On Wednesday, a group of disgruntled Zanu (PF) youths protested against their eviction from bus termini in Harare where they were extorting money from commuter omnibus drivers.
Before their eviction, the youths reportedly had the backing of senior Zanu (PF) officials in Harare province who were allegedly benefiting from revenue collected at the bus termini.
Political analyst John Makumbe said the demonstrations were a result of lawlessness that Zanu (PF) has bred in the country through the manipulation of desperate unemployed youths.
“This is a classic show of how lawlessness has a tendency to backfire on its perpetrators. All along Zanu (PF) has been using these youths and they have allowed them to do as they wish and now their (the youths) actions are directed at their own party,” said Makumbe.
He added: “Zanu (PF) has for several years allowed the culture of impunity by these youths to go unchecked and now it is coming back to them.”
Another political analyst, Pedzisayi Ruhanya, said the fact that the youths were demonstrating against Zanu (PF) was a clear sign the party was behind the activities at the city’s bus termini.
“That demonstration tells us that Zanu (PF) was behind the anarchy and chaos taking place at the commuter omnibus ranks. If Zanu (PF) was not responsible, why would the youths protest against the party?
It shows Zanu (PF) is a lawlessness political institution which was responsible for the anarchy in Harare,” said Ruhanya. He, however, dismissed the demonstrations as senseless saying the youths were seeking a return of anarchy and chaos in the city centre.
“They are senseless demonstrations that seek to restore lawlessness in Harare and the police must act to restore order,” said Ruhanya.
A Zanu (PF) youth member identified as Maxwell Gunda, who used to operate at Charge Office bus terminus, said they felt betrayed by the party “which had given us assurances that we will not be stopped from manning the ranks”.
“We did a lot for the party in Harare province and the leadership gave us control of the ranks as a reward for our hard work but suddenly, they have decided to dump us and it’s quite unfair,” said Gunda.
Zanu (PF) Secretary for Administration, Didymus Mutasa, dismissed the demonstrators at the party’s Fourth Street Offices as “mad”.
Post published in: News