Linda Masarira on Prince Charles coronation

4 May 2023

By Mambokadzi WekwaMasarira 

The UK has been hiding behind being a donor government, yet they continuously perpetuate neocolonialism and imperialism. The unregulated forms of aid, trade, and foreign direct investment have entrenched poverty in Zimbabwe as Zimbabweans now suffer from a donor reliant syndrome. Zimbabwe, like many other African sovereign states, has been reduced to mere “flag independence” by external policy interference and economic control. Sadly, Africans have failed to contextualise mal-governance in terms of how external donors and companies often enable such actions to preserve lucrative economic arrangements that have led to so much corruption and unethical conduct in most Afrikan states. 

In short the UK never changed, Prince Charles being the man that hoisted the first Zimbabwe flag in 1980, still has interests in most mineral resources in Zimbabwe hence the invitation of our Head of State to the UK. 

The House of Lords and House of commons in the UK can't even see the speck in the eye of their country, they are always quick to criticise how Zimbabwe runs its own internal affairs? Is the UK so-called constitutional monarchy democratic?

What irks me the most is how my fellow countrymen fail to comprehend how they have been sold a dummy in the name of "democracy and its tenets". Who defined this democracy? Whose democracy is it? What colour is democracy? Where is the democracy when there is so much inequality in the world? 

This past week Zimbabwe has seen some awkward judgements on opposition activists. There is no coincidence at all knowing how infiltrated our systems have become that these judgements coincided with Zimbabwe’s President visit to Prince Charles coronation. 

Cecil John Rhodes remains should be removed from Matobo and sent to UK or burnt to ashes. His statue must also be removed as we can't continue revering men who destroyed our culture, desecrated our identity, and inflicted so much pain on native Africans who resided in now modern day Zimbabwe. What a lot of people don't understand is that during the colonial era the colonialists mastered our traditional systems and religion and have been using that against us. The bones and heads of the spiritual leaders that were killed during the colonial era should be returned to Zimbabwe and buried accordingly by their existing families in Zimbabwe. 

Our decapitated ancestors have a very real degree of agency from beyond the grave. We can't have our own ancestors displayed in a British museum as trophies. It is inhuman, unAfrikan & derogatory. 

In conclusion, Zimbabwe doesn't need aid, it needs reparations!

Rejoining Commonwealth a perpetuation of British Imperialist Empire Hegemony : Linda Masarira

18 November 2022

By Linda Tsungirirai Masarira

42 years after independence, my beloved Zimbabwe should be positioning itself for total sovereignty and protection of our territorial integrity. Zimbabwe should be leading the way in nationalizing all economic sectors that have the potential to transform Zimbabwe into a first world continent. We set the tone for Africa, when we took back our land from the white farmers who stole the land from our ancestors and pushed them into barren lands in region 5. That move alone shook the white capital monopoly, Zimbabwe was isolated, we were booted out of the very commonwealth that the current government now seeks to rejoin and economic sanctions were imposed on Zimbabwe. 

Fair and fine we have been intoxicated with a colonial hangover for the past 42 years and at what point are we going to sober up, rehabilitate ourselves as a people, as a nation and start constructing the Zimbabwe that we want which has real equal opportunities for all. We have to be able to interrogate ourselves and speak the uncomfortable truths of how leadership in the ruling party and the other two opposition parties mainly CCC and MDC have no drive at all to change the system of governance in this country which was inherited from the colonial regime of Ian Smith. If there was any sincerity in transforming all the systems in this country, we would be at a higher stage socially, politically and economically.

Sadly the crop of politicians we have in these 3 political parties are mainly interested in power retention and primitive accumulation of wealth and not tangible development hinged on organic homegrown economic models that can make Zimbabwe a first world continent. 

Commonwealth is a contemporary manifestation of the British empire, it is a vessel of former colonies with the former imperial master at the helm. British companies control more than $1 trillion worth of Africa's key resources like gold, diamonds, gas and oil. What have African countries ever benefited from being commonwealth members except being countries that are further exploited in the guise of a so called commonwealth? Whose commonwealth when there hasn't been any significant transformation of the so called commonwealth member states beside perpetuation of unending foreign debt. 

All countries use diplomacy to lobby in their own interests and I have always said that diplomacy is a farce. Until African countries realize that multilateralism is a creature that has been used to further exploit poor and vulnerable countries, Africa will remain running all over the globe with begging bowls.  In Britain’s case, the Commonwealth has served very nicely to advocate its particular shopping list: liberalised, extractor-friendly regimes, low corporate tax rates, and a creative system of tax havens predominantly located in other Commonwealth countries. As a result, Africa loses £30bn more each year than it receives in aid, loans and remittances.

In the Caribbean 14 nations including a good number of Commonwealth members are attempting to sue the British government for reparations for four centuries of slavery, and Britain is using jurisdiction issues arising from the Commonwealth to block the claim. 

If Britain is blocking the claim of reparations from Caribbean countries using commonwealth membership as a scapegoat, it shows that the very commonwealth membership is a tool for repression and suppression. The Great Britain was built by the sweat and blood of the Blackman, their economy was strengthened by stolen mineral resources from Africa which the whole of Africa should be demanding reparations for instead of being given these useless aid that keep us in servitude and debt. 

My heart bleeds when I see the Zimbabwean government making efforts of rejoining this useless Commonwealth of nations which is just a mere post colonial club. The Commonwealth still serves only to bolster Britain’s sense of importance in the world and to make it appear that its outdated stiff upper lipped monarch still has a role in the modern world. We should never be comfortable of joining  groupings that have no tangible benefit to the people of Zimbabwe. The Commonwealth is not a free trade body like, the EU, or a unified defence group like NATO, or even an international quasi-legal body like the UN. It does not seek to do anything much, other than vaguely demand that members be at least nod towards democracy. The nod of democracy which is defined in British terms which I find quite absurd. 

My conclusion therefore is that we have no business joining the commonwealth. Zimbabwe should be focusing on entrenching Pan Afrikan values, interests and principles which will enable native Zimbabweans to own and control all the means of production in our quest to make Zimbabwe an economic powerhouse. Zimbabwe will never be an economic giant using foreign currency and allocating key critical mining concessions to foreign investors. We need to be able to encourage more Local Investment, champion wealth creation within native Zimbabweans and strengthening of the Zimbabwe dollar which again should be renamed to a wholly Zimbabwean name, rebranded and given a strong lease of life. The economic stability strategies which should be implored should start by dumping all the eurocentric economic models that we are using which destroyed our economy. We should define our own economic models and start doing things the Zimbabwean way to benefit Zimbabwean people. Where there is a will there is always a way.

Profile: Linda Masarira

11 October 2022 

By Simbarashe Musaki

LINDA MASARIRA'S ‘movie’ like life tale, comprising of incarcerations, torture, and unpretentious abductions under the hands of former Zimbabwe President, the late Robert Mugabe’s regime may have been a hardener for the veteran human rights activist cum politician.

The experience inspired her to form her political party, Labour Economists and Afrikan Democrats (LEAD) in 2019, looking forward to taking head-on selfish political party leaders obstructing ordinary citizens from enjoying the ‘Zimbabwe of milk and honey’ imaginary promised by freedom fighters prior to independence.

Now 40 years old and a mother of five, she boasts of having lived 50 lives.

Linda is a politician with a difference and is herself a success story in Zimbabwean political and human rights activism history which was previously dominated by men.

“I inspired myself because no one can do what I am capable of doing. I have lived 50 lives in 40 years and I just aim higher for people to have standard and decent living conditions,” she said in an interview.

Her activism lifestyle coupled with the highest quality political concepts amaze many people who in turn raise countless questions about her childhood, trade unionism, and politicking account which this publication successfully traced its roots.

Born on October 3, 1982, at Hwange Colliery Hospital, Linda grew up ordinarily like other children and in a family of two. She is the eldest child of John Joseph Masarira a retired chartered surveyor and Perpetua Masarira the headmistress of Herman Gmeiner High School, while Russell her only sibling is a successful farmer in the Batswana land.

She attended primary education at Hallingbury Primary school (Harare) and enrolled for secondary education at Marlborough High School for forms 1 and 2, before moving to Chipindura High School (Bindura) to do her form 3 up to 5, and all this nomadism was as a result of her parents searching for greener pastures.

Despite being a rape victim at the age of 17 and later realizing that she was pregnant, Linda finished her form 6 at Christ Ministries College (Harare) staying alone.

Although activism was inborn and not a breeding area for empty vessels diametrically opposed to general belief then, Linda pursued tertiary education prior to entering the mainstream activism arena. She did courses including I.T and Networking, Computer Technicians, Institute of Marketing Management (IMM) and a Certified Railway Trains working course.

In 2002-3 she got employed at Gratephase Computers as a computer technician before trying her luck as an indigenous businesswoman, establishing her first company Lindaz Interiors at the same time being employed by Systems Technology as a sales administrator between 2003 and 2005 where she started trade unionism as the workers’ committee chairperson. 

She is a victim of the infamous Zuva judgment in 2015 after having worked for National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) from 2006 as a guard special (assistant train driver) and successfully led two workers’ unions that is Trainmen Workers Union (TWU) between 2008-2013 and NRZ workers’ committee between 2014 and 2015 in fighting against poor remuneration and late payment of salaries.

Regardless of being fired more than thrice for trade unionism, her late husband Charles Moyo remained her cheerleader and was the man behind Linda’s successful trade unionism career.

“I was fired three times in my life for labour activism and advocating for labour justice and decent salaries. I am a victim of the Zuva judgment and gender justice and after being fired at NRZ, I just made a promise to myself that I was not going to work for anyone again, that’s when I ventured into farming and started doing advocacy work,” said Masarira.

After being fired by NRZ, Linda did not lose hope of getting her terminal benefits and being a voice for the voiceless, she formed and chaired the Association of Railways Terminated Employees (ARTE) and managed to ensure that all Zuva judgment victims got their benefits.

Politically, her role model is former MDC women’s assembly chairperson Lucia Matibenga and her political career commenced in Hwange as an MDC activist before dumping the party in protest, accusing former MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai of betraying the people’s struggle by allegedly going into hiding in Botswana during the bloody 2008 elections.

In 2015-2017, Linda who is not a political Uncle Tom became the then Tendai Biti-led People’s Democratic Party (PDP) secretary for recruitment and mobilisation before quitting, citing the party leader’s shenanigans, hypocrisy and misogynistic nature as push factors.

Fed up with partisan politics, she launched her Harare Central independent campaign dubbed #PurpleCampaign in September 2017 before joining Thokozani Khupe led MDC-T as the national spokesperson after realising that the electorate was not yet ready for independent candidates and disclosed her expulsion in 2019 as a result of patriarchal dominance around the party leader.   

Focusing on human rights activism, joining hands with the likes of Promise Mkwananzi in 2016,  Linda is a founder member of Tajamuka/Sesijikile, a social movement that was a nightmare for the late former President Mugabe, advocating for Mugabe to step down on accusations of violating human rights and dictatorship.

Linda who got the nickname 'Chandagwinyira' from her parents was part of the 2016 Occupy Africa Unity Square Campaign which protested against the deteriorating socio-economic environment leading to her periodic arrests.

Following a series of fruitful protests, she spearheaded in 2016, Masarira was incarcerated for 89 days at Chikurubi Female Prison and carried her activism behind bars thwarting human rights abuse in prison and was transferred to solitary confinement at Chikurubi Maximum Prison.

“I’m glad that I led a protest in prison to change the living conditions of female prisoners at Chikurubi Female Prison, this led to my solitary confinement at Chikurubi Maximum Prison (male prison). They thought they were fixing me, but I managed to have an opportunity to turn around other the prisoner's livelihoods, which were subjected to inhumane treatment by prison guards,” she said.  

She is also a trustee, the first coordinator and brains behind the formation of Zimbabwe Women in Politics Alliance (ZWIPA) in 2016 whose major achievement was the ‘Bring back our women from Kuwait’ campaign which sped the repatriation process to more than 200 stranded Zimbabwean women who had fallen victims of human trafficking. She is also the founder and trustee of Zimbabwe Drug Action Team (ZiDAT) an organization advocating for public rehabilitation of all drug addicts in Zimbabwe and the classification of Chrystal Meth (Mutoriro) as an illegal and dangerous drug. She is also advocating for the alignment of laws to protect the girl child from early marriages, through a constitutional court challenge which is before the Constitutional Court of Zimbabwe.

Masarira’s profile is admirable, as she is the convener of #PensionersVoiceZW, former coordinator for the Young African Leadership Forum (Zimbabwe Chapter), former chairperson of the Revolutionary Freedom Fighters as well as former chairperson of Star Fellowship cohort 3 and FES Alumni.

To date, she has set political standards rather than matching them by being the leader of the only political party in the world that has achieved gender parity from the national executive to the ward structures. 

In Zimbabwe, since independence her party is the only party that has got a diversity of leadership in its executive that is a cocktail of youth, middle-aged and elderly people, as well as leaders from diverse religious backgrounds.

In proving her power of turning everything she touches to gold, Linda successfully advocated for the reduction of examination fees in 2020 leading to the government subsiding ZIMSEC examination fees, engaged the RBZ governor for ordinary citizens to access US dollars at auction rate, advocated for the availability of fuel in RTGS to alleviate the hardships and strain for US dollars for all workers who earn local currency and successfully petitioned parliament not to consider the petition by civil society organizations which wanted to reduce the age to access sexual reproductive health to 12 years.

Earlier this year, she was elected the third Vice President of Convergence of Pan Afrikanists a Pan Afrikan organization advocating for the unification of Afrika and transformation of Africa to become a first world continent using it's own resources, intellectual capacity and human capital. She continues to break barriers and works tenaciously to advance the interests of Africa.

On the humanitarian aspect, Linda is running a sustaining project for teenage mothers disowned by families and a sanitary products donation program benefitting rural women and schools. She is also doing advocacy work for friends of Palestine and she recently wrote to the Arab League and UN to intervene and free Palestine from apartheid. 

George Files said, “Whoever stops learning is old, whether at 20 or 80 years.” Linda subscribes to that view and is currently studying for a Bachelor of Arts, Honours Degree in Peace and Governance.

Despite unfair treatment from the majority of opposition political parties’ supporters on social media through shameful manufactured allegations coupled with mirages, meant to taint her political career and denigrate her social dignity, what Linda has achieved so far in her political journey is a success, in any language.

Linda Masarira Open letter to VP Chiwenga the Minister of Health and Child Care

24 August 2022

Dear VP Chiwenga

It is with a heavy heart that I pen this letter your esteemed office. I have tried several times through your PA to get an appointment to meet with you and discuss the debilitating state of our public health institutions in Zimbabwe. Considering how Zimbabweans danced, ululated and praised you during the restore legacy era, you have been a great disappointment to their expectations especially in the healthcare delivery sector which you are also the Minister.  

Government has failed to ensure people's right to access to affordable, quality and basic health care in government hospitals. Most if not all public hospitals lack basic antibiotics, painkillers and chronic diseases medication. Considering that the Ministry of Health gets at least 15% of the national budget, it is perplexing how the ministry of health has continously failed to provide quality healthcare to the people of Zimbabwe. It is time that the budget allocation for the Ministry of Health works to revive the ailing health sector and to have audited statements of the same funds availed publicly for people to see how the funds are used. A life lost can never be reincarnated, sadly our people are dying prematurely everyday because government hospitals which should provide healthcare for all is failing to do so yet we have a whole ministry with a constitutional mandate to ensure that the right to healthcare is upheld in this country. 

Basic health care is now a luxury and privy to an elite few yet it is a basic right as promulgated in the Bill of rights of the supreme law of the land.

For a country with nearly a quarter of the population suffering from chronic diseases priority, Mr VP and Minister of Health should be allocation of funds to acquire state of the art machinery for public hospitals like CT scans, radiotherapy machines for cancer patients, dialysis machines, etc for all the referral public hospitals in Zimbabwe and to fulfill your parties campaign manifesto of having a government hospital in all the districts of Zimbabwe by 2023.

During the 2018 campaigns, your party which is ruling the government pledged to;

• ensure that treasury allocates at least 15% of the National budget to the healthcare sector in line with the Abuja declaration ( this is the only thing you managed to fulfill)

• support operational research by targeting possible solutions to non communicable diseases (NCDs)

• review remuneration structure for medical professionals 

• invest in new healthcare facilities in order to ensure access by all to health services particularly in rural and resettlement areas

• resuscitate the country's pharmaceutical industry to increase the availability of drugs at affordable prices

• develop and implement a health services manpower skills development plan and build specialized high-tech health facilities in order to become a sub regional health tourism hub

• support training of our medical professionals in advanced medical techniques and procedures in India, China. Cuba and Russia among others. This will benefit many Zimbabweans who cannot afford to travel aboard to seek specialized medical care

• establish at least one new hospital per administrative district by 2023

• ensure proper coordination of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health programs through a new heath strategy and

• promote universal health coverage.

Of all these VP and Minister Chiwenga you only achieved one and it is mind boggling how you are failing to restore legacy in the health sector. Health is a fundamental human right which your ministry is denying millions of Zimbabweans. My fellow countrymen can't afford to get treated in private hospitals which are very exorbitant in healthcare fees. Public hospitals are illequipped to cater for ordinary Zimbabweans and maternal mortality is increasing. I am sure you want to leave a positive legacy and that legacy can only be one of the man who revived healthcare in Zimbabwe and put a smile on people's faces.

We can't continue to put lipstick on pigs whilst pretending that everything is under control. Nothing is under control. People are suffering, people are struggling and people are dying.

I implore you Soko, to do the right thing to commit to save Zimbabweans from doom. There is nothing impossible under the sun. Impossibility is just in the mind. We all just need to walk into a government hospital and get treated by happy, well remunerated nurses and doctors who have medicines in their pharmacies and everything that is needed for a hospital to fully function. We have many organic intellectuals in this country who can help revamp the health sector with ideas, resources and expertise. 

Lastly, I recommend that you make sincere efforts to reform and manage the health sector to effectively and efficiently deliver comprehensive, quality health services that are equitable, accessible, affordable and sustainable for all the people in Zimbabwe. I also pray that your ministry fulfills the National health strategy plan in the NDS documents and works tirelessly to deliver world class standard quality healthcare to all Zimbabweans regardless of class. A healthy nation is a productive nation. 

In anticipation of a favourable response, I remain;

Linda Tsungirirai Masarira

LEAD President

LEAD President Linda Masarira post Independence Statement

By Mambokadzi Linda Tsungirirai Masarira 

19 April 2021

As we continue to celebrate Zimbabwe at 42, it is imperative for all Zimbabweans to nurture the culture of tolerance, peace, unity and love. 

Yesterday, Zimbabweans from all walks of life celebrated the independence of our beloved country. Whilst a lot has been said about the milestones that Zimbabwe has achieved, for women it is not yet Uhuru 42 years after independence. Women still struggle to unclasp the bondages of poverty, exclusion and systematic marginalization. 

It is imperative to note that the discrimination of women in Zimbabwe is systematic and well calculated. The gender imbalances & stereotyping socially, politically & economically is structural and needs 100% commitment from all women in Zimbabwe for us to be able to break all the barriers prohibiting women to reach their full potential in this highly patriarchal dominant country. Indeed it is not yet Uhuru for women participation in governance and politics. It is not yet Uhuru for economic opportunities for the majority of women in Zimbabwe. 

All relevant organs of the state, CSOS, the church and society at large need to stop the cosmetic approach to dealing with issues that affect women in our country. Firstly, we need commitment by all organs of the state to adhere to section 17 of the constitution of Zimbabwe which enshrines gender balance. Secondly, charity begins at home, how are we raising the girl child? The girl child should be encouraged to dream and live her dream without being forced to submit to men. Parents should raise children in gender balanced homes which will nurture a culture of equality and build confidence in the girl child to accomplish her goals without feeling intimidated.

Efforts have been made to empower women through the women's bank unfortunately the efforts are too elitist as most ordinary women don't stand a chance to access the loans due to lack of collateral. Unity of purpose is what is needed for women in Zimbabwe to get to a stage of a women's revolution in our beloved country and celebrate Independence Day at equal footing with every other Zimbabwean.

LEAD is working tirelessly to give women a safe space to participate in governance and politics. We are capacitating women and building a new brand of leaders who are responsible and responsive to the needs of Zimbabwe. LEAD is the only party that abolished the Women's wing after realization that women are grouped into this wing/league/assembly and given an illusion of power which is virtually non existent.

One fundamental cause we have in common with the current government is the desire to strengthen our unity, enhancing national cohesion and entrenching peace within our country. We can't prosper if we are always antagonizing. Peace, unity and love are the cornerstones of a strong nation. 

The independence day theme for 2022 was very appropriate for a time like this. "Leave no one and no place behind". As the spirit of unity continues to gain momentum in our teapot shaped country, don't be left behind. 

LEAD applauds the move by government to rotate independence day celebrations in all the ten provinces of the country. 

Yesterday, President Emmerson Mnangagwa reaffirmed government's commitment to empowering Zimbabweans and we implore the President of Zimbabwe to oversee that this commitment is upheld by all state departments and that no Zimbabwean is prejudiced of left behind because of their class in society or political affiliation.

In terms of agriculture  President Mnangagwa's government should ensure that every Zimbabwean who wants to contribute meaningfully in the agricultural sector is afforded land to do so in our quest to ensure that we become a food secure nation. It is sad that land is still being distributed in a partisan manner which continues to disenfranchise all those who want to work tirelessly to plug into the economic development agenda. We are all Zimbabweans and we should all have equal opportunities to national resources.

President Mnangagwa announced that a  phased free education system will be effected from 2023. Some years back government promised free education to all primary school students in line with the constitutional provisions of the constitution of Zimbabwe yet nothing of that sort ever happened. We pray that this announcement is sincere and that it will be implemented so that no child will be left behind.

We are all Zimbabweans before we belong to any political party. April is a month we should all reflect on the liberation struggle and how some patriotic Zimbabweans sacrificed their lives for us to be liberated.

Things might not be rosy now, all successful countries once went through recession and became economic powerhouses.

Zimbabwe is about to rebirth into economic prosperity. The darkest hour is before dawn. All this shall come to pass.

Stop cursing your country, start believing that together we can positively transform Zimbabwe if we tolerate each other in our diversity and work towards nation building and development.

You are the LEADER that you have been waiting for. It’s time to LEAD and ensure sustainable economic and human development in Zimbabwe.

Long live Zimbabwe!

Happy Independence to all my fellow countrymen.

Darlington football team

July 2019will be our first game

YALF President's New Year Message to African Youth

Happy New Year, 2018!

As always, it is my pleasure writing you again after one year of immense functions, implementation processes and selfless services to the common good of our African people. Our productiveness as comrades towards Africa's development should attract ovations; yet, whenever I recall the courage and sacrifices of Patrice Lumumba, Thomas Sankara, Samora Machel amongst others, I again feel that we (as today's youth) have to do something extraordinary to project Africa to the next level.

Last year was impact-full. Few youths discovered purpose and found the right paths for themselves. Some repaired bridges and retraced their lost paths. Yet, many others established themselves in their pursuits and set comfortable goals for this and many more years. It was indeed a year of investment in youth - I remember telling a friend in Zambia that there's no way I would have tweeted when I barely had the time for myself following the numerous project works; even an education-promoting fellowship. I was that busy in 2017.

The investment in youth and the harnessing of youth's potentials must continue in 2018. There are many young people that need to be empowered with necessary skills and the right attitude to solve their problems and those of others around them. There are also other youth leaders possessing capabilities of mentoring others, pioneering movements and initiating innovations which would bring out the best of Africa. These kinds of stewardship should be held dear in this New Year.

Libya has dominated World News for many months now. Before it, Zimbabwe did - but many thanks to the youth leaders who didn't attract negative spotlight for our continent whilst retiring the aged, Robert Mugabe. Liberian youths also elected the man of their choice without pre or post electoral violence. Many other events portray a growing Africa - so I must point that 2018 would undoubtedly take us a step further towards the realization of the Agenda 2063.

In some parts of the continent, youths would lend hands to the African Union Committee of Ten Heads of States on the UN Reforms to continue to push for Africa's effective representation at the world's most powerful body, United Nations Security Council (UNSC). The ongoing Libyan-saga makes it obvious as to why we need effective representation on the UNSC. Hence, we must brace ourselves well in the will of PAN-AFRICANISM and urge the international community to empathize with Africa on these issues of conflicts. If this is achieved, the UN would then be living up to expectations.

Lots of things are to be done. Let's make 2018 another watershed year for our 1.2billion people.

I salute your resilience!

Best Regards,

Prince Ifoh,
Founder, Young African Leaders Forum (YALF).
Africa Youth Hero, 2015.

olice Brutality On Journalists: An Attack on Freedom of Expression, The Media and The Constitution!

The brutal and subsequent illegal arrest of Obey Manayiti and other journalists by the ZRP for doing their work is intolerable, retrogressive, unconstitutional and a clear violation of the journalists' rights of freedom of expression and freedom of the media, in short it is a clear indictment on Sections 61 and 62 of the Constitution!

We strongly condemn the police without any equivocation or ambiguity for harassing, terrorising, clobbering and wantonly brutalising journalists -State terrorism at its worst. It is sad that in this country journalists unlike in other democratic jurisdictions, face viscious violent attacks from state security apparatus particularly the police who are supposed to uphold and respect both journalists and fundamental human rights as they are sacredly enshrined in the country's Constitution!

This attack on the members of the fourth estate clearly shows the regretful reality that in so called independent Zimbabwe, members of the media just like during the brutal Smith dictatorship  are terrorised, tortured and beaten for doing their jobs. Today's police brutality actually indicate that the sad reality that besides having adopted a new constitution with a brilliant Bill of Rights, the zanu led government is deliberately failing to develop a democratic political and constitutional culture imbued with basic principles of constitutionalism and the rule of law.

As citizens we urgently demand that the police who brutalised Manayiti and his colleagues be removed from the police force and in turn be arrested and convicted for human rights violations and  crimes against journalists and humanity at large!

#PoliceBrutalityMustStop
#RespectJournalists

Linda T. Masarira
Young African Leaders Forum

Zimbabwe

A Dream Of a United Africa

A Dream Of A United Africa, But Where Do we Start?

It starts with me and you, political activists on the ground.Political activists in our own right.

We need to craft influencer campaigns ,raising awareness and advocating for the benefits of a united Africa.

If we can have the masses convinced, the electorate will defend or elect Heads of states that are in support of Pan Africanist policies.

That is where we start, contrary to popular belief,the consensus needs to start on the ground.

That way we can have representation that consents on the African stage.Our representatives on the African stage, will not agree if the masses across Africa do not agree on the future we desire and decide on.

Before that happens we can not move any further.
#oneafrica_onestateofmind

Linda Tsungirirai Masarira
YALF Zimbabwe

YALF Annual Summit and Business Forum around the corner

Greetings from YALF!!!

This is to announce that the Young African Leaders Forum (YALF) has two major events this year. They are as follows:

- A Business Forum in Cameroon targeted at empowering young people to become business oriented, and productive to their societies. It will help address certain challenges faced by young entrepreneurs, and also point the way forward to aspiring and emerging entrepreneurs. It would help increase youth employability, and reduce the amount of unemployment in the African Continent. This comes up in Buea, Cameroon from 26 - 28 of September, 2017.

- The next event is the annual summit of the Young African Leaders Forum (YALF). This event will address some of the biggest social crises in the continent, like XENOPHOBIA and other issues of terrorism; the role of youth and religion in building the culture of peace in the continent. It will also empower young people to participate actively in their societies so that they can improve their own lives by representing and solving their needs whilst also advocating for those of others. This summit would hold in Accra, Ghana from 15 - 17 of November, 2017.

For these two events, we call for your participation, partnership and support - technically, financially and otherwise...
The Young African Leaders Forum is committed to moving Africa to the First World Status by employing all means, and tackling some of our challenges from different fronts. We need your help to make our world a better place!!!

To support YALF, please contact us via info@yalf-africa.org
Or email the President via p.ifoh@yalf-africa.org
We are waiting to hear from you -- and to work with you for the development of OUR Africa.
Thank you!
YALF TEAM!

YALF Vice President II, Pafungeyi Gore, Visits Less Privileged…

Successful Leaderships without qualified successors is ineffective; this is why the Young African Leaders Forum works thoroughly to prepare the next generation of African Leaders about the rudiments of ideal policy making and implementation processes.
Last time, on the 14th of March 2017, it was the Vice President II, Pafungeyi Gore, who took his time to visit a community primary school initiated by Mr Herbert Mandizvidza. The school, which is called Ruyamuro Committee Primary School and located in Hopely, Harare South, houses approximately 110 pupils. Amongst them, 80 are reportedly orphans, whilst the others are vulnerable children.
Most of these Children have failed to pay school fees; hence the help from Mr Mandizvidza. From his savings, the Head teacher is implements one of his childhood idea of helping the vulnerable.
The Vice President listened attentively to the various accounts of how the children failed to pay school fees at formal schools; most times, heartbreaking accounts from the innocent ones.
YALF Zimbabwe promised to revert back to the school with something to help the pupils.
YALF Zimbabwe remains committed to the development of Zimbabwe, which starts with ensuring the vulnerable and underprivileged children are part of the community.

YALF Swaziland Empowers Young People through Leadership Trainings

As an entity that empowers young people in leadership roles, the Swaziland chapter of the Young African Leaders Forum (YALF) continues to host diverse leadership trainings for young Swazi students so as to empower them to participate actively in the society so that they can improve their own lives by representing and solving their needs whilst also advocating for those of others.
Recently, YALF Swaziland hosted a special training at the prominent Mater Dolorosa High School – during the school’s prefects’ workshop which held on the 28th of February, 2017. With an audience of 50 students, YALF Swaziland Coordinator, Zethu Matsebula, facilitated on the importance of serving as a leader, the essence of team work and focus rendered through group discussions and presentation.
As a continental movement birthed for the sole purpose of moving Africa to the First World Status, it is YALF’s mandate to foster young people’s potentials and invest in their abilities.

YALF, SACRO co-hosts Talk Show about Crime on SBIS (Swaziland)

Under the leadership of the scrupulous Zethu Matsebula, YALF Swaziland co-hosts a radio program in collaboration with Swaziland Association for Crime prevention and the Rehabilitation of Offenders (SACRO) – a local NGO with a mandate to help young people stay away from crime through different empowerment, educative programmes; such as the radio show. The program, which airs weekly on the National Swaziland Broadcast and Information Services (SBIS 1) on Wednesdays 07:35 GMT, is focused on unleashing youth issues within the country Swaziland. The aim is to engage Swazi youth in discussions revolving around social, economic and political issues, which affects the Swazi young person. It also looks into possible solutions to the many challenges encountered by young people in the country.

Since its commencement on the 9th of January 2017, the show has, so far, engaged youth in topics such as; youth and education, young women and gender equality as well as youth and sexual reproductive health and rights. Each topic is broken to a series of sub-topics which are discussed on air weekly by the YALF’s Zethu Matsebula, Neliso Mazibuko, and SACRO’s Psycho Social Worker, Sihle Hadebe. The trio invites young people from different spheres as necessary to youth dialogues, which seek to hear views from young people on how some of the issues can be tackled and to share experiences.

Follow the discussion online by joining the national Swaziland Broadcast and Information Services (SBIS 1) on Wednesdays 07:35 GMT.

YALF Zimbabwe Launches campaign on reproductive health targeting High School Pupils

It was a hive of activity as YALF Zimbabwe launches yet another program on reproductive health among High School Pupils. YALF Zimbabwe High School Representative, Everjoy Gwatirinda, stood on behalf of YALF’s Vice President II, Pafungeyi Gore – who facilitated the program – to present a lively lecture on reproductive health. Everjoy Gwatirinda was accompanied by Patience Ukara.
The program touched on the effects of multiple partners, cervical cancer, STIs, HIV/AIDS testing. The lecture also covered issues to do with sanitary wear and accessibility of sanitary wear to children who live with fathers.
It is the desire of YALF Zimbabwe to spread the program to other parts of Zimbabwe so as to impact knowledge on reproductive health. The program was launched at Tamuka College in Harare.


To partner with us, please contact us via email: info@yalf-africa.org

ZIMBABWEAN PAFUNGEYI GORE WINS YALF MOST PRODUCTIVE OFFICER OF THE MONTH AWARD

Pafungeyi Gore was on Sunday announced as the Maiden YALF Most Productive Officer based on the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) set to evaluate officer’s performance. The Award which was announced by Head of YALF Employee Engagement Department, Florian Mshanga, was solely based on  officer's KPI. The KPI focuses on meeting punctuality, role assignment by top management, countries projects and tasks as well as social media activeness.

YALF recognized every contribution of her comrades towards achieving organization goals. Coming together to accelerate our African development initiative through awards and recognitions are key, and thus YALF aims to further the development of her members through recognition and awards. This evening we honor the effort that is played by each one of us.

Pafungeyi was extraordinary in his work handlings, he lead the Zimbabwe Team to school visitations identifying vulnerable children, and donating stationaries to them. More than 14 students were impacted, thus going past challenges such as financial and moral support in ensuring the successful completion of the project.

In his vote of thanks, Pafungeyi dedicated the recognition to teammates Cde Isaiah Chari and Agreement Zindoga for a wonderful team work, while Florian Mshanga was full of thanks to Team Zimbabwe for a wonderful job, urging Isaiah and Agreement to keep the flag flying.

YALJOD GOES TO SCHOOL, SET TO LAUNCH EBOOKS

Young African Leaders Journal of Development (YALJOD) set to visit African Campuses, as YALF intends to distribute YALJOD to Universities in Nigeria, Benin Republic, Ghana, Zimbabwe and some other African Nations.

YALJOD is a Journal of Development launched at the African Union Headquarter in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on the 21^st of October, 2016. The Journal boasts of 22 scholarly articles from Young People across Africa. It aims at identifying the thought process of Young Africans about development issues in Africa. The Journal was pitched by the President of YALF, Prince Ifoh, during the 10 Years AU PCRD Workshop at the African Union Headquarter last year.

Currently, the Journal is making wave in Durban, South Africa, and the aim is to expose it to Youths in African Universities. YALF proposes a distribution across Libraries to enhance Pan-African thinking, and to serve as a source of information and sensitization about African Developmental Issues and Strategies, and also to boost developmental knowledge and exposure.

Top Institutions in Nigeria such as OAU, UNILAG, UI, LASU, CONVENANT are targeted. Cameroon already boasts of over 20 copies which should be distributed to Universities soon.

YALJOD also set to go electronical, as YALF embarks on YALJOD Ebooks. The YALJOD Ebook will be available in pdf format which will be downloadable from the YALF Website in few weeks to come. The YALJOD Ebook is necessary because physical transportation of YALJOD will be a tedious adventure to embark upon.

YALF IN EXTRA ORDINARY MEETING AS 2017 YALF SUMMIT KICKS OFF IN FULL GEAR

Young African Leadership Forum met on Sunday to discuss the upcoming YALF Summit in both Ghana and Cameroon. The YALF Business Symposium will be hosted by Cameroon with an eye on full business shaped summit. The YALF Business Symposium will be aimed at inspiring Young Africans towards building a better future for small scale businesses across Cameroon and Africa at large. The summit will focus on challenges and solutions to small scale businesses ranging from social, economic, cultural, political and geographical issues. Tours across the nation will be made in a bid to gain more insight on business scales from successful young businessmen will also be made.  The YALF Business Symposium will connect young businessmen towards the contribution to the nation’s economy hence tagged “The Cameroon Summit”.

The YALF Vice President noted that the best way to reach out to African Youths and ensure that there is participation at local level is building strong team. He stressed the benefits of figures and stated that it is never feasible on a large project to have a 2-man team; he therefore opined that building a team at National level will add to the growth of YALF. He pointed out the progress in Zimbabwe, where the team have reached out to 4 provinces out of 10, and also appoint Provincial Coordinators, with their main role is to identify programs at provincial level, while the National Coordinators evaluate the level of YALF outreach across Africa. He thus encourages National Coordinators to identify partners in their host countries thus creating an enabling environment for YALF to grow.

YALF INDUCTS NEW EXECUTIVES

The Young African Leaders Forum (YALF) on Monday inducts new executives across African Nations in order to drive change through powerful young leaders across Africa. YALF’s core goal is to become world class in her quest to develop Africa through youth engagement. The Forum seeks to move Africa to the First World by creating workable solutions to its developmental problems and strategically execute them. The YALF VP 2, Pafungeyi Gore who welcomed the YALF Executive Council stressed that base on the YALF vision and mission, maximum cooperation and commitment to the organization is paramount. He further explained that Group Managers role are saddled with directing social media activities, news attraction, project reports, and other engaging discussions centered on African development. He stated that the role of the official blogger includes writing, proofreading and editing new stories and project reports on the blog, and preparing a brief report to promote the news on social media.  Mr Chari Isiah thanked the YALF VP 2 for the wonderful submission and pledged maximum efforts towards achieving excellent results in their responsibilities.
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL:
·         Isiah Chari ------------------ YALF Group Manager --------------------------- Zimbabwe
·         Aloyce Sambuta ----------- YALF Group Manger ----------------------------- Tanzania
·         Edward Ntende ------------ National Coordinator 1 ------------------------- Uganda
·         Sensewell Chingwaramusee-------- National Coordinator 1 ------------- Zimbabwe
·         Florian Mshanga ------------ National Coordinator --------------------------- Tanzania
·         Jean Claude Muhire ----------- National Coordinator 2 ---------------------- Rwanda
·         Adeleye Tomiwa -------------- Fundraising Manager --------------------------- Nigeria
·         Leonard Chebet --------------- Program Management Officer ---------------- Uganda
.         Pafungeyi Gore ----------------- YALF Vice President 2 ---------------------------- Zimbabwe
·         Prince Ifoh ---------------------- YALF President ------------------------------------- Nigeria
·         Eniayewu Oluwole ----------- YALF Official Blogger ----------------------------- Nigeria

YALF Donates (Complete) Stationeries to 14 Underprivileged Pupils in Zimbabwe

On Monday - 30th of January 2017, The Young African Leaders Forum (YALF) Zimbabwean team, under the leadership of Vice President II Pafungeyi Gore, visited Tamuka Primary school -- a peri urban school located in a township on the South Eastern part of Harare Province. The school is a poorly built one, established to serve locals in the underdeveloped community.

Under our recently launched Inclusive Education Campaign (IEC), the YALF Zimbabwe Team went on to donate stationery kits to 14 underprivileged pupils; and amongst them was Nyasha Kudawanatsa - a disabled young girl who uses a wheelchair.

The YALF team went on to discuss with the school administration and noted some of their complaints -- with regards to challenges being faced by the pupils and teachers as well. This includes poorly built  infrastructure and shortage of text books, among others. Another important concern raised was about the abovementioned disabled girl child, Nyasha, whose wheelchair has become inconvenient -- due to its poor state, and can no longer suit her especially as she continues to grow up. Hence, they asked for assistance in getting Nyasha a new and modern wheel chair.

(And on behalf of Nyasha and the entire Tamuka Primary School, YALF would conduct a fundraising campaign to tackle some of these problems; where solving all is impossible. If you would like to donate to this purpose, please email us via info@yalf-africa.org).

This visit, as the first-of-its-kind, was a milestone for YALF Zimbabwe and the entire organisation, who now look forward to addressing the problems faced and continuing with the donations in the rural areas across Zimbabwe.

An Open Letter To Earth's Young People

Dear Youth,

How has the voyage on life's great sea been? I hope you have continuously learnt the lessons and kept your ship sailing after the early storms hit. More waters remain to be covered - more trends to be set. Therefore, hold on to your vigour and captain on. I am like you. I am young. I have vigour.

For a while now, sustainable development has been in the consciousness of leaders in almost all positive spheres of life, often it is on their lips, in their deeds it is also seen. This recent global action stirred me into reflection for a period. I reflected harder than I did when complex calculus problems stared up at me impatiently. Reflections on what little things you and I could do together for earth and her people with the fire in our bones, youthful values, knowledge, skills and vigour. I came up with simple Promethean ideas. These I will share with you.

Friend, I hit on the first idea on one of those days when I wasn't at a loss, when I didn't notice the unfair and imbalanced ratio between the vowels and consonants in words like 'hymn' and 'church'. Just like a perfectly designed spider web, we can connect, we can network. Yes, networking was the idea. By creating networks in our neighborhood, classes, markets etc we would exchange ideas, share and discuss or debate about the most up-to-date knowledge and technologies relating to people in our society and earth with the brightest of minds. The first network I belonged to, used WhatsApp as a platform for discussions. As simple as it was, we achieved by doing the little things that matter.

Also, you and I can support recycling. We may not have the resources for building a recycling factory but we can play parts in local ways. We can set up a small collection point in our lanes and drives for these factories with our plastic or paper labelled drums and baskets. We can gather recyclable materials with our friends. Moreover, using our Facebook and Twitter accounts we can create campaigns to promote recycling. By doing these, we fight land and air pollution, protect the environment, reduce energy consumption, amount of waste to land fills and global warming, conserve natural resources and ensure sustainable use of resources. I believe in you. You can do this. Small acts, great advantages.
It is an inarguable truth that water is life in another form. Recently, evaporation rates of water bodies have become more rapid due to global warming. Hence, water conservation is necessary as plants and humans cannot survive without it. We can preserve the planet by conserving water in the little ways possible; by not running the tap while brushing and by reducing our shower time. This is the third action plan, simple and practicable. Sounds doable? I trust your vigour.

Another thing we can do for the people and planet is to grow a tree (not plant a tree) and start thinking green. I didn't see a difference between planting and growing till I read a quote of a female Kenyan environmental activist. Wangari Maathai said, "Anybody can dig a hole and plant a tree. But make sure it survives. You have to nurture it, you have to water it, you have to keep at it until it becomes rooted so it can take care or itself. There are so many enemies of trees". You see the difference too? When we grow a 'lung of the planet', the air is purified and our people are given fresh strength.

Thinking green is being mindful of and sensitive to the natural environment in which we find ourselves daily! Everyday is Earth Day.

Lastly, we can share with and teach other people the importance of preserving the planet. We would take what we know and pass it to others. If every person we know could take one small step toward being greener, the collective effort could be phenomenal.

I believe in you. I believe in your vigour.

Yours Sincerely,

Your friend