By Staff Reporter
THE ruling Zanu-PF party’s youth league leader, John Paradza has vowed to thwart the planned March 31 nationwide protests aimed at forcing President Emmerson Mnangagwa to step down.
He said his brigade was ready to thwart the planned March 31 protests to force the country’s leader to step down.
Paradza said this during the launch of the Presidential Empowerment Youth Fund in Harare where Mnangagwa was the guest of honour.
The event was turned into a platform for denouncing Geza, who has rallied Zimbabweans to support anti-government protests.
Yesterday’s gathering, which was intended to showcase the ruling party’s commitment to youth empowerment, quickly became a stage for fiery speeches, slogans and songs against Geza.
Zanu PF youth provincial chairpersons chanted anti-Geza slogans during the event.
“Pasi naGeza (Down with Geza) . . . we don’t care about you. You were fired,” they chanted.
Geza issued a broadcast message on YouTube and X (formerly Twitter) clad in military fatigue on Tuesday calling for nationwide demonstrations to force Mnangagwa to step down.
Geza was recently expelled from Zanu PF alongside several party members on various charges that included undermining the party leadership.
Paradza, a fierce Mnangagwa loyalist and Zanu PF deputy youth affairs secretary, sought to assure the President of plans to thwart the protest.
“We want to assure you President that there is no demonstration on March 31 as long as we are there as the youths,” he said.
“We have all these youths, we are all equal and we are not threatened by what we are seeing on social media.
“Geza should remember that it is Zanu PF which raised him.”
ICT minister Tatenda Mavetera, who has emerged as one of the cheerleaders of plans to extend Mnangagwa’s term of office from 2028 to 2030, pledged support to the President.
“Mnangagwa is the only one who can rule for now,” Mavetera said.
Mavetera is the leader of the Young Women for ED, which has been accused of singing and dancing while attacking Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga at the burial of former Deputy Chief secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Justin Mupamhanga, at the National Heroes Acre in January this year.
Chiwenga was presiding over the burial, where Mavetera and her gang declared that he would not rule this country.
Yesterday, Chiwenga did not attend the launch of the Presidential Empowerment Youth Fund.
