HARARE spokesperson for the People’s Democratic Party Nqobizitha Khumalo has described the lavish celebration of President Robert Mugabe’s birthday  at a time when people are suffering from serious economic problems and starvation as vulgar.

In a statement Khumalo said during these harsh economic times under which people are living someone decided to throw a lavish bash and this is inhuman to say the least.

Mugabe can at great pains justify his foreign trips as well as his monstrous entourage, but there can absolutely be no justification for this vulgar bash,” Khumalo said. “It serves nothing but to expose the inhuman nature of the heartless party. We know the figure of eight hundred dollars is father conservative. Obviously it is higher than that. The money could be used to stock and stuff our hospitals which are now waiting rooms of death. The money could buy ambulances for our hospitals or trucks to ferry garbage from our streets and residential areas in Harare where waste disposal is all but non existent.”

Khumalo said   the money could be used to refurbish Morton Jeffrey Waterworks and save many innocent lives in danger of perishing from drinking the poisonous water.

“Yes that kind of money could go a long way towards the amelioration of the suffering of many people both in town and country side. But the government does not think about that. God help this country. What exactly does this superfluous bash aim to achieve? Who  is to benefit from it? The youth? Yes i hear it is targeted at them. The youth department of the Stalinist party is seen to be at the forefront of preparations for the bash and indeed children are bused in from many parts of the country to enjoy drink and victuals. But like the proverbial orphan, pampered and spoiled on the day of their mother’s funeral, the poor youths will go back to face the hard realities of life after the lavish treat,” Khumalo said.

He said Zimbabwe’s youth are the worst affected by this vampire government and its mockery for the very person who has presided over the collapse of their country and future to claim to do something in their name.

“Where are the jobs for the youth, the two million that were promised? Many of the youth are orphans their parents having died of AIDs. Why for some their mothers were forced into sex work by the situation. ARVs are scarce and a poor diet does nothing to help boost the immunity of an HIV positive body. All this is a result of mis-governance by Mugabe and his regime,” he said.  “Many children are failing to go to school due to poverty and in some cases hunger. Some now live in the open after being displaced by Mugabe’s own wife and the mining operations of his allies among many other causes. To say Mugabe cares about the youth stinks. How many were left orphaned by Gukurahundi and the pre 27 June Run off election of 2008 madness? Has Mugabe ever done anything to show concern for the orphaned children? Does Mugabe care to find how the children left behind by Cain Nyevhe, Godfrey Kauzani, Beta Chokururama and Tonderai Ndira among others are faring?”

Khumalo asked if Mugabe really cares for children.

“The fallacy by the likes of Pupurai Togarepi that his life is an inspiration to youth should be dismissed with the contempt it deserves. What should youth learn from a man who has destroyed their livelihood and future? Should the youths learn from Mugabe that opposition in a supposedly democratic country is a crime? Should they learn that an incumbent should die in office taking  his country with him? Should they learn that election should be rigged and that when in danger of losing elections unleash violence upon the electorate?” he asked. “Why else should Mugabe remain in office in his dotage if it is not contempt for young blood? Let Zimbabweans not be fooled. The 21f first February has nothing to do with the youth of Zimbabwe. It is a personal celebration by Mugabe of both his own long life and his triumph over the land of Zimbabwe a land he has reduced to self hood. It is a celebration of his seemingly unassailable hold on his supposedly docile people.”

Khumalo said the late Edgar Tekere called the movement a dangerous personality cult.

“Dictators are always like that. Stalin wanted  once in a while to be seen with children. Mussolini had his Fascist youth. Hitler had his Hitler youth, Mugabe has his own Border Gezi youth and the 21st movement,” Khumalo said. “Zimbabweans lets not be fooled, let speak with one voice against this abuse of our youth and country.” By tephen Jakes, source-bulawayo24