The Sunday Mail
Lincoln Towindo
Government will soon build houses for youths and women countrywide in line with a programme being spearheaded by Zanu-PF, First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe has said. The Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Ministry has already set aside 1 700 hectares for that purpose. Addressing over 7 000 delegates at the Zanu-PF Harare Province Inter-District Conference yesterday, Amai Mugabe said providing housing is top on Government’s development agenda.
The Zanu-PF Women’s League Secretary blamed the ruling party’s general electoral underperformance in urban constituencies on the demolition of illegal houses. The party leadership, she said, should shoulder the blame as some in its ranks were guilty of “sleeping on duty.” She also tore into suspended party secretary for youth affairs, Cde Pupurai Togarepi, accusing him of propagating indiscipline among youths, some of whom openly challenged their superiors.
Amai Mugabe added that Cde Kudzi Chipanga, Cde Togarepi’s deputy, should be elevated to the top post in recognition of his work to unite party youths and ensure discipline.
“Distinguished delegates, I have also been briefed on housing development initiatives being spearheaded by our hardworking and revolutionary Women’s and Youth leagues where 200 hectares of land have been identified for the women while youths are earmarked to receive 1 500 hectares for residential property development.
“Takagara pasi naVaChipanga, although iri kuseparetwa hayo zvichinzi 200 hectares dzemadzimai and 1 500 hactares dzema youth. Takabvumirana naChipanga kuti we have to work together because there is no way we can separate the youth nemadzimai.
“Kusina mai hakuendwe. Saka ndanga ndichitaura naMinister wedu, VaKasukuwere, kuti hongu makatipa land iyi, asi isu zvatiri kuda kuita; tiri kuda kushanda pamwe chete. Hatidi zvekuti zviye tingoita zviri kuita mamwe ma co-operatives — kungo dhisha land vanhu vachizotadza kuvaka.”
She continued: “Ini pfungwa yandinayo ndeyekuti, tinoda kuti titsvage mari naVaKasukuwere. Hatidi kuti zvakamboitika kare zviitike zvakare. Nekuti kana vanhu tichipfura kuyenda kuairport, kuleft, takawona kuchivakwa dzimba.
“Makawona iri paslab, ikakwira kuyenda pawindow level kusvika paroof level; vanhu vachingotarisa. Imba yapendwa, mukadzi nemurume vofara, vadeedza hama “huyai muzoonawo zvatakaita”.
“Vaakugara two, three years; zvozonzi these are illegal structures ngadzipunzwe. Kwete! Nyaya iyoyi ndoinonzi vanhu vari kurara pabasa. Kune vanhu vari kurara pabasa. Munotarisa zvese izvi zvichiitika, dzimba dzichivakwa; shure dzimba dzozopunzwa. “Yes, tinoziva kuti munomu, vazhinji macouncillors ndeve MDC, asi isusu, Zanu-PF, tinomboregerereiko zvichiitika?
“Tinomboregererei zvichiitika? Let’s take the blame. Tirere veduwe.” Under the new programme, Amai Mugabe said, small housing units will be constructed with assistance from the ministries of Finance and Local Government. “Handingati chinhu chandabudira ziya ndichivaka youya bulldozer, youya yopwanya netwo minutes. Tiri kuvaka musangano here kana kuti tiri kuputsa musangano?
“SaMai, ndinonzwa kurwadziwa; hatidi kurwadzisana kusvika pakadaro. Iwewe munhu uri kukwara uchitengesa muriwo kuti uvake musha wako, vobva vauya vachipunza. That’s unfair!
“Saka vaKasukuwere hatidi kuti izvi zviitike zvakare. Nyangwe zvakawoma sei, planning inodiwa. Saka ndiri kuti isusu we want to lead by example, tichishanda tese naivo vaChinamasa because tinoda mari. We want to lead by example nekuti tinoda kuita zvinhu zvakarongeka.
“Tinoda kuti kana mastands atapihwa aya, tinoda kuratidza vanhu kuti basa rinobatwa sei. ‘‘Tinoda kuvaka tudzimba tudzimba topa vanhu pekugara. Zvakarongeka, zvakateedzwa maregulations ndozvatinoda; tirege kuramba tichirwadzisa vanhu. Tino luza nekuzviitisa.” Amai Mugabe said Cde Chipanga had shown good leadership qualities and deserved to be promoted.
The Zanu-PF National Youth League executive passed a vote of no confidence on Cde Togarepi early this year and recommended that he face disciplinary action. “Ndinoda kutenda VaChipanga. Semukuru iye zvino, tomboti ndimi mukuru weyouth nebasa ramuri kuita rekudzikamisa vana vadiki. Muri munhu ari kudzikamisa. Hutungamiri hwako huri kutooneka kuti uri munhu anokwanisa kudzikamisa vana.
“Pachako, iwe Chipanga, haunganzi uri munhu mukuru, uchiri mudiki. Asi maleadership qualities auri kuita exude, maqualities ekuti tese taakuona kuti pari kuitwa basa ranga risingaitwe before.
“Tiri kutoona zvakakodzera kuti dai watosimudzirwa waenda pamusoro. Uve ndiwe mutungamiriri nekuti waratidza kuti unozvikwanisa, unokwanisa ku container vana. ‘‘Ndakataura ndikati inini kune vamwe, ndikati zviri kuitika panze apo zvakatanga nesu vakuru.”
The First Lady went on: “Mademonstrations anga achiitika anga ari sporadic muno munyika akatanga nesu vakuru. Kana tichiti isu tinaleader wema youth ari pamusoro, vana vari kutukirira vachitaura zvavanoda vasinganzi stop it zvinoreva chii?
‘Wobvunzwa iwewe kuti vana vari kuti chii woti handizivi iwe uriwe uri kuvatungamira. Zvakawonekwa zvakakodzera kuti munhu kana uri mukuru watadza basa sudurudzwa uiswe pa side.
“Hakusi kuti iwe kana uri pamusoro hakuna vamwe vanhu vari capable kuti vaholder position iyoyo. Kana wapihwa chiremerera, wapihwa rukudzo rwekunzi tungamira hakuzi kunzi enda unogara uchingozvikudza kuti uri muposition nekuti vamwe, kungopihwa chete kuti position iyo akutomera nyanga. Zvino nyanga idzodzo dzinodimburwa.”
She said because of Cde Togarepi’s failure to lead, characters like Acie Lumumba are now insulting the President in public. “Izvozvo zvega, zviri kuratidza panze apo kuti kana vana vanga vari mu Zanu PF vachitukirira nekuita zvinhu zvehuny’any’a vachiregererwa. Wozoonawo ana Lumumba vakusimuka vachitukirira, who do you blame?
“Unoblamer ani? Iwe mukuru wema youth ndiwe unenge watadza basa rako. “Saka vaChipanga, iri basa ramuri kuita ibasa rakaoma, harisi basa diki, munofanira kuona kuti ma youth chairpersons ese maa container.”
The meeting was held in accordance with Article 12 (Section 120) of the Zanu-PF constitution which states that, “There shall be Provincial Inter-District Conference which shall meet at least twice a year for purposes of reviewing party programmes and projects in the province and to discuss any other matters referred to it by the Central Committee.”
