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As I write this piece, I stop mid-sentence to ponder if our icons and martyrs namely Mzilikazi, Mbuya Nehanda, Sekuru Kaguvi, Lobengula and Chaminuka were still alive, what their take would be about the role currently being played by the youth of Zimbabwe.

Better yet, are they smiling down on us as the youth or they would be of the opinion that the revolution has been betrayed?

It is my strongest conviction that the gallant team mentioned above and even those that followed in the revolutionary trenches such as the Chinhoyi 7 and the thousands who perished in Mukushi, Nampundwe, Chimoio, Nyadzonia and Freedom Camp would be proud of the role the Zanu-PF Youth League is taking in safe guarding the gains of the liberation struggle.

Indeed, the revolution still lives in each and every young person and as such the Youth League pursues the agenda of entrenching self-determination in its vibrant structures and also in those whom the Youth League is keen on attracting.

You see dear reader, the revolution as expounded by Chairman Mao is an on-going process, in which new participants must be keen on partaking. This is the sole reason why I feel inclined to write mainly about the role of the Youth League in the forthcoming 2018 elections.

Statistics that we have come to believe so much state that the youth are the majority in this country summing us up to exactly over 60 percent of the population.

I don’t want to dwell much on the figures but fact remains we are the majority. And as such, the burden of shouldering the revolution lays squarely on us.

What is our role as the youth? Are we the true vanguard of the revolution or the vanity guards of those who betray the revolution? Our leader Cde Robert Mugabe always impresses upon us to safeguard the gains of the revolution, to hold our heads high up and be proud of our sovereignty and self-determination. Cde Mugabe has significantly placed our little tea pot shaped country on the world map by bravely standing for peace, unity and development at a world scale and notably being our party motto.

As such, are we as the youth also echoing the same voice of unity, peace and development? Before I go any further, I would like to take this opportunity to hail our leader Cde Mugabe for rightfully standing up to American President Donald Trump whom he rightfully referred to as the 21st Goliath.

Such a biblical analogy gives hope to every small nation and let alone every youth knowing fully well of how the story of David and Goliath turns out.

History surely has its way of repeating itself and as such, President Trump must take heed of the advice freely dished out by David in the light of President Mugabe. Let me not digress into adding my voice towards the Trampoline Trump and remain on my lane.

The ultimate political party of choice is one that makes an effort to woo, lure or convince a would be voter. Such luring must be done over the longest period of time thus exhibiting temerity of the potential political suitor and also seeming truthful to the would be voter.

Such is the way with Zanu-PF since inception. Indeed the party has been in high pursuit of the youth vote more than any other political party in the land.

Indeed Zanu-PF’s catchment area is the youthful voter and the party will do anything to win the hearts of the youth, not just as leaders of tomorrow, but also as current leaders.

This has been witnessed by the Million Men March in which the party together with its leader Cde Mugabe made a deliberate effort to address the grievances of the youth at a national scale. This subsequently gave birth to the Youth Interface Rallies which have seen the party listen to and strategically address the problems of the youths province by province. Not sounding boastful, Zanu-PF prides itself in having more empowered youth members than any political party in the land; empowered in terms of education, knowledge, fixed and current assets.

Zanu-PF doesn’t just go all out on its courtship process with the electorate. It sends its best suitor and most eligible candidate to pursue the votes of the people and particularly the youth. That is the reason why the Youth Interface Rallies have been on a drive. Zanu-PF is in hot pursuit of the youth vote.

As such, the Zanu-PF Youth League has taken it upon itself to drum up support for the revolutionary party. Zanu-PF is the only political party in Zimbabwe with an eligible candidate who delivers upon his manifesto and promises to the people of Zimbabwe. This particular suitor is none other than Cde Mugabe.

Against all odds of the hard hitting sanctions imposed on him and the country at large, he has remained resolute, steadfast and unwavering. It is of importance that I share with you the importance of the three C’s. Not cash, car, cellphone or rather company which by the way many young people who toe the path of not only supporting but also voting for Zanu-PF have. Cash, car, company are integral and important to Zanu-PF to ensure that the youth have in their possession, but the most important three C’s that I think are valuable and that I value as a youth leader who has learnt from Cde Mugabe are competence, charisma, and character.

He has remained competent, charismatic and with a lot of character.

What is competence?

It is the quality of being skillful, knowledgeable and experimental. When one is skillful in politics they are tactful (when talking to people). When one is knowledgeable, they are great with their strategy, their history and present political atmosphere. When one is experimental in politics they can even give a speech without preparing. Such competence adds up to charisma.

What is charisma?

It is a divine gift of power that pulls a large number of people and is indisputable of Cde Mugabe. Since 1980, President Mugabe has oozed charisma. He mastered the skill of competence and this makes his leadership charismatic. In order get to the top, I believe one needs character, ubuntu.

Character is in the way you walk, the way you talk, and it is often said, “Worry more about your character than your reputation, because character is who you are and reputation is merely what others think you are”.

The Zanu-PF Youth League implores on all its members to have a character similar to that of President Mugabe because that may be the only manifesto that people may know about Zanu-PF, the only manifesto pre – , during and post elections. It is possible that you may be all that people look at in-order to judge Zanu-PF; in-order for them to say I want to join Zanu-PF.

As such, Zanu-PF aims to attain five million voters. Register to vote and be part of the winning five million voters. Be counted together with the winning team. Be bold, be courageous and go register to vote and vote Zanu-PF. Have the desire to contribute to the leadership, to Zimbabwe. Play your part. Vote Zanu-PF. Your will as a youth to always be free, to define your own freedom and to commit to your freedom is the sole reason why the youth must remain in unshakable support of the revolutionary party. Your vote is your sacrifice. Your vote is your emancipation. Zanu-PF is the party for today, tomorrow and the future.

Zanu-PF is the only political party that walks the walk and talks the talk. It is currently represented by over ten young members of parliament. Cadres such as Cde K Chipanga, M Gava, M Wadyajena, A Ndlovu, M Dziva, Y Simbanegavi, T Zhou, W Mashange, T Kanengoni Malinga, B Kaseke, S Mashayamombe and P Maziwisa are some of the young people that currently represent Zanu-PF and come 2018, many young people will stand boldly to represent the party led by Cde Mugabe and Amai Grace Mugabe. Indeed the number of youth representatives forwarded by Zanu-PF to Parliament will only increase adding to the competent team already there. It is this writer’s strongest conviction that even you the reader stand a greater chance to fulfill your political ambition when you are riding on the same train as Cde Mugabe.

Zanu-PF is the only political party tolerant and cognisant of the importance of the youth. Zanu-PF yiso isitimela esiqotho sabantu, yiso esikufikisayo- ndicho chega chitima chevanhu, uye chitima chinosvika.

According to Canaan Banana in his book “The Gospel According To the Ghetto”, “Blessed are the young men and women of vision, for their dreams shall be realised. Blessed is the patriotic man who walks not with informers; who sits not in the council of the oppressors; nor enlists in the regiments of mercenaries; but delights in the welfare of the underdog.”

If only the youth from opposition political parties could take a leaf from the good reverend and dissipate from being mercenaries disguised in the hashtags of today.

Indeed, all activists of the #Tajamuka, #ThisFlag shall be awarded free copies of the good reverend’s book courtesy of this writer.

Fundisani Dewa is the Zanu-PF Youth League Deputy Provincial Secretary for Transport and Welfare. He can be contacted on [email protected]