Harare (New Ziana) – ALL outgoing members of the ZANU PF youth league executive will be co-opted into the party’s Central Committee as ex-officio members as the party puts in motion plans to ensure youths are represented at all levels, President Emerson Mnangagwa, who is the party’s First Secretary, said on Thursday.

The Central Committee is the party’s highest decision-making body outside congress.

Acting secretary for youth affairs, Tendai Chirau, leads the outgoing youth league.

The youth league is currently holding its seventh elective conference, to elect new leadership for posts from deputy secretary and below.

President Emerson Mnangagwa will appoint the youth league secretary, in his capacity as the First Secretary of the party.

Opening the conference, which is being contested by candidates who are 35 years old and below, President Mnangagwa said:“The Central Committee resolved that all outgoing youth league executive members will become ex-officio members of the Central Committee, this will go a long way in infusing a youthful voice across all leadership structures of our party.”

The new youth league national executive, to be chosen via a secret ballot, will be selected from 40 candidates.
Each province nominated four candidates.

All nominated candidates went through a rigorous vetting process and were also expected to meet criteria including, being a registered voter, a fully paid up party member, and having served at least five years at district level or above.

The youth league elections are part of a restructuring process the ruling party is pursuing ahead of the 2023 harmonised elections.

The party is also scheduled to hold its main elective congress in October this year.
New Ziana