‘Students’ Give VP Mujuru three-day ultimatum -Herald
Main News

‘Students’ Give VP Mujuru three-day ultimatum -Herald

MAZOWE-THOUSANDS of students from the country’s tertiary institutions yesterday called for the resignation of Vice President Joice Mujuru in the next three days following revelations that she was plotting with other senior zanu-pf officials to assassinate President Mugabe. The students, who included members from the National Youth Service, said they would confront VP Mujuru if she failed to do the “honourable” thing of resigning.

The First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe arrives for her meeting with students from different colleges at her Mazowe Children’s Home yesterday
The First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe arrives for her meeting with students from different colleges at her Mazowe Children’s Home yesterday

The students also called for the expulsion of Cabinet Ministers Dr Olivia Muchena (Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development) and Francis Nhema (Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment), saying the pair had failed to represent the interests of the youths.

Instead, the youths said, the pair had chosen to pursue factional politics, ignoring their mandates in the process.
The resolutions were made when thousands of youths yesterday gathered at First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe’s Mazowe Children’s Home to endorse her following her elevation to take over as Women’s League secretary at the zanu-pf National People’s Congress early next month.

Mashonaland Central Provincial Affairs Minister Martin Dinha also received a backlash from party youths for denying them access to land, favouring white commercial farmers in the province, before the First Lady told him to stop being “stubborn.”

Zimbabwe Congress of Students Union acting president Leopold Chakanyuka said President Mugabe could not work with coup plotters and should promptly get rid of them.
In any case, he said, the corruption and extortion allegations levelled against VP Mujuru called for her to leave office.

“We are struggling in our various institutions, yet some of our leaders are busy destroying the country through corrupt tendencies. We no longer want her (VP Mujuru) to be in a leadership position,” Chakanyuka said.

“As the youth we will defend you (First Lady) and the President. Kana zvichiita kuti tibate pfuti, tinotodzibata. We support you not because you are the President’s wife, but because of your philanthropic works that you have shown throughout the country. So, know that you are where you are because of your works.”

Yesterday, the slogan “Pasi neGamatox” was overshadowed by “Pasi nevanoda kuuraya President” in reference to VP Mujuru and his allies, among them former Zanu-PF spokesperson Cde Rugare Gumbo and secretary for administration Cde Didymus Mutasa, who have been fingered in a plot to assassinate President Mugabe.
Cde Gumbo has since been suspended from the party while there is a growing lobby for Cde Mutasa to leave office.

The pair are said to have been recorded making treasonous statements aimed at ousting the President from office using unconstitutional means.
Chakanyuka said students were having a torrid time at their various institutions and efforts to get assistance from Dr Muchena had proved fruitless.

“We are passing our vote of no confidence in our Minister and we need her replaced as a matter of urgency,” he said.
“During the late Dr Stan Mudenge’s reign, Zicosu had an office near his offices and it was easy to have access to the Minister, but this caliber (of minister) we now have is unheard of. Fees are being hiked every semester and in some instances students are being barred from writing examinations, yet the Minister does nothing.”

Zicosu national treasurer-general Tonderai Chidawa said those plotting against the President should be arrested.
“We are here as beneficiaries of President Mugabe’s policies and he will never walk alone,” he said. “Those we hear were in South Africa seeking for a hit man to kill the President should never be given another chance to be part of us. Do us a favour President by removing those people from office.”

Zanu-PF Youth League national secretary for administration Cde Varaidzo Mupunga was chucked out of the venue because of her links with the coup plotters.
Speaking for the National Youth Service Cde Abson Madusise called for the ouster of Minister Nhema, saying he had undone the good his predecessor Cde Saviour Kasukuwere had planned for the youths.

“For VP Mujuru, the 14 days she has been given by the students from universities is too much. she should go in the next three days as she has failed us,” he said.
“As for Nhema, he is saying by December the national youth service would be gone, being replaced by vocational training centres and we are ready to die for this.

“In 2002, 2008 the country was about to go because of sellouts and we stood steadfast defending it and now someone cannot just wake up and ignore the NYS. Cde Tyson (Kasukuwere) should come back to the Ministry because it is dying.”

Mashonaland Central Zanu-PF youth league chairman Cde Godfrey Tsenangamu told the First Lady that Cde Dinha was betraying the youths and women as he was giving land to white commercial farmers in the province and protecting them.

In defence, Minister Dinha said: “The problem Amai is that we do not have the powers. The moment we try to give them the land we sent the schedules to the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement and from there nothing happens. If we are given the powers then it would be easy.”
Amai Mugabe said while Minister Dinha had been supportive of her programmes, he should not be stubborn.

“Don’t worry about Dinha. Ndinombomutswinya tswinya, but don’t be stubborn. Haanetse haana kuita saKaukonde. Tinowirirana hapana munhu asingatadze, but he is someone you can talk to.”-Herald

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *