adminSandra Tekere,Sunday News Reporter
BULAWAYO girls stole the limelight last Friday during the Junior City Council inauguration ceremony as they made up 60 percent of the council members.
The girls made significant advances in being part of the council and they grabbed many posts in the 2016 to 2017 executive council.
Five of the nine senior positions were taken by girls and this shows that society is responding positively in trying to empower the girl child.
The newly inducted Junior Council public relations officer, Thabo Khabo an A-level pupil from Nyanda High School in Gwabalanda said, “The council is dominated by girls which is a sign that we are going to have a very successful year as the girls will be the backbone of the council and where there are ladies good works are produced. It is refreshing to have more female faces in the council and I believe with time even the senior council will be well balanced as ours.”
Speaking at the induction ceremony the Junior Council patron, Mrs Nesisa Mpofu, who is also the Bulawayo City Council senior public relations officer urged both the new and outgoing councillors to focus on their studies so that they get good points that would enable them to enrol at universities.
“While being a part of the council is important it should not take precedence over school work and other responsibilities.
Being part of the council should not be an excuse of not helping parents with household chores,” she said.
Mrs Mpofu said there was a lot of potential in each and every one of the inducted. She referred to them as young people who have good vision and the leaders of tomorrow.
Incoming Bulawayo Junior Mayor Councillor Bennon Ncube said there was a need for a massive campaign to make the City of Bulawayo child friendly with input from concerned parties required.
He added, “I will serve the community wholeheartedly and will make more efforts to ensure there are safer spaces for youths in the city.”
One of the parents of the inducted councillors said she was happy to witness a ceremony where children were given the platform to serve the community.
“Nowadays youths spend most of their time engaging in parties popularly known as Vuzu parties. It is my hope that the youths who are here would follow in the footsteps of these inducted councillors in trying to help the community, especially the less privileged,” she said.
The outgoing and incoming board thanked the patron Mrs Mpofu who they described as a mother to them and an inspiration and reassured her that they would work very hard.
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