Staff Reporter|ZimEye| A cabal of ZANU PF youth in Gwanda is lobbying for an urgent renaming of two of Gwanda’s main roads in President Robert Mugabe and his controversial wife Grace’s names.
A member of the ZANU PF Matabeleland South youth league told ZimEye.com through a confidential tip off, that a section of the youth league backing Grace Mugabe for party presidency met over the weekend and resolved to push the party to force Gwanda Town Council to effect the name changes urgently. According to the details, the group intends to engage some war veterans said to be loyal to Grace and the women’s league to push the agenda through.
The group is said to be targeting the name changes to be done before the party goes for its annual conference in Victoria Falls on the 5th of December. Similar pushes are said to be being undertaken in all the major centres in the country as the youth league garners support and publicity for the First Lady ahead of the conference.
Media reports claim that 91 year old President Mugabe is expected to announce his successor at the conference and also declare his retirement from active politics. ZANU PF is dissipate into two rival factions ahead of the make or break December conference. One section is backing Vice President Emmerson Munangagwa and the other backing Grace Mugabe to head the party.
According to the information provided, the youth league will demand that the main road passing through Gwanda from Bulawayo to Beitbridge be named Robert Mugabe Way. The Bigburn Road which links the town’s CBD with the Western High Density suburbs in Jawunda Township be called the Grace Mugabe Road.
Last year the ZANU PF women’s league in the town tried to push to change the name of the town’s oldest primary school, Jawunda, to Grace Mugabe Primary School. The proposal was strongly rejected by residents of Gwanda and the ruling party soon shelved it off .
Asked for a comment, political analyst and Residents leader in Gwanda, Bekezela Maduma Fuzwayo said that the renaming of Gwanda Streets and buildings is not necessary a matter for ZANU PF to do but that of the community in Gwanda.
“The issue of renaming Gwanda streets is not a privilege for ZANU PF only but all of us in Gwanda. As residents we have made it clear to our local authority that when the time comes to name or rename streets and properties in Gwanda, a committee of stakeholders be set up and ZANU PF can be included among the stakeholders if they have a burning desire to see some names included, but all names will be assessed on an equal footing and those of paramount relevance to Gwanda will get a priority” said Fuzwayo.
“It will be a mistake to allow the current political issues amongst political parties to influence our decisions of years to come. If MDCT fights today and they demand to give (Thokozani) Khuphe publicity then we name a street in her name we will lose relevance and credibility as a community,” he added.