The Sunday Mail
Sunday Mail Reporter
POLITICAL regalia and memento is usually within what would be considered safe confines of creativity, limited to t-shirts and wrapping cloths (MaZambia) as they are sometimes called.
Political adornments rarely take the form of trending fashion and sometimes attracts banter that after campaigning season, the T-shirts will be relegated to becoming pyjamas.
The onus to remain in sync with changes in society lies with the young and within political parties the youth leagues or assemblies are those who should ensure that the nuances of an ever progressing society are reflected in their aesthetic.
Zanu PF’s Youth League seems to have gotten the formula right this time with their new House of Cheneso shop.
If it was not located at the party`s headquarters, it would have passed for any other fashion shop in the country.
The designs they unveiled are in sync with what fashion conscious Zimbabweans are wearing.
Explaining the concept underpinning the store, the revolutionary party’s Acting Deputy Secretary for Youth Affairs Tendai Chirau said besides being a place where members of his party can get original regalia, this is one of the ways the Youth League will be contributing to the party`s financial standing.
“Merchandise shops are not only a method to distribute regalia but that the shops are also a fundraising initiative of the Youth League. I wish to take this opportunity to assure our leadership and our members that strict accounting systems have been put in place to avoid any revenue leakages,” Chirau said.
In recent years, Zimbabwe has seen young designers seeking a platform to showcase and sell their creations.
Cde Chirau said the shop will have a deliberate bias towards the youth and creatives.
He said he wants to ensure that young people in Zimbabwe earn from their intellectual property.
Some of the products they showcased included trendy overalls, leather booths, belts, key holders and mugs, forming part of an assortment of high quality wares.
“There are abundant opportunities for youth who join this initiative as merchandisers to get some revenue in the form of commission and the modalities of joining the merchandising team will be unveiled to the youth league membership via the normal ZANU PF channels. This project is therefore our project as youth and we must all support it in any way we can,” he said.
The shop which was officially opened by President Mnangagwa last week, was a seed which will germinate in earnest.
Cde Chirau explained more on the prospects of growth for the ambitious project.
“Advanced plans are afoot to open similar physical shops as well as a virtual platform to enable both Zimbabwean and foreign based members and supporters of the revolutionary party to access party regalia made and sold by the House of Cheneso,” said Chirau.
Youths whose designs will be adopted by the store for nationwide distribution will be rewarded accordingly, as the party seeks to empower those with gifted hands.
This shop is yet another sign of the emerging nexus between the Zanu PF Youth League and the creative sector.
Recently after Soul Jah Love`s death, the party announced that it will team up with a number of producers to set up a recording studio whose existence will commemorate the life of the late chanter.
Now it has expressed intent to engage with creatives in another dimension of Zimbabwe’s arts sector.
