Be ready to take baton, youths told

By Miriam Dube

GUTU – AS the sun sets for the Veterans of the struggle, succeeding generations have been called upon to prepare to take up the baton stick of the country’s leadership through sticking to the revolutionary struggle Ideological aspirations.

Addressing multitudes of mourners at the burial of Liberation Hero Mugowe Mubaiwa at Jacobsdale Farm in Gutu’s Ward 32 on Thursday, speakers implored youths to focus on and uphold the revolutionary visions that cost lives and limbs of thousands of other youths who took up the armed struggle for the liberation of this country.

Mubaiwa was conferred with Liberation Hero status following recognition by Zanu PF and the Government for the contribution he made to the nation through the Youth League in which he held various portfolios. The conferment was an appreciation to the contributions being made by young people in upholding the country’s values and contributions towards its vision.

An ever jovial Mubaiwa who was a Church Pastor by calling, was popular in the district and beyond for livening up events by revolutionary and religious songs as well as sermons. A member of the Apostolic Faith Mission in Zimbabwe, Mubaiwa was born on July 21, 1979 in Gutu.

In 2000 he participated in the Gutu Land Reform Programme and in 2003 he underwent the Zimbabwe National Youth Service at Border Gezi. His political career started in 2004 when he became chairperson of Tungamirai Party Cell in Marlborough from which he rose through the ranks to become the Masvingo Provincial Youth League political commissar in 2009. In 2022 he was elected provincial secretary for finance in the same League, a position he held until the time of his death.

Mubaiwa contested for the position of councillor in his Ward 32 in 2013 and 2023 and was also an active member of the Gutu Pastors Fratenal. Speaking at the burial, Masvingo Minister for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Ezra Chadzamira, said with the Independence Day Commemorations on Thursday, everyone and particularly the youths should reflect on the sacrifice, patriotism and discipline displayed by their peers mostly who left the country to join the struggle for independence, foregoing the luxuries of home. “It is sad to see a number of the country’s young generation being swayed by the neo-colonialistic influencers with their donkey and carrot tactics aimed at taking back what they lost 44 years ago,” Chadzamira lamented.

Calling on the youths to emulate the life lived by the likes of Mubaiwa, who was affectionately known as “Commander”, Minister Chadzamira said the province and the nation at large had lost a cadre who was diligently propelling other youths towards the advocacy and implementation of President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa’s vision.

“Cde Mubaiwa was one of the few who withstood peer pressure that is commonly taking over our young generation as he diligently defended the legacy of the struggle, displaying patriotism, loyalty and consistency against the machinations of detractors bent on obstructing most of our youths from acknowledging the gains that came with the shedding of blood by the freedom fighters,” the Minister said.

With some of the young generation disgruntled and impatient at the veterans of the struggle for what they perceive as a delaying tactics hindering them from taking over the country’s top leadership positions, the Zanu PF Provincial War Veterans’ League chairperson, Brigadier General Gibson Mashingaidze, assured the young generation that they had run their race and were passing on the baton.

“Be assured that War Veterans are not to be in positions of leadership forever. Our sun is setting and we will be leaving the country to the young generation but under assurance that it will be in hands that will not give it back to the imperialists. We are calling upon for patriotic youths like Mubaiwa, who will ensure that the country’s revolutionary gains are safeguarded and that the vision is attained by 2030 and beyond,” Mashingaidze said.

Adding on to these calls, the party provincial chairman, Rabson Mavhenyengwa, said the Liberation Hero status was not for those in top positions or the elderly only, but that any citizen including the youths was eligible provided one was a patriotic, loyal, disciplined cadre, who defended the country from neo-colonialism as displayed by the late Mubaiwa. Harping on discipline within the party, Mavhenyengwa said it was disconcerting that there was jostling for the party structure positions before official launch of the programme. All this was at the expense of progress.

He said jostling was mostly for the District Development Committee positions where groups were lining up before time, in the process disadvantaging progress and distracting those still in positions.

Gutu West Member of Parliament and Zanu PF National Youth League Deputy Secretary for Administration, who is also Politburo member, John Paradza, stirred mourners’ emotions as he openly cried during the whole funeral recounting how Mubaiwa shaped and guided him to the positions he hold now. He said in Mubaiwa, he had lost a valuable party member in his constituency who was irreplaceable. – Rural Communication Service