MDC YOUTHS’ COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY: BRINGING BACK SHINING STATUS OF HARARE

The MDC Youth Assembly on Saturday 21 July 2012 launched its Campaign for a Clean Environment under the theme Cleaning Our Communities for Sustainable Development by a Clean Up Initiative at Marlbereign shops in Harare West Constituency. The Clean up was organized by youths of ward 16 in Harare west. This campaign will spread to all business centers in Harare and beyond.

 The youths who were supported by their local councilor Lancelot Sunshine Mudavanhu and House of Assembly Member Hon Fungai Jesse Majome who donated brooms and fuel respectively, are an epitome of great and responsible future leadership of the party and nation at large. Speaking to participants on the occasion the Harare provincial Youth Assembly deputy Chairperson Stan Manyenga urged other youths from other districts to emulate this kind of initiative. “Our party is not just a party of ECELLENCY in words, but in deeds and I want to urge all district representatives here present to pluck this good leaf of responsible community youths” said Manyenga.

Unfortunately the program was then disrupted at around 1300hrs by plain cloth police from Marlbereign station. The Ward 16 youth chairperson, Vrante Jambaya was arrested by police for singing and was later released after approximately 5 hours in detention. The District Youth Assembly Secretary for Information and Publicity Respect Ndanga castigated the arrest as an unfortunate move especially after a successful community service as young people.

Together to end,building a youth with a difference.

MDCYA UPCOMING WEEKEND PROGRAMS- 14-15 July 2012

PROVINCE	PROGRAM	VENUE	DATE
MASH EAST	Youth Forum	Wedza South/Chigwedere Business Centre	14 July 2012
MASH WEST	Inter - Ward Soccer & Netball Games	Magunje	15 July 2012
CHITUNGWIZA	Youth Forum	Goromonzi South – Mavambo Business Centre	22 July 2012
MAT SOUTH	Youth Forum	Matobo- Mapisa Business Centre	14 July 2012
MID SOUTH	Provincial Rally Mobilisation	Mberengwa South - Mataga	14 July 2012

Together to end,building a youth with a difference.

Violence does not pay

The Movement for Democratic Change Youth Assembly (MDCYA) condemns in the strongest terms the work of the forces of darkness in Zanu PF who continue to recklessly disregard the right of Zimbabweans to join any political grouping of their choice. 

We remain worried as to where our country is heading to because at a time when everyone else thought the culture of intolerance and violence was on the way out, damaging reports keep filtering in.

Zanu PF is invading commuter ranks in all towns imposing rank marshals who are assigned to collect money on behalf of Zanu pf’s terror groups such as Chipangano and Top 6 in Harare and Chinhoyi respectively. This money is used to fund violence and corruption. 

The formation of the Inclusive government and subsequently the establishment of the Organ responsible for National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration, in essence was a noble foundation towards setting the ground for a new political framework. Literally this process has been failing to move forward because of Zanu Pf’s thuggery and crook tendencies towards the full implementation and adherence to the provisions of the GPA and all forces are pointing to a more threatening environment as elections talk gather momentum in the country. The continued distrust showed by Zanu Pf in the GNU is a blow to all those who dedicated their time and resources towards advancing the cause of justice and democracy in Zimbabwe.

We as the Youth Assembly have worked tirelessly advocating for a violent free Zimbabwe. We are the future and we are very concerned when seeds of violence and intolerance are transmitted from generation to generation. We are concerned because we believe that violence is an old recipe of winning support and power and should be traded for popular support and tender manifestos. This and the coming generations should be guided by the principles of democracy, coexistence and tolerance.

Violence by its very nature does not pay and will never win anyone power. We know that the perpetrators of violence housed in Zanu PF continue to champion violence campaigns in Zimbabwe to satisfy their political ends. 

Some of them sponsor the notorious Chipangano which continues to ruthlessly harass and deny the peace loving people of Mbare their right to support political parties of their choice. Our colleagues in Zanu PF should forthwith stop composing hatred and violence insightful songs e.g. (Vanofamba nemamonya) but rather use their creativity and energy championing development initiatives that benefit Zimbabwe. The Youth Assembly gets worried when some of the songs receive generous airplay from the national broadcaster. What we are doing as a country is to perpetuate the culture of violence.

After more than three decades in power Zimbabweans need new leadership. Zimbabwe needs a free society where political diversity works to strengthen and push those in positions of power to deliver. We demand that the three principals deliver on their promise to restore justice and democracy in Zimbabwe. 

Zanu Pf should desist from violence, it does not pay rather it obliterates.

For and behalf of the young people in Zimbabwe 

Clifford Hlatywayo MDCYA National Spokesperson

Together to end,building a youth with a difference.

June 27, 2008: One of the darkest moments since 1980 – Never Again In Our Lifetime!

The 27^th of June of this year was the fourth anniversary of the death of many young people of Zimbabwe in an electoral period that was very violent. The election runoff which followed the historic electoral victory of all the people from different walks of life that are yearning for change in Zimbabwe on 29 March in 2008 was the bad climax of a nationalist program to stem change in the country using blatantly non-peaceful means. 

The MDCYA joins the rest of the people of this beloved country in the sad memory of the darkest era since the Gukurahundi after Zimbabwe gained independence in April 1980. We remember the trauma that gripped the entire country and the unnecessity of the inhumane tactics that were used against the people by Zanu-pf for expressing their political will in favour of general political renewal and prosperity in Zimbabwe.

It could only be that young people were expressing their will through the ballot against Zanu-pf because of the rampant unemployment, inaccessibility of education and the general lack of hope that Zanu-pf has caused with its inept leadership since their birth under its dictatorial shadow. 

The MDCYA vows that the violence of 27 June must not be repeated as it mirrors the equivalent of a Gukurahundi’s mentality and tactics against those who are peacefully advocating for broader change in the country.

The MDCYA lauds the current efforts by the inclusive Government principals to preach a message of peace. But we remind the people of Zimbabwe, SADC and its facilitator in the Zimbabwean Global Political Agreement (GPA), presidency of  Jacob Zuma of South Africa, AU, UN and the entire international community to be wary of the partisan utterances of high-ranking members of the military and police, armed forces, as they import a direct threat to national peace and security of Zimbabwe in case of a Zanu-pf electoral trouncing which is but certain in the coming poll. Further, the MDCYA calls for free and fair elections.

Meanwhile, the MDCYA urges all young people in the country to be steadfast in calling for democracy, condemning the violence of 27 June 2008 and fighting against the potential reversal of the incremental struggle for change through violence in Zimbabwe.

The MDCYA mourns with families of those whose lives were unnecessarily taken, and stands in unfailing solidarity with those who were harmed in the march towards a new government which will deliver a new Zimbabwe.

Long live MDC, Long live Zimbabwe

Clifford Hlatywayo (MDCYA National Spokesperson)

Together to end,building a youth with a difference.