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Zanu PF youth militias disrupt Constitutional conference
Youth Agenda Trust
July 14, 2009

The much awaited constitutional conference ended prematurely yesterday after a group of ZANU PF youth militias and some hired thugs stormed into the conference venue and disrupted all proceedings. The chaos started soon after the speaker of parliament, Hon Lovemore Moyo was giving his speech to officially open the conference. Most observers and participants cited Saviour Kasukuwere, a senior ZANU PF member and also minster for youth development and indigenisation together with Patrick Zhuwawo, a senior ZANU PF member and Mugabe's niece as the ones who were leading the marauding youth. The youth who were seen caucusing outside the conference venue before the speaker's remarks stormed the venue soon after Patrick Zhuwawo and Saviour Kasukuwere entered the room waving the ZANU PF symbol a clenched fist and chanting the ZANU PF slogan. This disruption is a clear indication of ZANU PF's insincerity towards fulfilling the Global Political Agreement. Under article six of the Global Political Agreement the select committee of parliament was tasked with administering the constitution making process and the all stakeholders' conference was one of its initial endeavours in fulfilling its mandate.

The Youth Agenda Trust condemns this continued abuse of young people by the ZANU PF leadership by mobilising them to be agents of perpetrating violence and disrupting peaceful national processes. The Youth Agenda Trust would also like to condemn such acts as barbaric and are meant to derail the people's struggle for democracy. The ZANU PF leadership should be reminded that there is no powerful force than an idea whose time has come and no amount of intimidation, threats and violence will be able to stop the people's wagon towards the full democratisation of Zimbabwe. We also call upon the progressive minded principals in the inclusive government to quickly intervene to have this imperative process resumed. They should also consider calling for a full extra ordinary SADC summit to address the intended sabotaging of the constitutional reform process by ZANU PF and the resolution of all the outstanding issues in the Global Political Agreement. Meanwhile the Youth Agenda Trust will join hands with other civic formations and embark on a nationwide campaign to mobilise young people to resist the imposition of the Kariba Draft as the national constitution. Young people have suffered long enough under the ZANU PF regime and they cannot wait any longer without a new democratic constitution and a legitimate government.

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