in elections is important and all parties are positioning young people for continuity. Zanu-PF youths are showing not only patriotism — which is Zanu-PF’ second nature — but also massive organisational acumen. It is safe to predict that as the older generation gives way to the younger ones, the transition will be smooth and young leaders are able to carry on the legacy of President Mugabe himself.

The exhortation by President Mugabe that youths must be left alone to pursue their programmes that are in line with the party makes this clear.

The youths do not require hand-holding, but assistance with resources.

They are showing that they can stand on their own two feet.

That is good for both the party of revolution and the country.

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