BY TAFADZWA KACHIKO RENOWNED theatre practitioner Charles Munganasa (pictured) is vying for the Zanu PF Masvingo district youth affairs secretary post ahead of the district coordinating committee (DCC) elections whose date is yet to be announced. Munganasa told NewsDay Life & Style that he possessed leadership skills that made him a suitable candidate to drive youth affairs in the right direction. “I have a proven record of leading which started long back. Apart from being elected chairperson of the Charles Austin Theatre at 24 in 2016, I assumed positions of responsibility in sectors such as politics, mining and business. In 2012, I was elected the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) president for the Zimbabwe Congress of Students Union (Zicosu) and Harare province chairperson in 2013. With that I believe I possess necessary skills and abilities required to drive the youth affairs in the right direction not only for the youths’ benefit but the nation at large,” he said. “I believe in striving for excellency and leaving a legacy. So, occupying such a position is not just a wish but a calling to lead the next revolution which speaks of the inclusion of young people in the political and socio-economic affairs of the country. President Emmerson Mnangagwa has already started this revolution by appointing more young people in government.” Munganasa said he would unite young people despite racial, gender, social or economic differences. “What we need right now is to create a culture which converts young people from just being mere spectators into becoming critical players. This election is about our future. We need to own and write our own story,” he said. The playwright of the humorous award-winning play Operation Restore Regasi, which caricatures the late former President Robert Mugabe’s ouster, has directed 10 stage plays and acted in more than 15 plays that include three professionals and featured in one film. He won several theatre awards at UZ and his productions Ananias and Sapphire, Graduates and Operation Restore were nominated in 2016, 2017 and 2019, respectively, for the National Arts Merit Awards. Seiko, Munganasa’s short film, won an accolade in the 2017 National Arts Merits Awards. Operation Restore Regasi won the Best Production award at the Masvingo Arts Awards in 2019.
