The Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) on Friday launched an ambitious programme to mobilize students from the country’s tertiary institutions to register and vote in the 2018 elections saying the current government has betrayed the aspirations of the young people in the country.
By Moregiven Sithole
The programme dubbed #Student Vote/Mudzidzi Vote comes as President Mugabe is embarking on a whirlwind tour of the country addressing youths interface rallies in preparation of the 2018 elections.
Addressing journalists at a press conference in the capital, ZINASU President, Alistair Pfunye said Zanu PF’s mismanagement of the economy is making life hard for students with female students resorting to prostitution to enhance their university life.
“The government has created a very bad situation for us as students, they have destroyed the economy of this country yet these institutions raise fees when ever they want. Female students are prostituting with garden boys and kombi drivers in Mt Pleasant just to get food and accommodation,” he said.
“Even the residence price is exorbitant. Where are we supposed to get that money when our economy is so poor like this?’” he queried.
MDC-T Youth Assembly, Secretary General, Lovemore Chinopotsa said Zanu PF had shown its lack of care for the youths by choosing President Mugabe, who turns 94 next year as their presidential candidate saying the nonagenarian is “out of touch” with the needs of the young people.
“Zanu PF does not care about the youth, that’s why their Presidential candidate for the 2018 election is an old man like Mugabe who is clearly out of touch with our plight. We are saying that as future leaders of this country let us register in our numbers and vote out this incompetent old regime,”said Chinopotsa.
He said Mugabe did a good job of liberating this country from Ian Smith; however he lambasted the nonagenarian for extending oppression to the Zimbabweans.
“Mugabe did exceptionally well in liberating our country from the whites, however the independence which was fought for has been swept away by Mugabe and his cabal of corrupt officials,” he added.
MDC T Youth Assembly Chairperson, Happymore Chidziva lauded the students for coming up with the initiative saying the educated are usually leaders of the struggle because of their knowledge of the situation in any given country.
He urged students to influence their parents to register and vote.
“The struggle is initiated by students because you are the ones who know very well the situation on ground. You should not only encourage other students to vote but go and influence everyone ask home so that they vote for change,” said Chidziva.
