Today’s youths tomorrow’s citadels of Zimbabwe?

NO, it cannot be said with equanimity that today’s youths will herald brave new futures for our beloved motherland, Zimbabwe. But why?

This communicologist believes so unless stringent measures are taken to wean the youths from drugs and substance addictions, with equally firm action taken against child marriages, which derail young couples before they have even had the chance to acquire the skills necessary for building stable family livelihoods.

Which is why our revolutionary Zanu-PF government has seen it fit to allocate US$2,4 billion for the National Action Plan for Children IV (2026-2030), a comprehensive programme aimed at protecting minors and addressing a broad spectrum of challenges that include child labour, online violence and child marriages, among other vulnerabilities affecting children across the country — people who must be builders of our motherland in compliance with our incumbent government’s mantra: “Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabanikazi balo/ Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo/ A country is built by its owners.”

In this humble pen’s opinion, the all important National Action Plan for Children mentioned above should resemble a house built with burnt bricks — a house that does not crumble when battered by rains, those rains taking the form of child labour, online violence, child marriages and other threats that weaken the foundations of childhood.

Which then is why those charged with overseeing the success of the National Action Plan for Children should brook no nonsense targeted at the beneficiaries of the aforesaid scheme. Anything that undermines the safety, dignity or development of Zimbabwean children must be met with firmness and clarity of purpose.

For the above scheme for children to succeed, the powers that be must seal all loopholes through which drugs and substances are vended to children, while child labour must be addressed by providing proper skills training within educational institutions.

Children must be equipped to participate meaningfully in their own futures, rather than being exploited or pushed prematurely into adulthood.

Poor parents eager to enrich themselves by giving away their daughters in marriage should be made to face the full wrath of the law, as such practices deprive girls of the opportunity to gain skills that would later allow them to build successful lives and contribute meaningfully to their families’ prosperity.

Obviously, those global partners of Zimbabwe in the National Action Plan for Children will wait to see how our frontline government implements the scheme before continuing with their support — or otherwise.

Their commitment is often tied to evidence of seriousness, transparency and measurable progress on the ground.

Finally, therefore, the onus is on all of us Zimbabweans — in rural areas where the majority of our people reside, as well as in urban areas established by our former imperialist colonisers with us blacks as their labourers — to ensure that the National Action Plan for Children succeeds.

Since no one else but us Zimbabweans are the builders of our own motherland, we must shoulder this responsibility willingly, diligently and proudly.