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Former Vice President Joice Mujuru’s National People’s Party (NPP) youths who rejoined zanu-pf follow proceedings at a Press conference at the revolutionary party’s headquarters in Harare yesterday. — (Picture by Kudakwashe Hunda)

Tendai Mugabe Senior Reporter
More than 20 National People’s Party (NPP) Harare provincial youth league members on Wednesday rejoined Zanu-PF, saying Operation Restore Legacy executed by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) had brought the revolutionary party back to its founding principles. NPP is led by former Vice President Dr Joice Mujuru.

The youths renounced their membership of NPP at Zanu-PF Headquarters before the revolutionary party’s national Commissar Cde Victor Matemadanda and Secretary for Youth Affairs Cde Pupurai Togarepi.

In their statement, the youths said: “We strongly believe in and adhere to the founding values of the liberation struggle. These were discarded when Zanu-PF was captured by the former First Lady (Dr) Grace Mugabe and her G40 cabal.

“It was in defence of the revolutionary legacy that we stood by Mai Mujuru, the former Vice President of Zimbabwe when she was ill treated by the former First Lady.

“Now that Operation Restore Legacy has successfully brought back order in the country, we have, therefore, freely and willingly decided to rejoin the revolutionary party, Zanu-PF, and work together with our freedom fighters and all willing citizens to rebuild our country. This is effective immediately.”

The youths urged Dr Mujuru to retrace her footsteps and find a common ground with her comrades in Zanu-PF. Cde Matemadanda welcomed the youths and commended them for rejoining the revolutionary party. He said unlike his predecessor Mr Saviour Kasukuwere, who always received reports of party members’ expulsion with uncontrolled excitement, he welcomed all people in Zanu-PF.

“Operation Restore Legacy did not end with the ZDF alone, but your coming back to the party is also part of that operation,” said Cde Matemadanda. “Unlike the behaviour of my predecessor who enjoyed playing music each time a party member was expelled, to me losing one party member is like losing your child.

Cde Matemadanda

“I want to be an appeals committee where all those who think that they have been ill-treated should come for recourse. Zanu-PF is a bottomless container that can never be filled. Party decisions are no longer going to be made from the bedroom like what was happening before Operation Restore Legacy.”

In his remarks, Cde Togarepi said: “You are welcome and we are going to walk with you. If you are a commissar, Zanu-PF has a place for you and if you are an economist our President (Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa) made it clear that you should work for development and create employment for our people.

“You are going to be treated with equality and the duty of every Zanu-PF member is to bring the next person into the party. We should preach the gospel of unity wherever we go.

“As the Youth League, we will always defend the revolutionary values and its founding principles.”