THE Zanu PF Bulawayo Youth League executive is headed for a split over allegations that some members attended an end of year gays’ party amid claims that some provincial executive members are conniving with the previous leadership to oust some of the new office bearers.
NQOBILE BHEBHE CHIEF REPORTER
Members who want some provincial executives ousted are allegedly taking advantage of revelations that some of their comrades were seen at a venue where gays and lesbians were having a party. Southern Eye yesterday revealed that some Zanu PF were seen at the venue on the outskirts of Bulawayo on December 21.
This was soon after they attended a last-minute preparatory meeting for the unveiling of the statue of the late Vice-President and veteran nationalist Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo in the city.
The following day, they attended the commissioning of the new Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport, the official unveiling of the statue and renaming of Main Street in honour of the veteran nationalist presided over by President Robert Mugabe.
Three members of the new Bulawayo provincial executive who were spotted at the venue where the gays party was being held yesterday visited the Southern Eye offices and flatly denied attending the party. They said it was “sheer coincidence that we were at the same place at the same time with those people (gays and lesbians)”.
The Zanu PF youths said they had gone to the venue to unwind after attending exhaustive meetings in preparation for the Unity Day activities.
Allegations that they went to the venue to join the gays and lesbians were being peddled by disgruntled former executive members plotting to oust them “using dirty tactics”, they said.
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However, the three also disclosed that they spotted lowly ranked Zanu PF Youth League members mingling and mixing with the gays and lesbians at their gig.
“This is all politics. We did go to that place, but it was sheer coincidence for us to be at the place where gays and lesbians were having their party.
“We had a completely different mission,” said one member of the provincial youth executive.
“We were completely shocked to see a large number of gays and lesbians and we also managed to spot at least two of our members who are part of the district structures partying with the gays and lesbians.
“As we have said, it’s a smear campaign to destroy the new executive’s image before we can even hold our first meeting.
“We know the sources of the story and we are sending a warning that disciplinary action will soon be taken on them.
“They are bent on sowing divisions to destroy the youth league in this province,” said the youth executive member.
They said they were aware that a group of new executive members were sympathetic to the ousted executive and they “are now working to undermine us with a view of having the executive dissolved”.
“We are aware of such moves to undermine us, but they will be harshly disciplined,” the youths added.
“The new executive’s vision is to unite the youths and create employment in line with (Zanu PF economic blueprint) Zim Asset policy document.”
