ZANU PF Youth League Statement On The Shooting Of Zim Workers By Chinese National {Full Text}

The revolutionary and pan African ZANU PF Youth League strongly condemns the callous shooting of Comrades Wendy Chikwaira (31) and Kennedy Tachiona (39) by a Chinese national, one Zhang Xuen (a general manager) following a wage dispute at Reeden Mine located some 25 kilometres out of Gweru.

The Youth League is deeply concerned and perplexed with this flagrant disregard of existing dispute resolution mechanisms encapsulated in Zimbabwe’s labour laws in preference of barbaric law of the jungle tactics.

The ZANU PF Youth League continues to stand with the toiling indigenes of Zimbabwe and we express our utter shock, dismay and grief at Zhang Xuen’s murderous actions which not only threaten the peace, progress and stability that characterises the Second Republic but actions which also risk being misinterpreted in the context of the bilateral relations between Zimbabwe and its all-weather friend China.

We welcome in this regard the statement issued by the Spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe wherein the Embassy said it would firmly “…support Zimbabwe’s law enforcement authority agencies to transparently and openly investigate and handle the case in accordance with the law of Zimbabwe.”

We vehemently condemn such callous acts that seek to destabilise the harmonious working relationships of people of all races.

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Zimbabwe is a civilized progressive democratic nation and our Youth League is deeply perturbed by such an inhuman act.

It is our fervent hope that the law will speedily take its course and remind all employers (domestic and foreign) that workers have rights too.

Accordingly, we encourage the courts as well as mining regulation authorities to send an urgent and strong warning to those who dare take advantage of the humility of Zimbabweans by turning the mining sector into a wild-wild west where laws are senselessly flouted in pursuit of personal gain and greediness.  Such criminal and heartless acts have no place in a progressive and democratic Zimbabwe.

The ZANU PF Youth League also takes this opportunity to strongly condemn all forms of abuse and ill-treatment of workers in all sectors of the economy.

The ZANU PF Constitution in Article 2 clearly states the aims and objectives of ZANU PF as including “To uphold and fully apply fully the rule of equality before the law and equality of opportunities for all the people in Zimbabwe, regardless of race, tribe, sex, religion or origins.”

Defending the weak employee is thus in the DNA of the Youth League and we will not hesitate to perform our constitutional duty in this regard.

Furthermore, Article, 2 (12) of the ZANU PF Constitution clearly espouses and articulates ZANU PF’s negative stance towards all social ills including “…tribalism, regionalism, nepotism, racism, religious fanaticism, xenophobia and related intolerance, discrimination on the grounds of sex and all forms of exploitation of man by man in Zimbabwe…”

In the same vein, the revolutionary ZANU PF Youth League aims and objectives as stipulated in section 186 (1-3) of the ZANU PF Constitution clearly state that it is the duty of the youths to actively participate in the political, social, cultural and economic affairs of the country and to promote and protect the interests of the youths.

It must be noted in this regard that the ZANU PF Youth League’s interest arises not only from the fact that the victims of the shooting are Zimbabweans but equally that one of the victims is a youth as defined in the African Youth Charter and the ZANU PF Constitution.

We are as the youth duty-bound by the afore-mentioned constitution to defend the interests of these two unfortunate comrades in all aspects of their socio-cultural, political and economic endeavour.

It must be reiterated that Mr Zhang Xuen’s cold-hearted trigger happy and barbaric act is an affront upon the peace-loving and hardworking people of Zimbabwe and a law-breaking act against the sovereign people of the Republic of Zimbabwe.

The Youth League will studiously monitor the progress of this case and we encourage all employers and employees to abide by the law in all their labour relations as a means to foster and perpetuate order in our economy.

The ZANU PF Youth League will continue to stand in support and defence of all the hardworking youths of Zimbabwe.