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Daniel Chigunwe

Herald Correspondent

Youths in Mazowe District have urged their counterparts elsewhere to vote for President Mnangagwa, saying he has ushered in an era of economic empowerment and inclusivity of young people in the development agenda.

The youths said there were vast opportunities unlocked in several sectors benefitting them in the setting up of lucrative and self-sustaining projects.

The creation of centres of excellence to impart farm skills to youths in provinces and the unveiling of loans by the Youth Empower Bank provided a vehicle of success for the youths.

Zanu PF’s Mazowe District Coordinating Committee (DCC) youth chairperson Cde Timothy Gorejena said youths were ready to vote for the continuity of these successful strides.

“As youths, we have tangible programmes to show that have been necessitated by President Emmerson Mnangagwa here in the farming and mining district of Mazowe,” he said. “The 500ha centre of excellence rolled out in every province is capacitating youths with skills in farming and at district level we have a 10ha of land that has been availed for youths farming projects.

“The Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme has been a notable success for youths since in previous years the unrolling of Presidential inputs was only done at household level and youths could not participate, but now we have everyone who possesses a national registration ID eligible for inputs. This inclusivity is really significant for youth empowerment.”

President Mnangagwa launched provincial integrated development centres where over 5 000 youths would be recruited in each centre every year before being equipped with agricultural skills.

Cde Gore said youths were exhilarated by their inclusivity in the law and policy-making process through the creation of a youth quota in Parliament.

“The President, walking his talk on leaving no one and no place behind, has done a commendable move in creating the provincial youth quota seat in Parliament,” he said. “This will enable the participation of youths in policy-making issues and contribute especially towards the fight against social ills that are stalking youths, the number one being drug abuse.

“We believe that youths in Parliament will push for the establishment of more vocational training centres so that youngsters are capacitated in skills enabling them to create self-employment, thereby deterring them from drugs and alcohol abuse.”

Other youths in Mazowe said there had been easy of doing business for them due to economic transformations that were being realized through efforts by President Mnangagwa, especially in the sector of cross-border trading.

Mr Shingi Runganga, a youthful businessman in Mazowe, said trade between Zimbabwe and South Africa had become easy because of the modenisation of Beitbridge Border Post, helping youth in cross-border trading earn a living.

“Besides farming, the district has a large portion of youths who are in business, with the majority of them relying on cross-border trade,” he said.

“Mvurwi town is one such place which is heavily invested in small scale businesses supported by cross border trading and since the transformations at Beitbridge border post, there has been a smooth flow of traders in and out of South Africa, a situation which has improved businesses for the youths, it is indeed a notable success.”

In a bid to mobilise for the five million votes for Zanu PF, youths are embarking on door-to-door campaigns, explaining the major success that have been ushered in the Second Republic under President Mnangagwa.