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More must be demanded from Mugabe

ZANU PF youth on Wednesday demanded jobs and residential stands from Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, but I feel they should have demanded more at the gathering that was organised to pay homage to one of Africa’s longest serving presidents.

Before Wednesday’s historic “million man march” organised by the Zanu PF Youth League, there was a joke circulating on social media that it is "only in Zimbabwe where you find a ruling party holding a demonstration against itself, saying no to unemployment and corruption".

While this joke was created by people who did not understand why the Zanu PF youth was organising the march and “wasting resources that could be deployed elsewhere”, it had an element of truth in it because the youth indeed demand jobs.

They took the march as an opportunity to tell Mugabe that he should do something about his chosen lieutenants, the ministers.

While Mugabe commended the youth for organising a historic march last seen when the liberation war heroes came back into the country at the end of the war, he should have acknowledged the fact that this gathering was also historic in that this was the first time youth from his party directly told him to sort out the mess he has created in government.

Allow me to report on what Zanu PF deputy youth secretary Kudzai Chipanga told Mugabe.

Changing 'cars like shoes'

Chipanga lambasted Mugabe’s ministers for changing cars “like shoes” instead of delivering on their mandate.

“Your excellency, ministers change cars like shoes. That must be stopped. It is insubordination to change your government vehicle while President Mugabe has been using the same car for a long time,” said Chipanga.

He also turned to the issue of farms and told Mugabe that some of the lieutenants he has given land to have turned productive farms into cattle grazing land, while there are still millions out there with no land to farm. He went further and demanded - “although not in so many words” - land for the youth.

“We propose that farms which are not being utilised be downsized so as to benefit the youth who could not benefit 16 years ago since they were still young.”

As if that was not enough, Chipanga demanded the 2.2 million jobs that Mugabe’s party promised Zimbabweans when he was elected back in 2013. While he did not use the “2.2 million” figure, the Zanu PF deputy youth secretary told Mugabe that so many young people with degrees and masters degrees are never given opportunities to sit on the boards of parastatals, as ministers always choose their cronies for these positions.

“Your excellency, the problem is that there are misplaced priorities. It is disheartening to note that government does not have money to pay local farmers who supply maize while it is busy importing maize from Zambia. Government should use that money to pay local farmers and resuscitate irrigation schemes,” he said.

While Chipanga went on to tell Mugabe that the youth also wanted to be given residential stands, among other demands, I feel he should have said more. Maybe he was being diplomatic or was pressed for time since Mugabe arrived a bit late, but this is what I think Chipanga should have added to his list of demands or grievances:

While the grievances Zimbabweans have against Mugabe’s government are too many to mention, I feel there are a few that Chipanga should have raised with Mugabe. He should have asked the president why he does not fire incompetent  and corrupt ministers. In the last couple of months we have seen two ministers showing very high levels of incompetence and corruption that cost the nation millions - if not billions - of dollars, but they have not resigned and were not fired either.

What he should have said

This is something Chipanga should have asked the president.

“Your excellency, we were shocked by the actions of one of your ministers who accused a fellow minister of being ignorant of the indigenisation law and 'treacherous' in his application of the law, and yet when you came back you sided with the minister who was being accused of ignorance.

"As Zanu PF youth we believe the actions of the first minister cost the country billions of dollars and thus he should have resigned. He should resign because that is the honourable thing to do, but since the minister is not honourable and is not willing to bear and carry his cross, why did you not fire him, your excellency?

“Just this week we saw another minister admitting that he had blundered and nearly cost the country millions. Who knows what other blunders this minister has committed? Who knows how many billions we are currently losing under his watch or even under his command? We are not asking too much, your excellency, to demand that this minister should resign - and if he does not want to save face by resigning, you must give him the boot.

“Let me add to that list all those ministers who were involved in the missing $15bn diamond money. You might not have the names of those who were involved, but I am sure you have names of those who were on guard or were supposed to be on guard when these billions went missing.

"Let me also add to the list all government ministers and officials who have externalised billions of dollars that have led to the recent cash shortages. I am sure his excellency the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor will be happy to give you that list. That list should be made public to allow those who want to do the honourable thing of resigning and save face to do so and for those who do not resign, we ask that you fire them."

“Mr President, we know firing incompetent and corrupt people is not one of your great traits, but for the good of the nation this is something you need to do if you really want to empower the majority of Zimbabweans,” Chipanga could have concluded.

* Malcom Sharara is Fin24’s correspondent in Zimbabwe. Views expressed are his own.

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