By Wezhira Munya
Today, the 16th of June 2024, a group of pro-Chamisa youth in Bulawayo held a press conference to commemorate Youth Day and voice their concerns about the state of Zimbabwe’s youth under the current Zanu PF government.
The press conference was led by the fearless Honourable Pashor Raphael Sibanda, the former Cowardly Park member of parliament who was recently recalled by the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party secretary general Sengezo Tshabangu. They were also joined by the firebrand pro-Chamisa councillor Bruce Meli Moyo of ward 22.
The youth wore black as a symbol of the “death of Democracy, human rights, employment and hope” due to Zanu PF’s misrule. Councillor Moyo was the first speaker, stating that the Bulawayo youth were commemorating Youth Day and remembering those who fought for the country’s freedom. However, he lamented that Zanu PF has “destroyed the aspirations of young people in Zimbabwe,” with the majority being jobless and education having been commercialized.
Honourable Sibanda, dressed in a black t-shirt that read “Zimbabwe will never die, but the youth will save it,” expressed the youth’s disappointment at the police banning their planned Youth Day celebration in Bulawayo. He defiantly stated, “The police and the regime in Zimbabwe will never stop the idea whose time has come to liberate Zimbabwe and bring new hope to Zimbabwe.”
After the police disrupted their planned event, the fearless Bulawayo youth proceeded to hold the press conference in the city center as a show of boldness. Kingjoy Sibanda, one of the youth participants, commented, “Our message was to inform the regime that even if they tried to block our event today, we will remain resolute and forge forward until victory.”
The press conference highlighted the growing frustration and determination of the pro-Chamisa Bulawayo youth in the face of the Zanu PF government’s suppression of dissent and youth empowerment. As the country grapples with high unemployment, economic challenges, and political tensions, the youth’s voice continues to be a crucial factor in shaping Zimbabwe’s future.
