By Tapiwa Svondo
THE Zimbabwe Youth Action Platform (ZYAP) has described the recent Presidential helicopter incident as a “treasonous attack” and called for a death penalty on those found responsible.
Government confirmed that the ill-fated chopper was last week meant to transport President Mnangagwa from Masvingo to Harare after the 82-year-old leader’s birthday jaunt organised by the Zanu PF Youth League.
During a media briefing held in Harare, ZYAP chairman, Tonderai Chidawa, said an independent panel should be put in place to investigate the “treasonous attack” on Mnangagwa.
“As ZYAP, we condemn in the strongest terms this attack on the life of our President and visionary leader who was supposed to be aboard the helicopter and, furthermore, demand that there be constituted immediately, an Independent inquiry to dig to the root of this evil attack.
“We further demand that the highest penalty of our land be given to the culprits because they shall be known, once the inquiry is done. We demand the death penalty for those who shall be found complicit in this evil attack”, said Chidawa
Furthermore, Chidawa, demanded Zanu-PF party members and journalists to stop fanning divisions within the ruling party, claiming that Vice President Constantino Chiwenga is not power hungry.
He added that ZYAP does not have evidence or ever heard Chiwenga demanding Mnangagwa’s seat.
In a side interview with NewZimbabwe.com, Chidawa who had indicated that the culprits, who tampered with the Presidential helicopter, should be exposed, given a death penalty and make an example out of them.
When asked about the mortifying publishing error by a local weekly newspaper stating ‘Rest In Peace’ on President Mnangagwa birthday advert, and rumoured 4am raid at a senior editor’s home by armed men after the glaring mistake, Chidawa was evasive.
“There I can’t comment, I don’t know, I’m still to hear. We all saw that ‘Rest ln Peace’, but I don’t think it has got anything to do with the party, the system, or maybe it’s just people who had already planned.
“Errors are common, as long as they apologized, but I don’t think this matter could make people go and destroy his house,” said Chidawa.
The Second Republic is different from the Mugabe era, the ZYAP leader said while condemning the attack on Financial Gazette editor.
“Journalist you have freedom of expression and speech, you are protected by the convention, errors are common.
“We condemn those attacks on journalists we are no longer in the Mugabe era whereby people were afraid of speaking and writing about what they like, the Second Republic is saying do what you want but know were to stop,” said Chidawa.
