Chronicle Editor
Nqobile Tshili/Leonard Ncube, Chronicle Reporters
YOUTHS have been encouraged to use the National Youth Day to position themselves in national development programmes as Government is committed to empowering them.
The country yesterday commemorated the National Youth Day, which falls on February 21, the birthday of the late former President Cde Robert Mugabe.
Government already recognises that the youth are contributing in various sub-sectors of the economy.
Analysts said the National Youth Day is an important day on the country’s calendar as it recognises the youth who constitute the country’s majority.
The analysts said it was also encouraging that President Mnangagwa promised to provide youth with land when Government addresses the issue of multiple farm ownerships as many young people have shown interest in farming.
Speaking during the burial of national hero and former police Deputy Commissioner Moses Griffiths Mpofu on Saturday, President Mnangagwa commended the youth for showing interest in agriculture and said they will benefit when Government addresses the issue of multiple farms ownership.
Analysts said young people’s involvement in agriculture is in tandem with the National Development Strategy (NDS1) thrust of the country’s aim to achieve food sufficiency.
Political analyst Mr Richard Mahomva said the National Youth Day is about recognising youths’ contributions in the country’s developmental agenda.
“This is an important day in the sense that it commemorates the consistent role of youths in nation building, the consistent role of youths in sacrificing for the nation as epitomised by the life of the late President Robert Mugabe.
Government must commit excessively towards ensuring that this day is cherished like any other holiday by means of mainstreaming events that speak to its relevance because this day embodies the broad-based aspirations of a significant demography of our population,” said Mr Mahomva.
He said the Government in mainstreaming events that speak to National Youth Day will also deconstruct the partisan thinking that the day is meant to celebrate the life of the late former President Mugabe.
Another political analyst Mr Teddy Ncube said the country’s youths are the most valuable resource that the country has hence Government should move beyond just recognising their presence but equipping them with skills that would make them relevant in nation building.
Mr Ncube said it was encouraging that President Mnangagwa has committed to empowering the youth involved in agriculture.
“This day is therefore very significant in that it reaffirms the new dispensation’s commitment to the recognition and empowerment of young people from across the board. You might want to know that according to the National Development Strategy (1), the agriculture sector is responsible for feeding the nation and providing livelihoods to about 67 percent of the country’s population and is generally a vital reference for economic recovery and growth. The increased interest in agriculture by youths is therefore an indicator of their desire towards contributing to the National Development Strategy (1) which is key in resuscitating the economy,” said Mr Ncube.
“The New Dispensation’s choice to put young people as the primary beneficiaries of the land reform, is therefore a strategic economic move given the centrality of the agricultural sector and the youths in development. The country’s youthful population presents an opportunity for harnessing the demographic dividend with appropriate investment (land) made in priority areas of the economy like agriculture.”
Youths in Hwange commemorated the National Youth Day through a tree planting exercise led by Green Shango Environment Trust and a virtual meeting coordinated by the Zanu-PF Youth League.
Speaking during the meeting attended by mostly Zanu-PF youths, acting Hwange district development officer in the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation, Ms Jenamiso Ncube encouraged youth to use the National Youth Day to position themselves in national development programmes.
She said youths have a role to play in socio-economic and political development of the country.
Green Shango director Mr Daniel Sithole encouraged youth to identify sustainable projects they can spearhead as part of the day’s celebrations.
“As youths in Hwange we thought of adding environmental action in celebrating the National Youth Day. We transplanted 500 mango tree seedlings today. Fruit trees can translate into business and enhance livelihoods in future and we call upon more youths to partner in environment action as we want to plant fruit trees around our coal mining town and district to mitigate effects of climate change. It is our desire that we as youth use this day for climate change mitigation, youth skills and development career guidance, sustainable development initiatives, sports and networking to develop ourselves and our community,” he said. — @nqotshili/-@ncubeleon
Bongani Ndlovu