Suspended CoD youth leader reinstated

CONFUSION reigns in the Congress of Democrats after the national leadership reinstated a suspended youth leader, Natji Tjirare.

Some members of the Young Democrats (YD) held a meeting over the weekend, where they decided to dissolve the Young Democrats National Executive Committee and appointed a Steering Committee to run the affairs of the YD. The decision to dissolve the National Executive Committee followed a recent public statement made by its Secretary General Tjirare against the party’s leadership.Tjirare said the party was disorganised and that some of the leaders were not even on speaking terms.He called for their resignation.A group of CoD youth, irked by Tjirare’s remarks, called a “consultative” meeting where they demanded a report on the affairs of the youth wing from him and decided to boot him when he refused to do so.They appointed a Steering Committee to run the affairs of the YD.Ben Ulenga, President of CoD, said in a statement yesterday that the “consultative” meeting was illegal as it was not properly convened, and had no power or mandate to dissolve the youth wing’s NEC or any of its officials, including Tjirare.”The same meeting also had no mandate to appoint any committee for the running of the Young Democrats.Any decision and announcement regarding the dissolution of the Young Democrats NEC, the dismissal of Tjirare or the appointment of any steering committee is therefore illegal and thus null and void and of no effect,” Ulenga said.He said Tjirare continues to head the Young Democrats as its Secretary General until such time that a youth congress, or any other properly constituted and competent structure of the CoD, votes him out and legally elects another.Ulenga’s statement came after a meeting, also this weekend, of the CoD’s National Working Committee.He said the meeting found Tjirare’s behaviour “extremely unwarranted, disorderly and undisciplined, and therefore deserving of a stern reprimand”.Tjirare’s public statements against the national leadership came up during discussion of a report on the Young Democrats, presented by him to the NWC.He is a member of the National Working Committee as well as of the CoD National Executive Committee.The decision to dissolve the National Executive Committee followed a recent public statement made by its Secretary General Tjirare against the party’s leadership.Tjirare said the party was disorganised and that some of the leaders were not even on speaking terms.He called for their resignation.A group of CoD youth, irked by Tjirare’s remarks, called a “consultative” meeting where they demanded a report on the affairs of the youth wing from him and decided to boot him when he refused to do so.They appointed a Steering Committee to run the affairs of the YD.Ben Ulenga, President of CoD, said in a statement yesterday that the “consultative” meeting was illegal as it was not properly convened, and had no power or mandate to dissolve the youth wing’s NEC or any of its officials, including Tjirare.”The same meeting also had no mandate to appoint any committee for the running of the Young Democrats.Any decision and announcement regarding the dissolution of the Young Democrats NEC, the dismissal of Tjirare or the appointment of any steering committee is therefore illegal and thus null and void and of no effect,” Ulenga said.He said Tjirare continues to head the Young Democrats as its Secretary General until such time that a youth congress, or any other properly constituted and competent structure of the CoD, votes him out and legally elects another.Ulenga’s statement came after a meeting, also this weekend, of the CoD’s National Working Committee.He said the meeting found Tjirare’s behaviour “extremely unwarranted, disorderly and undisciplined, and therefore deserving of a stern reprimand”. Tjirare’s public statements against the national leadership came up during discussion of a report on the Young Democrats, presented by him to the NWC.He is a member of the National Working Committee as well as of the CoD National Executive Committee.