We are not Stone Throwers Mr Prime Minister

Too comfortable-MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai too
comfortable to engage the streets

By Blessing Vava

In the previous weeks I wrote an article on my blog, headlined; A pen alone cannot  remove Mugabe and ZANU PF from power,’ a controversial piece which did not go down well with some MDC fanatics. My argument was that it will not be easy for Robert Mugabe and his party ZANU PF to cede power easily after losing an election. In the same line i suggested that in that case the MDC should be prepared to flood the streets and force Mugabe and his cabal out like what we have witnessed in other progressive African countries. Some critics argued that Zimbabweans are streets shy and are afraid of being crushed if they engage the streets. But in any case wherever in the world a violent response and resistance should be expected when you challenge a dictatorship.  But that should not deter citizens who want to free themselves from a dictatorship government that does not respect democratic processes like the one we have in Zimbabwe.  

Radical-File photo of Tsvangirai during his
days at the ZCTU

 If there is serious coordination and mobilisation no sane   Zimbabwean would not want to join a march that wants Mugabe out. Mugabe has become a liability to this country and no one wants him anymore. Change is something that is difficult to accept. And all dictators use fear amongst citizens as a weapon to stay in power. How they fear an organised citizenry and that’s the reason why ZANU PF crafted laws like POSA which bars a certain number of people to gather and also that you have to report any meeting to the police prior to its conduct. Do you think that if a million Zimbabweans are to march to state house today his security forces will open fire? NO I doubt that very much. Even in the late 90s when civic society groups namely the workers and students engaged the streets demanding better wages, salaries and a new constitution the regime succumbed to such pressure. Mugabe is different from Gaddafi he will never open fire to protesters unless he now suffers a mental problem. He is one man who thrives on fear using his intelligence officers and not direct violent response like that of Gaddafi.

So my argument that a mass protest to force Mugabe out is so far one of the best options  if he fails  to accept a defeat in the elections.  In that regard I however found remarks attributed to Morgan Tsvangirai in today’s Herald titled ‘I’m not a revolutionary:  Tsvangirai,’ quite disturbing. The story is based on an interview Mr Tsvangirai had with BBC while in South Africa. He suggests that the struggle is in three phases, one that of throwing stones, secondly the negotiations-GPA and lastly transition. He further suggests that the era of throwing stones is now over, literally translated he is saying he will not engage the streets anymore and that now it’s time for transition from ZANU PF to MDC.  Mr Prime Minister are you saying that during those years when you led millions of workers protesting about their rights, better living conditions and a new constitution you were a stone thrower? Mr Tsvangirai should be careful when using symbolism because  he faces the danger of being quoted and misinterpreted to ZANU's expedience.

Throwing stones might have different meanings, to me stone throwing was a game that we used to play in the rural areas when we were herding cattle. This was usually done at the river. It is also usually associated with student confrontational politics without any worry about the consequences. We were never stone throwers all those Zimbabweans you led during your time in the labour union are not and were not stone throwers but serious and responsible citizens who protested for better living and working  conditions in a Zimbabwe that is governed properly. So if surely what he said to the BBC reporter  are his own words then its rather unfortunate for Tsvangirai to suggest that he was a stone thrower.

ZANU PF, though unpopular are a serious political party who have mastered the art of not accepting results of elections when they have lost. Zimbabweans last voted freely for ZANU PF in 1995 and since then they have been manipulating the electoral processes in their favour so that they continue ruling. Again they will lose the next elections but it won’t be surprising to see them controlling the key components of the state. The MDC should wake up in its slumber and engage the common man in the streets if they are to take over from ZANU PF.

The question is what will the MDC do in the event that ZANU PF does not accept a defeat in the elections? They have already indicated that the streets, negotiations have passed and we are now in transition, we are yet to see if we are indeed going to transcend.  They continue falling in ZANU PF’s silly traps, how they were duped into entering a unity government which initially was said to be a power sharing only to realise that they had ‘imaginary’ powers. Even now they were made to believe that we are in a transition, a transition to where? We are not in a transition ZANU PF is just buying time and they are not going anywhere. Zvazviri!

CORRUPTION NEGATING OUR INDEPENDENCE

By Blessing Vava & Terrence Chimhavi

His song corruption was banned-Exiled musician
Chimurenga Music legend Thomas Mapfumo

Exiled Chimurenga Music legend Thomas Mapfumo is a fiery musician whose music inspired guerrilla fighters during Zimbabwe’s struggle for independence.  A fearless and courageous figure who composed a catalogue of songs  that made him a target of the colonialist government and many a times he found himself  in brushes with law enforcement agents. In the post independent Zimbabwe, Mapfumo or Gandanga as he is affectionately  known,  continued speaking out boldly against social, economic  and political injustices which were now being witnessed in a free Zimbabwe. And in 1989, his smash hit album ‘Corruption’ was banned by the government because the lyrics contained in the song ‘corruption’ were deemed  incorrect by a new black administration who seemed to have  forgotten why they fought a racist government which only favoured a white minority.   The song corruption was produced at the heat of the infamous Willowgate scandal involving cabinet ministers. In the song Mapfumo warned, ‘you can’t get away with corruption watch out my friend they gonna get you, you can’t run away from justice.’  Such was the courage of Mapfumo and as a result the Willowgate scandal claimed jobs and even the life of one cabinet minister Maurice Nyagumbo, who could not stand the embarrassment after his shady deals had been exposed. May His Soul Rest in Peace.

Chief cuprit in the Willowgate Scandal-the late Maurice
Nyagumbo drank poison on the 28th of April 1989
after his shaddy deals had been exposed

Gold fingered-suspended corrupt Town Clerk
Godfrey Tanyanyiwa

Apart from the likes of Mapfumo and Solomon Skuza  raising awareness to the public about the corrupt activities that our dear government was involved in, the media, through newspapers played a critical role in exposing corruption. Those in university even went to the streets to demonstrate against corruption at Willowvale.  Remember the famous demonstrations at UZ by the likes of Arthur Mutambara and Enock Chikweche to mention but a few. All these efforts to a certain extent made corruption a topical subject in Zimbabwe and  indeed, in the years to come ZANU PF paid dearly. Now, like 1987 and with a unity government corruption seems to have taken its toll and like fashion, everyone is wearing it.  It is now a cancer that has been proving difficult to cure. Every day you have to pay an extra dollar than the required for goods or services because of corruption.  Those who are supposed to watch over us have turned to be the biggest threats and cannibals who prey on human flesh for their survival. The fighters of crime have become the biggest perpetrators.

From local to central government, the police and private sector, civic society, corruption is now very rampant and sadly those whom we have given responsibility to run the government are now the biggest culprits. Corruption has seriously affected the smooth running of government and the ordinary Zimbabweans continue bearing the brunt. The 2010 Transparency International corruption index ranked Zimbabwe on number 134. It should be noted that a majority of Zimbabweans are generally poor and are living far below the poverty datum line and the gap between the rich and the poor is widening by day. Against such a background the poor are remaining  poor and the rich getting richer. The system of today is such  that  if you have nothing you can’t get anything. If you want a piece of land to build a house you have to bribe, to pass a roadblock, a bribe, to be attended to in hospital you pay a bribe, to get a job, a bribe,  driver’s licence, passports you pay a bribe.

Such is the level of corruption that has swept the corridors of our society. So the question of the day which always troubles one’s mind is how the low-income earners are surviving in this ‘dog eat dog’ affair?  Thirty two years after independence, a majority of Zimbabweans are still landless despite the Harare administration having claimed to have distributed land. One of the reasons why we fought the colonialist government was because of the uneven distribution of the national cake. AND yet that ‘even’ distribution remains a dream. The reason why we continue to have a black elite controlling the prime land, the same way a white elite did, is because the land was corruptly distributed, in this case along political party lines. The same levels of corruption and nepotism have been taken to the indigenization process and it remains to be seen whether anything positive will come out of the process given the corrupt way through which it is being done. Make no mistake, no indigenous person in their right mind would want to wish away the indigenization process, but this must be done in a transparent and open manner, so that it truly benefits the intended beneficiaries – in this case, the black majority who have and continue to represent poverty in our country.

One of the main reasons why the MDC brought so much hope in the people at its formation was its vivid attack on the corruption and nepotism that was now endemic in Zimbabwe. Zimbabweans are naturally not a corrupt lot (like what we hear of in Nigeria or Equatorial Guinea) and this is the reason why ten years before the MDC was formed, Edgar Tekere, then ZUM leader had managed to challenge Mugabe, riding not only on the fight against a one party state but also against the rising levels of corruption in government. And this is also why even against rampant violence, intimidation and forced starvation, many Zimbabweans have braved the Zanu PF onslaught because they honestly believe that the MDC would end this endemic corruption in government.

However, true to the old age Shona adage, ‘makudo ndimamwe’ (baboons are all the same), our politicians have gone on to prove just how much they value self-aggrandizement at the expense of what they campaign for and promise to the electorate – quality service delivery. The levels of corruption that have been exhibited by local councillors in MDC dominated urban and rural councils are shocking and appalling to say the list. So disgusting is the blatant abuse of office and council resources by some of these councillors that you really tend to wonder if these are the leaders that the people of Zimbabwe really think will reverse the Zanu PF-inspired rot when you can hardly distinguish their love for personal gain at the expense of the poor masses. It is no lie and no joke that the majority of Zimbabweans are suffering, having to live life on the wrong side of the poverty datum line and yet there are still politicians in this day and age who think they can just take the people’s vote for granted, simply because the people have expressed that they are fed up with Zanu PF rule.

The MDC can do itself a big favour by fighting corruption, first in its own ranks and then taking this fight to government. The major reason why the MDC currently feels so impotent in fighting the endemic corruption in local and central government is the fact that their own house is not clean in terms of such corrupt tendencies. There are a lot of ‘leaders’ in the MDC who have mastered the art of corruption better than what Zanu PF has been doing. The recent CDF scandal is just a tip of the iceberg, not to mention the Chitungwiza Town Council debacle. It’s a shame! If it is to reclaim its status as a formidable and competent alternative to Zanu PF’s mismanagement of government, it is all-too important that the MDC declares zero-tolerance to corruption within the party itself. Any politician who wishes to rule this country and aspires for the people’s vote should simply declare zero-tolerance to corruption because the honest truth is that Zimbabweans are fed up with this corruption. Nobody wants to pay a dollar more than what they should in essence pay for any service. This should also serve as a clarion  call to the police to desist from corrupt activities and work hard to ensure that this disease is eradicated and that all culprits should be brought to book. For as long as we continue to witness their blatant extortion of money from kombi crews and travellers on our roads, they will remain enemies of the people. For as long as they continue to connive with prosecutors at our courts to release criminals who deserve to be behind bars, the people will not take them seriously. The police ought to be a safety valve against abuse of office and political power by our leaders. If they cannot perform this duty, without fear or favour, then we better not have a police force to talk about. Our current government should at least for once show us that they (as a government) are serious about bettering the lives of Zimbabweans. And there is no better way to prove this than by collectively fighting corruption (and nepotism). It is every Zimbabwean’s responsibility to fight corruption, let’s all join hands for a corrupt free society.

Both authors are from the Committee of the Peoples Charter

A Pen alone cannot remove Mugabe and ZANU PF out of power

By Blessing Vava

Of political comics and  elections

The late Edgar Tekere-led Z.U.M

Since independence Zimbabwe has conducted elections regularly, and in the first 20 years it was Robert Mugabe and his party ZANU PF who always emerged victors. With only some bit of challenge not serious though notably  from Edgar Tekere’s Zimbabwe Unity Movement, which again failed to claim a meaningful  chunk of the electorate.  ZUM, as it was known became a popular opposition party in Zimbabwe but many Zimbabweans never viewed its leader  Edgar Tekere as a serious politician who could steer the nation forward. Various parties also came but disappeared into oblivion, ZANU Ndonga, United Parties, also came ZUD, NAAG to mention but a few and they reduced  the national elections into a melo-drama.   These parties seemed clueless with no strategy on what they really wanted to achieve. Their participation was  therefore not taken seriously  by the electorate because voting for a party which only fielded candidates in towns would not bring meaningful change to the country’s political landscape. What it meant was that all the other seats already would be won without any contest, thereby putting ZANU PF on the lead before the actually day of voting.

The workers party

But as Mugabe’s popularity  waned, mainly  because of bad economic policies, saw the emergence of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), a product of the working class, students and social movements who launched the party in September 1999 at Rufaro Stadium. The same stadium where 19 years earlier, the infamous Union Jack (British flag) had been brought down to pave way for the hoisting of the new colourful  Zimbabwean flag, thereby declaring Zimbabwe’s independence.

President Mugabe casting a ballot in an
an election pitting himself as the candidate
in June 2008

Power does not come on a silver plate
Tsvangirai backtracked from
claiming his victory

 The emergence of the MDC in Zimbabwe’s political landscape worked a lot to restore confidence in the electorate. Mainly because the MDC  had a clear manifesto articulating the aspirations of  the poor and the working class and also that they managed to present a national outlook unlike the other opposition parties in the yesteryears. That is why barely a year after its formation, and for the first time for an opposition party  fielding  candidates in all the country’s 120 constituencies they scooped  57 seats of the 120, with ZANU PF getting 63 seats. An indication that indeed they were sincere about removing ZANU PF from the echelons of power.

The parliamentary result shocked Mugabe, and he subsequently  launched a violent campaign in 2002 during the presidential election. The 9 March 2002 poll, which was  disputed  with allegations of massive rigging was eventually won by Robert Mugabe by 56.2%, with Tsvangirai polling 42.0 %. With all the executive powers, and a flawed constitution  Mugabe manipulated the electoral process to his favour because the commission running the election were his appointees who reported to him.

Mugabe's security-We will not Salute a president with
no war credentials

No War history , NO SALUTE

The security forces continue  assisting ZANU PF every time the country goes for an election. Despite soldiers being physically deployed in various parts of the country to intimidate civilians, the military chiefs have also come out in the open declaring that they will not accept a leader who did not participate in the liberation struggle. Therefore any result not in favour of Mugabe or a ZANU PF candidate would not be accepted by the security forces and will result in a coup de tat. The same also goes with the public media, being some of the institutions that the party has been using to its advantage during the times of election.  

The backtracker...’kuState House Kure’

Tough-Tendai Biti declared Tsvangirai
the winner 

Again, we had parliamentary elections in 2005 and subsequently the historic harmonised election on March 29 of 2008. After realising that ZANU PF had lost Mugabe’s Zimbabwe Electoral Commission delayed announcing the presidential result but the writing was already on the wall that he had lost. The delay raised suspicion that probably Mugabe’s rigging apparatus were at work trying to fix the result so that Tsvangirai does not become an outright winner.  It is the time which I personally believe Tsvangirai failed to seize the opportunity to claim his victory. One thing he failed to understand was that  ZEC would have never announced Mugabe’s outright defeat and letting him (Tsvangirai) take over. That would have never happened and it will never happen, not in a million years! Interestingly, MDC secretary general Tendai Biti had set the tone after boldly  announcing during a press conference at Meikles Hotel that Tsvangirai had won and  declaring that  Tsvangirai was Zimbabwe’s new president. That announcement eventually got him into trouble. But was it wrong for Biti to make the announcement? I guess not, it was clear to everyone that Mugabe had lost by more than the required ballot for one to be declared outright winner. The mood in the country that time was ripe, everyone wanted change and the people wanted new leadership. 


But Tsvangirai later, backtracked, cowardly and unwisely  encouraged Zimbabweans to be patient for the results, rather than take the Zimbabweans to the street to claim his victory. How he thought that George Chiweshe (ZEC Chairperson) was going to announce, ‘Congratulations Morgan Richard Tsvangirai, You are duly elected President! Lol. And the president elect will wait for Chidyausiku to swear him in office, and subsequently moving to State House and assume his duties as Head of State. Ha ha ha ha!!!  That easy? It’s not as easy as saying the sky is blue, the late Simon Chimbetu testified in his song KuState House  Kure (State House is far) from his unpopular album Hoko. Pakutoda kusungwa dzisimbe.  Sacrifices have to be made. It’s a long strenuous journey, and not for the faint-hearted or those of a nervous disposition, but it needs high level discipline, principled, courage and determination. ZANU PF had never anticipated a defeat and the result shocked and they were clueless.  But after realising that even Tsvangirai seemed relaxed and didn’t have the slightest of clue to take over, they re-strategized and through their blue-eyed  boys, Chiweshe and crew announced  the results after 5 weeks claiming that none of the candidates had polled an outright victory.  The result meant that a run-off election was now imminent, an election which later became a one-man show pitting Robert Mugabe and himself.  Mugabe knew  very well that the June 27 election lacked any semblance of legitimacy and they cleverly forced the MDC in a power sharing agreement which the MDC are mere passengers.

When the pen is less mightier

In any future poll if the MDC does not do its homework thoroughly and just think that whoever conducting the election will announce the outright defeat of Mugabe, then  I bet  they will remain in the peripheries of the corridors of power. Radicalism is needed in any revolution. The Ivory Coast should be a case study to the MDC, they can take a lesson from what happened when sitting president Laurent  Gabgo tried to subvert the peoples vote, after he had lost the poll. The masses in Ivorians revolted led by Qattara. It was however unfortunate that the western powers  hijacked the peoples’ processes turning the peaceful protests bloody. Otherwise the MDC will continue participating in elections, winning them but only to remain outside the realms of state power because of their lackadaisical approach to take  the coronet. Winning an election is one thing and getting state power is another thing. It will not be easy to remove the ZANU PF government out of power even when they have lost an election.  A pen alone is not enough, though mightier it has to be backed by action. Not that I am suggesting an armed struggle. NO! But massive streets protests like the ones which swept the Arab region will certainly drive the Mugabe cabal out of power.  And this has to be aided first by democratic processes like elections. Elections we do need them, but there’s need to have a strategy after that election on how to take control of the state after a victory. The focus of the MDC now should be  mobilisation and conscientisation  of the masses on the need to defend their vote. ZANU PF have had their time and will not win elections not any time soon. The MDC should never accept another delay in results, another Government of No Unity were they will be mere dolls but aim to be overally in-charge of the state. After failing again to take over from ZANU PF after another electoral victory will result in the masses passing for a big vote of no confidence in the MDC and look elsewhere for political salvation rather than continuously betting for a horse that gives birth before reaching the finishing line. Zvazviri!

Blessing Vava is from Chipinge and can be contacted on blessingvava@gmail.com

JULIUS MALEMA-ONLY THE ANCYL CAN REMOVE US

ANC YOUTH LEAGUE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTE LEKGOTLA STATEMENT

16 February 2012

Still in charge-ANC YL President Julius Malema
opens
the Lekotla Confrence

The ANC Youth League held its National Executive Committee Lekgotla between the 9th and 12th of February 2012 at the Saint George Conference Centre, in Tshwane. The NEC Lekgotla was attended by delegates of the ANC Youth League from regional, provincial and national executive committees from across length and breadth of South Africa. The Lekgotla was opened on the 9th of February by ANC Youth League President Julius Malema. The opening address was open to the media, broadcast live on some of the television channels and the text of the opening address circulated to all structures of the ANC YL and members of the media.

The National Executive Committee Lekgotla received informative, incisive and dynamic inputs from the leadership of the ANC and progressive forces, particularly Comrades Kgalema Motlanthe, Gwede Matashe, Thandi Modise, Lindiwe Sisulu, Blade Nzimande, Angie Motshekga, Febe Potgietier, Enoch Godongwana, Thaba Mafumadi, Professor Muxe Nkondo and Paul Jordan on various topical issues. These topical issues included, but not limited to presentations and discussions on 1) the land question, 2) relationship between the ANC Youth League and the ANC, 3) The state of Higher Education in South Africa, 4) meaning of celebrating 100 years of the ANC, 5) report on the National research report, 6) Military Youth Service, the State of basic education and the ANC Strategy & Tactics.

Out of the Lekgotla received from the leadership collective of the ANC Youth League National Executive Committee on the charges brought against the leadership of the ANC YL, the Lekgotla deducted, noted and accepted the following observations:

Song and dance: ANC Youth League treasurer Pule Mabe, left, and  league president Julius Malema sing popular Struggle song Solomon at the organisation s lekgotla at St George s Hotel in Irene, Pretoria.

a.      The entire process of the disciplinary proceedings of the ANC was politically motivated and meant to resolve political struggles and battles within the ANC. Some in the ANC believe that by removing certain leaders of the ANC YL, they will successfully suppress and undermine the political and ideological struggles of the ANCYL, particularly on Nationalisation of Mines and Expropriation of Land without Compensation or will be guaranteed re-election into leadership positions in the ANC.

b.      There is no consistency of discipline in the ANC, because if there was any form and sense of consistency, there have been disrepute brought to the ANC by many amongst its leadership and there was no action that was taken.

c.       The refusal of those leaders of the ANC to recues themselves from the proceedings of the NDC had prejudiced the charged comrades.

NO LAUGHING MATTER: ANC Youth League president  Julius Malema, left, 
ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe, centre,
 and league secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa in Pretoria on Friday. 

d.      The conviction of the leadership of the ANC Youth League was purely as a result of the statements and official positions of the ANC Youth League adopted by the 24th National Congress and endorsed by the National Executive Committee in its first post 24th National Congress meeting.

The ANC Youth League NEC Lekgotla confirmed that the statements and articulations, which the President of the ANC Youth League is convicted for is the statement of the ANC Youth League emanating from the 24th National Congress and the National Executive Committee which concluded on the 31st of July 2011.

Lekgotla further confirmed that the statement which the Secretary General is convicted for is also a statement of the ANC Youth League, released to the media through the normal channels of the ANC Youth League. We further confirm that the statement which the Spokesperson of the ANC Youth League is convicted for is a statement of the ANC Youth League and that the Spokesperson’s name was included on the statement as a contact person. On the other issue affecting the Spokesperson, the Lekgotla accepted that the internal process that he was subjected to is adequate, despite the fact that the information he was found guilty was illegally obtained by the concerned Journalist.

In view of all these realities, the NEC Lekgotla stands by the view that the leadership of the ANC Youth League as elected by the 24th National Congress of the ANC Youth League will never be removed by any process that does not include the structures and membership of the ANC Youth League. It is only the internal process of the ANC Youth League that can decide to elect or un-elect leadership of the ANC Youth League. The ANC Youth League will never agree that its leadership be subjected to unfair and unjust treatment or banished for narrow political purposes. In this regard, the leadership of the ANC Youth League as elected by the 24th National Congress of the ANC Youth League remains in office as elected members of the ANC YL National Executive Committee of the ANC Youth League. 

We believe that the ANC carries an obligation to educate and guide the ANC Youth League on all critical policy issues and not persecute the leadership for articulating the policy positions of the ANC Youth League. The leadership of the ANC Youth League stands guilty of articulating policy positions that the ANC has the power to disapprove. The reality of the situation is that the charges brought against the leadership of the ANC Youth League are based on political developments and realities and it is only a political discussion and solution that can bring the differences to rest.

The NEC Lekgotla further noted that in his opening address, President Julius Malema said he is ready to resign if we as structures of the ANC Youth League say so. All leaders of regional, provincial and national executive committees of the ANC Youth League across the country rejected the offer of ANC YL President to resign his position as President of the ANC Youth League. The leadership collective elected at the 24th National Congress will thereforeremain in office until the 25th National Congress of the ANC Youth League in June 2014. No leadership of the ANC Youth League which has been mandated by the National Congress will resign their positions until the next Congress. There is no Constitutional basis on the ANC Youth League that allows for removal of leadership of the organisation through a process that do not include the structures and members of the ANC Youth League.

We call on the leadership of the ANC to respect the will of the people and members of the ANC Youth League. There should never be any committee that removes the leadership that was elected uncontested without the consent and agreement of the people. The foreign tradition of trying to remove the leadership of an elected structure of the ANC Youth League without the consent by the people should be nipped in the bud, because if committees remove leaders of the ANC Youth League, they will one day appoint leaders of the ANC Youth League. That will be a complete undermining of the will of the people.

The NEC Lekgotla re-emphasised these central points in the struggle for economic freedom in our lifetime:

·         On higher education and training, we emphasise the need the expand the post secondary education and training opportunities, because a growing number of young South Africans desperately seek education and need to be admitted into institutions of higher learning to attain skills, education and expertise. We further re-emphasise our call for the long over-due introduction of free quality education for the poor until undergraduate degree as resolved by the 52nd National Conference of the ANC in December 2007.

·         As youth of the ANC, we appreciate the National Youth Service programme and the Military Skills Development System spearheaded by the Department of Defence and Military Veterans. We however believe that these programmes and interventions should be intensified to accommodate as many students and young people as possible due to the extent of the necessity for skills, training and education amongst South Africa’s youth. We further believe that beyond provision of skills, education and expertise to the youth, the Department of Defence should expedite the transformation of the defence industry and economy as it is predominantly white and only benefits the previously advantaged and discriminately preferred communities.

·         As young people of the African National Congress, we accept the view that an urgent political intervention to the land question is needed. The massive land disparities in South Africa are not only depressing, but poses a serious danger to the continued stability of South Africa, particularly between those who own the land those who do not own. It will soon not be unjustifiable for the landless South Africans to take land from those who own without consensus. Land is the means to life and constitutes the most important component in the struggle for total economic, social and political emancipation of the dispossessed, deprived and devastated majority of South Africans.

·         As youth of the ANC, the Lekgotla expressed concern over the growing disunity of the African continent, particularly the fact that Africa’s division lines are on the basis of each country’s former coloniser. Africans should recognise and appreciate the fact that above the so called Francophone and Anglophone divide as reflected in the recent African Union Commission Chairperson elections, there is a common need for all Africans to unite to defend the political independence and freedom of our countries. The political independence and freedom of all African countries guarantees our common progress, economic integration and total liberation from imperialist, neo-colonial and capitalist domination of majority of African countries. 

·         The NEC Lekgotla re-affirmed the Freedom Charter’s clarion call that the people shall share in the country’s wealth, particularly the revolutionary commitment that the mineral wealth beneath the soil, monopoly industry and banks shall be transferred to the ownership of the people as a whole. This clarion call underpins our commitment to the struggle for nationalisation of mines and other strategic sectors of the economy. The research report on the State Intervention in the Minerals sector as commissioned by the ANC Secretary General in 2011 does not in any way respond to the ideological and political directive of the ANC National General Council whose resolution read as follows, “There was greater consensus in the commission on the nationalisation of mines and other strategic sectors of the economy. The NGC therefore mandated the NEC to ensure further work be done, including research, study tours and discussions, and to report to the Policy Conference for decision at National Conference in 2012”.

·         As youth of the ANC, who respect its democratic tradition and character, we believe that that manner and approach in which the research was conducted and concluded does not in any way respond to the ANC NGC resolution. On that basis, we conclusively reject the research report as it did not do what the NGC said should be done. We will soon compile concrete facts and data on how the many countries that have nationalised their strategic sectors of the economy generate additional income into the fiscus and utilise it for the development of the people and protection of future generations through creation of sovereign wealth funds.

The ANC Youth League wishes to distance itself from the highly circulated video footage of a closed session of the ANC Youth League Lekgotla. The ANC Youth League will seek legal advice on the legal recourse and will further conduct its own internal investigations on where the video emanates from. We further place it on record that the President of the ANC Youth League has full confidence in his legal team, no one imposed the legal team on him and if there were any kind of problems, he could have easily walked away.

The ANC Youth League will continue to engage the leadership and structures of the ANC in the course to find long lasting political solution to all problems confronting the National Liberation Movement. We believe that at the end of the day, what binds the leadership of the ANC and ANC Youth League together is the need to achieve the aims of the Freedom Charter. We will continue to mobilise all branches and structures of the ANC to rally behind the call for nationalisation of mines and expropriation of land without compensation. ASIJIKI! Victory is Certain!

ISSUED BY THE ANC YOUTH LEAGUE

When the little ones are sacrificed as pawns-as Solo Madzore seems to have been forgotten

By Blessing Vava

The forgotten MDC-T youth Chairperson Solomon  Madzore
during happier times with his brother Hon P.Madzore

Usually in a game of chess, the pawn is the  smallest and weakest piece, historically representing infantry, or more particularly armed peasants. Both players  have eight pawns each and usually  are positioned in the frontline, and their role is to protect the King and his Kingdom.  And most a times pawns are often sacrificed to protect the King and usually pawns are the ones that are lost the most during the course of the game. In politics its mainly the youth that are sent out for riskiest  jobs, as the older generation are holed up in the comfort of their offices. Typical of pawns, the young people are thrown at the frontline of the struggle and are mostly the biggest victims. ZANU PF is a classic example. The party introduced the Border Gezi youth training to instigate violence. After that most of the youths were dumped and are now living as paupers.The case of Julius Malema and the ANCYL, who catapulted  Zuma to power , defended him during his rape and corruption case and later thrown out of the party by  Zuma, is another living example. To say the least, the MDC seems to have copied ZANU PF's style of using the youth and dump them when there are done.

Wining with the devil
Iron Lady-Theresa Makone-Home
Affairs co-Minister tried to force
the release of ZANU PF's Mutasa jailed
son

65% percentage of the country’s total population are below 35years and they play a very important role in political processes, but are often used by the older generation and marginalised at the end of the day.  Often referred to as the vanguard, young people continue to be used and abused by politicians who care for nothing else but their fat pockets and selfish gains.

Never visited Madzore-MDC-T President
Morgan Tsvangirai

The case of  jailed MDC Youth chairperson Solomon Madzore,  arrested on the 4^th of October on trumped-up murder charges of a policeman in Glen View last year has really touched my heart. Since October, Madzore has been fighting for freedom but has been denied bail on several attempts. My worry and disappointment is mainly targeted at the MDC-T leadership for their lack of concern  and the way they have handled the Madzore’s case so far. Firstly, by now, shockingly Morgan Tsvangirai has not yet paid a visit to Madzore in prison, Solo is no ordinary party activist but his youth chairperson. I’m sure Madzore is wondering why his president has not paid him a visit 3 months in custody. I doubt if these guys are looking after his wife and family. It’s quite obvious that Madzore feels betrayed and will come out of Chikurubi a disappointed man because it seems these guys have turned their backs on him. During the incarceration of MDC treasurer, the MDC threatened to pull out of government demanding his immediate release, and surprisingly one wonders how Bennett’s case is different from Madzore’s.

Exiled MDC-T treasurer Roy Bennet, the MDC
threatened to pull out of government demanding his release

Secondly, to much surprise was Tsvangirai’s leaked letter to Mugabe, which he made no reference of Madzore when he was complaining  about arrests targeted at MDC officials. Instead, he referred to the cases of Timba and Makone, both ministers and surprisingly they spent a few days in custody unlike Madzore and crew who are now clocking four months in custody. So does it also mean that Ministers are special beings than others Mr Prime Minister?  Thirdly, its Theresa, the co-Minister of Home Affairs, who at one time accompanied ZANU PF’s Mutasa to the police station trying to use her powers to force the release the latter’s son out of custody. One wonders why she has not attempted to do so in the case of Solo?

Fourthly, the MDC Youth Assembly’s Free Solo Madzore campaigns seems insincere. They attempted a demo in Bulawayo and did one in Masvingo. My question is why Bulawayo and Masvingo first? Madzore is detained in Harare not Bulawayo or Masvingo.  One wonders their sincerity nor motive regarding these so-called Free Madzore campaign of theirs? Logic would tell you that the first if not most protests should be done here in Harare.  Madzore is detained in Harare he attends court in Harare and so we expect the leadership of the youth assembly to do more in demanding the release of their leader here in the capital rather than small cities. Rather than do silly processes meant to fatten their pockets using the name of their leader.

Therefore, i wish to make an emotional plea to the entire MDCT leadership principally Morgan Tsvangirai not to segregate especially key members of his party if they are arrested. We do expect him to amplify his voice regarding Madzore’s arrests rather than speaking as if his Ministers are super beings than others.  I wonder why the MDC leadership seems to  care less because of their suspicious silence? Does he really deserve to be suffering like this? The Youth Assembly is a critical component in the party and Tsvangirai should be aware. They will be an election soon therefore I encourage all the youths not to be used as pawns by these selfish politicians but also demand and take up leadership roles and positions.   We have all seen how a majority of the young people who worked tirelessly during the 2008 election have been dumped without anything of benefit to improve their livelihoods whilst the big politicians seem to have found comfort in the extravagant shaky inclusive government.

Blessing Vava writes from Harare and can be contacted on blessingvava@gmail.com, this article was first published on blevava.blogspot.com