Zanu PF youths descend on Harare streets as factions battle to control party

Charles Mabhena

Hundreds of ZANU-PF   youths marched along streets of Harare today in what people describe is a show of supremacy of factions and the party’s law unto themselves.

Clad in party regalia, the youths were earlier on bused to the ZANU-PF provincial office at Fourth Street where they were addressed before setting-off for the city center with brooms and waste plastic bins singing songs denouncing Grace Mugabe foes as sell outs and bent at destroying.

The march comes after rising tension in ZANU-PF as factions aligned to Grace Mugabe and Vice-president Emmerson Mnangagwa square off over the succession issue, and the fervid political activities from opposition parties that are on the drive to woo voters before the harmonized general elections scheduled for next year 2018.

At the march today the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) was ominous by their absence giving credence to the opposition and civic organizations claim that the police are not apolitical.

Opposition political parties and civic organizations have to apply to conduct a demonstration, which in many instances are refused.

Recently members of the opposition Transform Zimbabwe were beaten in Chitungwiza Makoni shops, and their cleaning materials and valuables taken away from them from violent ZANU-PF youths; this was despite the presence of police at the event.