We Came, We Marched and We Heard.

Cde Nick Mangwana

Readers of this column know that we try to be as objective as possible. We are no enemy to nobody. We are only enemies of actions that damage the party that we love, the party that we have put ourselves in harm’s way for. So if today a comrade’s message is off-key, we will tell them off in a comradeship spirit. But if a comrade is on point with their message then we will give them their due credit and accolades.

The Youth Deputy Leader Cde Kudzai Chipanga was on song during the 1 Million March. If there was any confusion about what the 1 million March was for, if some didn’t understand what the youth had in mind, this time they had a message that resonated with the Frank One.

Top of the messages is the love for resorts by parastatals and government ministries which should be curbed. These are clandestine holidays taken by these executives at the expense of the public purse under the guise of seminars and symposia whose outcome never translate into a service delivery positive.  People that have boardrooms, some even have seminar rooms but they have to travel to Victoria Falls which is nearly 1000 km away to meet and hold a seminar with people that they work with, the facilitator is probably the only person who doesn’t work in that building. How does that even begin to make sense at all? And these are parastatals that are technically insolvent or ministry which are struggling. And yet when El Nino strikes, we look to donor agencies to assist and yet our own resources we fritter away.

These are the type of things Cde Chipanga gathered the youth to tell the President on their behalf. Of they honoured the Icon but beyond all the eulogies and honour there was a message. The love of cars was rightly labelled a sign of misplaced priorities. Idzo Ford Ranger idzi? Chegore rino! (These Ford Rangers! Lord have Mercy). You hear so much mourning, so much pining and complaining. Just go and see what is parked outside government buildings. These are not visitors. These are ministers and civil servants and the parastatal directors doing their thing. The country is not primed to sustain this type of ostentatious show-off. Some people really need an infusion of humility and modest. When Cde Chipanga sang that verse he was on tune.

The next verse on tune was these ZIMRA officers who work for customs. Why does dishonesty have so much impunity in our country that a person that earns less than a thousand dollars buys a car within a few months of getting a job without borrowing from the employer nor bank and the employer doe not bats an eye lid?  This had to be said to the President and if the the youth marched to tell their Icon this then the March was worthy all the effort. For they sang in tune with the rest of the nation.

In fact, the anti-corruption noise within the party is gaining momentum in such a great way and the youth are at the centre of it. The beauty of this is that once we start making the noise ourselves as a party, we take the initiative away from the opposition. If they start talking about the same things we are at the fore front to fight, it appears like they have no agenda except that which is Zanu PF. Where our problem will remain on is on the arrest of those doing these malfeasances. We are making too much noise without action and end up looking like we are blowing hot air. Are we? We have said over and over again that the difference between us and the corrupt opposition is that we have State power and therefore our responsibility to do something. If we fail to act, ZANU PF is a failure.

We have said that whenever one hears the same thing over and over again in monotone, they will become deaf that tone. Are we getting to that position with corruption?  That’s for another day.

Let’s go back to what the youth said. Zim Asset Cluster on Food Security raises the need for the nation to do more grain farming than tobacco. How can farmers be incentivised to do that when the GFMB goes months without paying them for the delivered grain? Where we differ with the Youth is we understand why the importation of the maize was necessary as there was not enough locally to alleviate the hunger in some provinces but that does not excuse the treatment we are giving to those that deliver maize to the GMB.

There is no better test of our convictions than our priorities. Are our priorities cars or delivery of good outcomes to our people? How about a lot of other crimes we prioritise but ignore the real fight that is out there; corruption. Are we not found wanting in this conviction test? A conviction is a commitment to what we stand for. Well, this party is broad based Mass Party. In short we should stand for the people. Our conviction should be about the people.

We need deadlines now in this fight against corruption. Now that the Youth rose and showed their love for our President and galvanised the party. The party should give something back in return for this grand deed. We should do create an enabling environment for companies to create jobs. That does not sound like much to ask for the youth. After all they turned around and showed a lot of respect to our war veterans. Let us laud this unifying gesture and tap their exuberance. They are not canon fodder for politicians but a future generation upon which the hope of every nation is built. But in Zimbabwe we are risking a lost generation.

The candour of the youth has been heard. Zimbabwe was not built on fear. It is built on brave determination from those whose future depends on achieving great outcomes. Now that we have marched and we gathered together in solidarity with our President, let us turn around and do something to keep the love of our youths, so we don’t waste their youthful years. One good turn deserves another.

(First published in The People's Voice 27 May - 3 June 2016)