ZANU-PF Youth League Has Become Ineffective Under Machakaire, Says Mliswa

Village head Temba Mliswa has accused Secretary for Youth Affairs in the ZANU-PF Politburo, Tino Machakaire, of lacking the courage to defend President Emmerson Mnangagwa and of rendering the Youth League passive and ineffective.

Writing on X, Mliswa, a former ZANU-PF provincial chairperson, claimed the President is surrounded by opportunists who are unwilling to defend him.

“Minister Machakaire, leading the Youth League, has allowed it to transform into a passive and ineffectual participant in party affairs,” said Mliswa.

“Yet, the Youth and Women’s Leagues ought to serve as the party’s vanguard. Today, they have become mere numerals within the complex hierarchy of ZANU-PF power dynamics.

“Machakaire and the Youth should have led the line defending when ED was being attacked, yet they never did.

“When VP Chiwenga openly threatened the stability of the party, Machakaire utterly failed to mobilise a solidarity stand with the One Centre of Power, betraying his compromised state.”

Mliswa, a one-term Member of Parliament for Norton, said Machakaire’s “days should be numbered.”

He further claimed that Machakaire, who is also the MP for Wedza South, never issued a statement when Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga “clearly” went against a party resolution on 2030.

“Instead, all Machakaire does is talk about how he made his money nekupfeka masuit”, charged Mliswa.

“We are tired of people who sit on the fence waiting to jump on the winning side.

“Leadership isn’t about suits and flying in a helicopter. What are you teaching youths by flying around in a helicopter and failing to link with and relate to them?

“Leadership is about action on the ground, making a difference within your area of control.

“Come down to the youths, interact with them, get to understand their challenges and offer solutions.

“As it is, drugs are ravaging them, and there isn’t much being done. In terms of employment creation, he has failed.

“Some who had land lost it to corrupt cabals. In all these, he has failed to come up with any substantial initiative.”