LIBERATION DIARIES:THE FLETCHER GENERATION
3 min read
By Margaret Kamba
The Fletcher Generation of 1964 defended the leadership at Congress making it the first branch of the ZANU PF Youth League, says Secretary for External Relations Cde Simbarashe Mumbengegwi.
As an active member of the Party ZANU PF, Cde Mumbengegwi joined the struggle a lot time ago and narrates his entry into politics.
“I was active in the Party from the time I was a teenager. I was a delegate to the inaugural Congress of ZANU in 1964 at Mtapa Hall in Gweru as an A level student at Fletcher High School. Now Fletcher High School was probably the first branch of the Youth League of ZANU formed on the eighth of August 1963 in September. When we opened schools we immediately set up a branch,” Cde Mumbengegwi said.
“So when Congress was held Fletcher High School sent a very very strong delegation of young people who actually made that Congress possible because those who had remained in ZAPU when we formed ZANU had vowed that that Congress was not going to be held. But the Fletcher boys worked very hard to defend the leadership and the Congress and it was held successfully.”
Speaking about what today’s generation can learn from the Fletcher Generation, Cde Mumbengegwi noted that there is need for them to identify a role to play.
“One aspect which is not generally understood by our young generation today is that in Southern Africa and Zimbabwe in particular, the liberation youth for example General Josiah Tongogara Magamba became a Commander at the age of 27. So you can imagine how young these fighting forces were. This is not to say the older people in the liberation movement were not important but I think today’s youth should appreciate that the youth of that day who participated in the liberation of our country sacrificed a lot,” Cde Mumbengegwi said.
“So every generation must identify for itself what role they can play. Nyaya yekuti vadhara motikanya ayiwa zve. Vadhara hapana chavano kanya kana ma youth vane ma ideas. Hakuna mudhara anoita stand in the way.”
Cde Mumbengegwi noted that the challenges facing the youth today are economic but they must commit themselves to economically developing their country.
“What are the problem that they are facing? So the youth of today must commit themselves to economically developing this country. Yes the argument will come we have no resources. That is true. But when our liberation struggle started, we didn’t have a single gun. That was a big debate among those who were talking of the armed struggle. How many guns do you have? What of the enemy? Lots of guns, aircraft and armoured cars.
“Initially the young people fought with stones but through hardworking and struggle between the youth and old, weapons were acquired.
“Even where there are no resources, no matter how little you have, use it to produce something. Start by producing very little but it will get to more and more and then along the way situations change and if you are better placed, you are set to benefit from the changed environment.”
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