The Youth Assembly hereby wishes to announce that we stand
guided by our previous position that President Tsvangirai is our candidate for
the watershed 2018 elections. We remain convinced that President Tsvangirai is
our best foot forward and we fully support his candidature as the MDC alliance
President in 2018 elections.
The MDC Youth Assembly will escalate its campaign to have
reforms realised before we go for the watershed elections in 2018. We are aware
of the shenanigans that ZEC is undertaking to scuttle progress with regards to
the preparation of the next elections. We reiterate our commitment to waging a
peaceful campaign for electoral reforms. In this regard we will continue with
our mass peaceful demonstrations to ensure ZEC will deliver a credible and fair
election that will see a leadership chosen by the people in the coming elections.
We are convinced a credible election will result in President Tsvangirai
ascending to the highest office of the land.
It is our considered view that Makarau should be replaced
by a competent fair and neutral candidate. We will not accept any compromised
candidate to assume the chairmanship of ZEC in the likes of the tainted Justice
George Chiweshe.
We are also aware that the first phase of our struggle to
democratise this country has been achieved through the resignation of one
Robert Mugabe. We have always maintained that the road to freedom begins with
removing the impediment to the struggle for emancipation and economic
empowerment. We have achieved that and we move on to the second level of our
struggle which is to dismantle the system that Mugabe and ZANU PF created over
the years.
The meeting noted that there is a serious misinterpretation
of what happened on the 18th of November 2017 when millions of Zimbabweans
marched in several cities doted across the globe. We want to restate that the
people of Zimbabwe who marched with soldiers and their military tanks did that
in pursuit of a departure from the old order of patronage, in which Zimbabwe
was trapped up in. The people of Zimbabwe do not anticipate a replacement of
the old system with an equally clueless and corrupt Zanu PF leadership.
Our people marched in an attempt to express a desire to negotiate
a new contract of governance with those in power. The march was more to do with
forging a contract of self respect and care for one another.
We therefore resolve to demand a state anchored on
constitutionalism, rule of law and respect for human, socio and economic
rights; three things that were absent in both Mnangagwa’s inauguration speech
and Chinamasa‘s 2018 budget.
The Youth Assembly note with concern the continued presence
of the military on our streets. Whilst we appreciate the heroic and brave
efforts of the military in stepping in to assist, we are also concerned that
the deployment of soldiers in several places especially against the vendors is
an abuse of a process that had previously been given goodwill by the people of
Zimbabwe who were tired of the 37 years of misrule under Robert Mugabe.
This deployment of the military is also an impediment in
the holding of a free fair and credible election. We therefore demand that the
leaders of the defence forces own up to their promise and ensure a smooth
return of the gunmen to their barracks. We now await to hear from Major General
S.B Moyo since he is the one who assured the nation that the military
intervention was only going to last for a few days. Without a closing statement
to that effect we will hold him accountable and responsible.
Our meeting also took stock of the so-called weeding out of
criminal elements. The balance sheet reflected in post military intervention
audit of events points to a betrayal of the hope that had been raised in the hearts
of Zimbabweans. We are suspicious of the arrests of just individuals aligned to
the former first lady from hell, Grace Mugabe while factually corrupt
individuals like Obert Mpofu have been retained in the government.
We demand an independent inquiry into the Marange diamonds
scandal particularly the disappearance of 15 billion.
The meeting called for the extension of the voter
registration period after recent disturbances by events in the recent past.
The factional removal of only 3700 youth officers is not
enough to deal with the unnecessary burden of ghost workers. A complete audit
of the civil servants establishment is required.
The Assembly reiterates its full support of the MDC
Alliance framework which we believe is the way forward to bringing about a new
dispensation. We stand fully behind President Tsvangirai in his partnership
with fellow opposition parties to usher in a new democratic state.
Mnangagwa has a lot to do for many of us to believe that he
is capable of running the affairs of the country. We have a few questions that
are critical for him to address. He represents the past and has no role in the
future of this country. Mnangagwa will never find it easy to rule this country
as long as he has not come clean about his role in the 1980s Matabeleland
massacre.
Mnangagwa must come out clean on the 15 billion that was
siphoned out of the diamonds industry. He has to come out clean on the shady
deals that have been happening in the diamond mining industry.
As a show of goodwill, we challenge Mnangagwa to institute
a serious inquiry into the whereabouts of Itai Dzamara, the inquiry must
provide weekly update to the nation and the family of Itai Dzamara as directed
by the courts.
Zanu PF has engaged in corruption over the years and we
demand Mnangagwa to provide answers to what really transpired.
Mnangagwa’s so called new government has deliberately
sidelined youth participation in governance structures. The MDC led by
President Tsvangirai will be a panacea to this unacceptable dereliction of
duty.
Mnangagwa is clearly on a warpath with the generation of
young people by deliberately excluding them from power structures. Having
replaced a 93 year old with a 75 year old it has became obvious that the
trajectory Zanu PF is taking is that of taking this country backwards and never
forward.
Cde Bvondo
MDC YOUTH ASSEMBLY NATIONAL CHAIRPERSON
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