Republic of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe speaks with students from the University. He urged the youth to maintain the revolutionary principles of the national liberation struggle., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
Unpacking President’s meeting with Zicosu
Wednesday, 08 May 2013
Zimbabwe Herald
SECTIONS of the opposition media attempted to create a brouhaha over the hosting of the leadership of the Zimbabwe Congress of Students by the Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces President Robert Gabriel Mugabe at the Zanu-PF headquarters last week.
The opponents’ bone of contention was that the President’s gesture sidelined the Zimbabwe National Students Union while the mischievous ones accused President Mugabe of “dabbling in student politics”.
This allegation was made in the context of the impending University of Zimbabwe Student Representative Council elections and Zicosu’s pledge to President Mugabe that it will “liberate the UZ” apparently from foreign-funded and driven student organisations and other interest groups.
Thus, the President’s noble gesture to listen to one of the most important groups in our society has been reduced to politicking and side taking.
This fake analysis and insinuation by fake analysts and commentators misses a few crucial points that need to be understood by those who have followed the career of President Mugabe and Zanu-PF. These are:
The umbilical cord that ties President Mugabe and Zimbabwe’s youth/students is firmly embedded in the history and liberation of this country and will never be broken;
Youth mobilisation, development, participation and empowerment has always been part of Zanu-PF’s ideology;
President Mugabe’s legacy is hugely shaped by youth empowerment initiatives in education, health, economic, political and social spheres;
President Mugabe has an open-door policy of dialogue with youth/student groups of various orientation and political persuasions that he cannot stoop low to sideline a youth organisation such as Zinasu.
Thus, the relevance and significance of the President’s engagement with Zicosu will come to the fore as I interrogate and unpack the above four viewpoints.
While Zanu-PF’s struggle against colonialism was driven by the experience of seasoned veteran nationalist leaders like Cdes Mugabe, Joshua Nkomo, Herbert Chitepo, Jason Ziyapapa Moyo, among others, the actual prosecution of the armed struggle was led by youthful leaders like Cdes Josiah Tongogara, Rex Nhongo, Teurai Ropa Nhongo, Sheba Gava Zvinavashe, Josiah Tungamirai and others.
A recollection of euphoric events following the 1980 watershed elections and people’s victory, one of the most dominant and popular songs had the following lylics: “Bvunzai Comrade, ndivo vanozviziva kuti mayouths eZanu (PF) ndiwo akarwa hondo”. Loosely translated, this means, ask any comrade, and they will tell you that it is Zanu-PF youths who fought the war.
Thus, President Mugabe has a long history of successfully working with and guiding youthful leaders in matters of national importance.
Closely aligned to the above submission is the fact the Zanu-PF has a long and fruitful history of youth mobilisation, development and empowerment. In fact, Zanu-PF places youth at the core of its activities.
The participation of youthful leaders as Government officials underlines the trust and confidence the President has in the country’s young people. For example, at independence Vice-President Joice Mujuru became a minister at a tender age while other young guns like General Rex Nhongo Mujuru, Josiah Tungamirai and Emmerson Mnangagwa took care of the army, air force and security services respectively.
Thus, for Zicosu leaders to sit around the same table exchanging ideas with a living legend like President Mugabe was a momentous occasion every young person dreams of.
As many youths and students as possible deserve this once in a lifetime opportunity that will certainly inspire them for the rest of their lives.
Another aspect that connects President Mugabe and youth is that most of his policies are geared to benefit youths the most.
This is true for massive education and literacy campaigns of the 1980s. President Mugabe has gone a step further by launching the widely accommodating Presidential Scholarship tenable at a number of South African universities.
Through this progressive initiative hundreds of youths were lifted from the swirling waters of poverty to the seas of plenty. The scholarship has churned out chartered accountants, lawyers, doctors, pharmacists now making a difference to people’s lives in Zimbabwe and beyond.
I am proud to say that I am a beneficiary of the scholarship that catapulted me from the remote area of Mutoko to the bright lights of East London and Johannesburg acquiring three degrees in the process.
Currently, President Mugabe is championing the indigenisation programme with youth economic empowerment at its core.
As of now thousands of youths have received project funds from banks creating employment for themselves in the process.
The final aspect that Zimbabweans need to note is that President Mugabe has an open-door policy of dialogue with youth be it the Zimbabwe Youth Council, Junior Chamber of Parliament or student/youth organisations.
Thus, Zinasu cannot claim to have been sidelined because his Excellency met Zicosu. In fact, I bet that the President will engage them anywhere anytime if they have matters of substance to discuss with him.
In fact the President hosted Zinasu at State House at its peak in 1997 during the heyday of the late Learnmore Judah Jongwe, Fortune Mguni and Job Sikhala, all of whom reported the positive impact of their interaction with the President despite their now widely known political affiliation.
Thus, the relevance of the President’s engagement with Zicosu at this point can never be overemphasised. Nevertheless, we need to understand the relevance of the meeting especially with a view to the impending SRC elections and the purported call by Zicosu to “liberate the UZ”.
During the days of the liberation struggle Zanu-PF was well represented among University of Rhodesia student leaders with the likes of Witness Mangwende, Zororo Duri, Chris Mutsvangwa and the now disgraced Simba Makoni being the leading lights.
These student cadres backed the war effort and proceeded to play significant roles in the struggle for independence. However, after independence under the guise of academic freedom the UZ has become a hotbed and breeding ground of antagonistic politics.
It is the UZ that provided a free gallery for Morgan Tsvangirai to perfect his political rhetoric and divisive politics.
It is the UZ which housed and entertained political rebels who did not want to follow Zanu-PF party election rules like Margaret Dongo, Fidelis Mhashu and Priscilla Misihairabwi.
It is the UZ that created an exaggerated legacy of Arthur Mutambara leading to his existing inflated political ego through which he thinks he can be an alternative to President Mugabe.
It is the UZ that nurtured and tolerated the likes of Learnmore Jongwe, Job Sikhala and Tafadzwa Musekiwa who hoodwinked youths into supporting the imperialist-formed MDC only to become outcasts when things got tough in the political environment.
And finally, it is the UZ whose first week unbalanced political orientation given to students fresh from high school has led thousands astray by believing that glory can only come by opposing the establishment.
Hence, yes the UZ needs to be liberated by creating and supporting a new breed of student unionism and cadrehood based on patriotism and sound understanding of the values of peace, unity, prosperity anchored on the board of unhindered sovereignty.
Thus, as a revolutionary party Zanu-PF should play a leading role in liberating not only the UZ but all leading institutions of higher learning that have become “islands of despair” in an “ocean of hope, dignity and empowerment” our nation has become.
This is more relevant as we approach the decisive elections that will forever define the future of our country.
It is imperative that youths and students alike be mobilised to register and vote to defend the youth gains Zanu-PF has put on the table.
Finally, aligning student organisations to political parties is not unique to Zimbabwe alone and is more defined in other countries like South Africa where the ANC, PAC, UDM are clearly aligned to SASCO, PASMA and UDESMO respectively.
Failure to harness our youth/students during this critical path of life will leave them exposed to the dominance of foreign imperialist values under the guise of academic freedom.
Kurai Prosper Masenyama is the Zanu-PF Director of Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment and ordinary member of the Youth League.
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