Ex Zim Minister in project to help reform Border Gezi youth

By Lance Guma
07 January 2010

Former Education Minister Dr Fay Chung has started a project to try and reform graduates from the notorious Border Gezi youth training centres. Over the years ZANU PF has used the youth militia to intimidate and terrorize opposition activists, especially towards elections time. But Dr Chung, who left Mugabe’s government in 1993, has now set up a project called Cool Heads which is meant to ‘reclaim’ these violent youths and reintegrate them back into society.

Speaking to Newsreel on Thursday Dr Chung said they are working with youths between the ages of 14 and 19. ‘We are not pushing anyone into this kind of programme,’ she explained adding that it was voluntary. Cool Heads is targeting youths in their ‘home settings’ that is in the townships, churches and local youth groups. The project aims to build consensus on issues to do with development, conflict resolution and responding to the everyday needs of the youths. ZANU PF for example was able to exploit many of the youths by offering them food, jobs and accommodation, things the youths did not have.

Dr Chung said even from the colonial days there was always ‘a concerted use of violence whenever there were different political views. If you disagree with someone, beat them up and make sure they are defeated physically,’ she said. So what is the attitude of ZANU PF to the Cool Heads project? Dr Chung said there were many ZANU PF supporters who have awoken to the fact that violence does not win support.

The Cool Heads project is receiving a lot of support from church groups and it was helpful that most militia members where actually part of different churches across the country. There are also a lot of Youth Clubs on the ground already working with youths and Dr Chung’s project is coordinating its efforts with them. ‘We need to get youths to understand that if we disagree, the solution is not to kill each other. We want to build a movement of youths who cannot be used as cannon fodder in political games,’ Dr Chung said.

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