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Pupurai Togarepi Youth Matters
WHILE addressing our first Thank You Rally in Murombedzi, President Emmerson Mnangagwa dwelled on the economy and what needs to be done for sustainable development anchored by the recently announced National Budget.

As the Zanu-PF Youth League we stand ready to put shoulder to the wheel and ensure that this country emerges from the current economic hardships that have been caused by a myriad of reasons such as lack of investment confidence, sanctions and failure to embrace the world and market Zimbabwe as a friendly investment destination by the old dispensation and also climate change.

We would also talk about the devastating consequences of sanctions on the country that were invited by our colleagues in the opposition and which they insist should persist never mind the negative effects they have on our recovery efforts. But then we are not interested in whining, instead we would like to come up with solutions.

Those who grew up in rural areas will recall vaya vanotsindira mwena vamwe vachida kubata ishwa and this is exactly what the likes of Nelson Chamisa are doing. They prefer to call their irresponsible actions “kudira jecha” just to sabotage our recovery efforts. What a shame and nauseating treachery!

But we are not distracted, and here is why.

Zimbabwe has rich natural resources, including 98 percent of known minerals that are ready to be tapped.

We have hot tourism destinations, an educated population and general peace notwithstanding attempts by some people to fuel tensions and to cause mayhem in the country.

Zimbabwe is home to big game, fisheries and notwithstanding climatic changes favourable weather conditions that earned us the name the breadbasket of Southern Africa.

We are enchanted by the allocation of large sums of money to the Ministry of Agriculture and the tourism sector which are key ministries in our efforts to revive and restore our lost glory.

The purpose is not just paper over the cracks but rather to take the harsh medication in order to restore Zimbabwe to its former glory days when it was the envy of many.

So as the Youth League, our focus is on the economy. Our focus is to ensure that we create jobs for the youths and also create opportunities. This is our number one priority as the Youth League and that is the reason why we have launched several empowerment programmes for the youths such as the livestock rearing and plantation projects that, as we speak, have received a buy-in from youths across the political divide.

As we outlined above, Zimbabwe is endowed with resources that are the envy of many nations and we would like to see, as the Zanu-PF Youth League, that youths create industrial clusters in communities that process local produce and thus participating in the value chain.

For instance in Mutoko, we have the black granite which is exported to as far as Europe but this should be only after being processed in Mash East. We need clusters in areas where resources are being tapped and thus achieve economic devolution.

As the Youth League, we are aware that there are thousands of Zimbabweans who have never held a payslip in their hands. We say to Government these youths, who have the qualifications should be empowered through either friendly bank loans or guarantees to kick-start their start-ups so that we not only create employment but also create employers.

However, gone are the days when loans were extended to relatives of certain politicians or when people just took money, but never paid back. We would like to assure President Mnangagwa that those days are behind us. The youths have to pay back the money so that we create a revolving fund that will also benefit others in the future.

Corruption is a cancer that we are fighting tooth and nail and the youths as the foot soldiers we are going to stand up and blow the whistle on any corrupt elements that want to delay or blur our Vision 2030 led by our President, Cde ED Mnangagwa.

Although we are acutely aware of the crisis at hand, we would like Government and the private sector to lend an ear to the youths who believe in Zimbabwe and wish to get a job one day. We are, of course, aware that the mantra by President Emmerson Mnangagwa is beginning to pay off and some young people have already benefited. Our pledge on that score is that more jobs are coming and youths would like to participate in the economic development of the country.

This also goes to graduates from the National Youth Service, patriots who were laid off by Government as part of broader measures to cut expenditure and ensure a brighter future.

These youths, who are well behaved and were taught self-help programmes, should create clusters that we are prepared to assist through synergies with the public and private sectors so as to create a win-win situation.

We are a law-abiding youth wing but, as we have said before, we are aware that there are some foreigners that have come to elbow locals from downtown retailing and even the transport sector mopping up foreign currencies and creating artificial shortages. That has to stop forthwith before we step in and weed them out.

In this regard we would like to call upon the Ministry of Industry and Commerce to issue licences for the youths in the reserved business areas, whose time to control their future is now especially after withdrawing trading licences from people who are currently and illegally occupying the space in the transport and retail sector.

Our cities and towns that are in the hands of the MDC are in a sorry state and we are going to step in and make sure that we ensure Vision 2030 crystallises starting with the restoration of cities like Harare into a clean and modern city.

As the Youth League we intend to make sure that we live differently and impart the ethos of love and compassion that are the hallmarks of our President. In this regard we are talking about connecting with people who hold divergent views and lighting their dark paths through the spirit of the revolution and patriotism. We are brothers, united in our nationhood that is grounded in our shared history and diverse cultures.

We are the light of the nation and would like to advise the lost souls in the MDC who are desperately trying to sneak into Government by hook and crook. Yes, they have done so much harm to our motherland but still remain our brothers who are lost and still live in a time warp characterised by hate and revisionism. They should live with the truth. Elections have come and gone, it’s time to work for our great country..