Zanu PF targets youth vote

By Helen Kadirire

Zanu PF is already looking towards the 2023 harmonised elections as they have started rolling out programmes that attract the youth vote.

Addressing a “Thank You” rally at Murombedzi Growth Point on Saturday, Mashonaland West provincial chairperson Ziyambi Ziyambi said the party was failing to attract youths which would form the next generation of leaders.

“Our youth vote and participation in politics is very low and that is worrisome. We should now start programmes to mobilise the youth to join Zanu PF because that is where we are lacking.

“The youths we have in the party are very vibrant and we want to thank them but more needs to be done. We need to have them in our corner because that is a huge constituency,” he said.

Vice President Constantino Chiwenga said the youth should work to improve the country and not just sit on their laurels.

“Jobs will be created, so do not be restless; government knows about that and with the deals that are coming in a lot of opportunities will arise from that,” Chiwenga said.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa went on to urge youth leader Pupurai Togarepi to intensify programmes that attract the youth to the party.

He said whenever opportunities arose, the youth had to also participate in order for them to benefit.

“If the youth mobilise in agriculture and go and talk to the minister of Agriculture, Perrance Shiri, they can benefit. All they have to do is repay the loans so that
more people can benefit and the fund can continue revolving.”

After the 2018 harmonised elections Zanu PF secretary for administration Obert Mpofu said despite MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa losing to Mnangagwa, they were worried that their rivals did well in terms of swinging the youth vote to their side.

“As a party, we are concerned that the MDC managed to increase its support base by about 900 000 new voters while ours was about 300 000; so we need to work towards correcting that especially in the area of youths where it looks like they did well,” Mpofu said. DailyNews