MUTARE - Divisions within Zanu PF in Manicaland showcased yesterday when the party’s youths boycotted a provincial executive meeting in the city chaired by the former ruling party’s provincial chairperson, Mike Madiro.

The youths snubbed the meeting citing the attendance of ousted youth chairperson Tendai Mukodza as one of the reasons.

The youths have vowed not to work with Madiro if he disregards the vote-of-no-confidence on Mukodza who they accuse of misappropriating youths funds meant for projects.

The vote-of-no-confidence was passed last month at a meeting at Forestry Industries Training College, FITC just outside Mutare near Penhalonga.

Sources within the party told the Daily News on Sunday yesterday that among those that absconded the meeting were incumbent Manicaland provincial youth chairperson Kelvin Manyengavana, his deputy Felistas Dumba, Mubuso Chinguno who is the secretary for administration, Chaita Mhlanga the secretary for
finance and Lovemore Chibvura, who is the secretary for commissariat.

Insiders said the provincial executive meeting is supposed to be attended by the top five executive members from the youth wing, five representatives from the women’s league and 34 members of the main wing in the province.

A Zanu PF youth who spoke on condition of anonymity said Madiro failed to act constitutionally by trying to deliberate on the issue to do with the deposed Mukodza.

“Madiro’s mandate and that of the provincial executive is not to discuss youth issues but to organise public meetings for the party, organise rallies and implementing party policies,” he said.

The youth said they had been annoyed by Madiro’s attitude to disregard their decisions.

Incumbent youth chairperson, Kelvin Manyengavana confirmed the youths had boycotted the Madiro meeting.

“The youth league is not going to reverse what was done constitutionally in order to please any elements outside the youth league. Corruption and nepotism must be condemned with the contempt they deserve. We want to tell everyone that ‘hands off the youth league’,” said Manyengavana, who was in the company of his executive members.

When contacted for comment, Mukodza was unwilling to speak about the matter and only said:  “I am not allowed to comment on that.”

Madiro refused to comment as well when contacted for a comment yesterday. Zanu PF youths in Manicaland province accuse Mukodza of misappropriating an undisclosed amount of funds meant to benefit them under the “Upfumi Kuvadiki” programme.

On December 20, last year soon after the party’s Gweru conference, the youths staged a bloodless coup and passed a vote of no confidence in Mukodza, who in turn has refused to step down and insists he has done nothing wrong. - Sydney Saize