ZANU-PF axes youth leaders

Harare(New Ziana) – The ruling ZANU-PF party on Wednesday axed three of its top youth leaders for indiscipline, days after they issued controversial public statements.

Party youth affairs secretary, Pupurai Togarepi, was fired from his post, while his deputy Lewis Matutu and secretary for the commissariat Godfrey Tsenengamu were suspended for one year by the Politburo, ZANU-PF’s highest decision-making body, at its meeting on Wednesday.

Announcing the decision, party acting spokesman, Patrick Chinamasa said the Politburo had noted with concern traits of indiscipline displayed by the trio, and unanimously decided to take action against them.

Of particular concern, he said, were statements the trio continued to issue outside the party fora, despite being advised to do so internally in ZANU-PF first.

Earlier in the week, claiming they were speaking in their individual capacities, Matutu and Tsenengamu held a press conference and accused some of the country’s leading businessmen of corruption, including involvement in illegal foreign currency trading, and gold smuggling.

Their actions, the duo claimed, were hugely responsible for driving the economy into its current difficulties, and called for urgent action to be taken against the businessmen.

Togarepi, who was not at the press conference, later backed his juniors, and vowed that party youths will continue its controversial anti-corruption crusade.

“The Politburo took note of this irregular modus operandi which is alien to the party’s way of doing its business,” Chinamasa said, announcing the dismissal and suspensions of the three youth leaders.

“It is also important to highlight that previously it happened and the Politburo deliberated and specifically gave a directive that the youth, if they have any problems which are of significance to them, they should raise them in a proper forum,” he added.

Chinamasa said while the party also abhored corruption and related vices, it was important for accusations to be made with evidence, and through the right channels such as police and the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission.

“It is important, of course, to say and emphasise that the party does not condone corruption and as you are well aware that it has set up structures both within the party and at government level of which these can be approached,” he said.

“We basically invite and encourage our general membership that if they are witnesses and have evidence of any corruption against whomsoever, to raise these issues with the relevant authorities, in this case, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission, the Zimbabwe Republic Police and where they think its pertaining to senior party members, they should bring them to the party,” he added.

New Ziana