adminUNDERPERFORMING ministers and civil servants should be fired from their posts as their ineptness was counter-revolutionary and an antithesis to the policies of Government and those of the ruling party, youths have said.
Speaking at the belated 21st February Movement celebrations in Matabeleland South Province yesterday, Zanu-PF national secretary for youth affairs, Cde Pupurai Togarepi said ministers and Government employees who were failing to deliver were tarnishing the name of the party and should be fired.
The celebrations, which were attended by thousands of people, among them schoolchildren, were held at Bulu Government High School in Mangwe District, Matabeleland South Province.
Cde Togarepi, who was the guest of honour at the function, said as youths they would approach President Mugabe and ask him to fire lazy Government employees who were sabotaging the ruling party’s policies by their inadequacies.
“We want people who deliver in Government. There are civil servants and ministers who are failing to deliver and at the end of the day the blame is going to Government. When nurses, teachers and other Government workers don’t perform people will judge Zanu-PF because it is the ruling party.
“As youths we are not going to allow mediocrity, laziness and corruption in Government. Those who are not performing, your days are numbered. Such counter-revolutionaries must be removed,” he said.
Cde Togarepi said Zimbabwe had the best policies which were not being implemented because of some inept Cabinet ministers.
He cited the country’s economic blueprint Zim Asset and the land reform programme as some of the country’s best policies, which he said were being copied by other African countries.
On the land reform programme, Cde Togarepi said Government should prioritise youths in the allocation of land as a way of empowering them since the youths were the future of the country.
He said ministers who were against empowerment of youths were sabotaging Government and party policies.
“We have some of the best policies whose implementation is being sabotaged by people in Government. We have the best policies but wrong implementers.
“On land we are saying youths must be given land first as they are the future of this country. There are some ministers who are stubborn who will go against this. We will go to the President and ask him to fire you. He will look for someone better than you,” said Cde Togarepi.
He also warned party Members of Parliament and Senators who do not want to work with the youths that they risk being voted out of their positions in the next elections.
He said empowering the youths was the only way Zanu-PF could protect the gains of independence and the revolution.
“MPs and senators who do not support youth projects, we will remove you come 2018. It’s either you support us as youths or you are a wrong person. Youths I urge you not to support people who don’t support your projects,” he said.
Cde Togarepi also revealed that a number of multi-million-dollar empowerment programmes for the youths had been lined up by both Zanu-PF and Government, urging the youths to be organised in order to benefit.
“As the youth league we have a number of projects lined up for the youths. You need to organise yourselves in order to benefit.
“There is irrigation equipment from Brazil worth $98 million. There is also mining equipment worth about $100 million. Put yourselves into groups, put structures and start receiving the equipment,” he said.
The Zanu-PF national youth leader also urged the youths to emulate President Mugabe as that was the only way they could protect the gains brought about by independence.
He said youths must not forget that the country’s liberation came as a result of sacrifices by other people hence they should jealously guard the legacy of the liberation war.
Minister of Economic Planning and Investment Promotion Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo, who is also the Senator for Bulilima-Mangwe, echoed Cde Togarepi’s sentiments while giving the vote of thanks.
“If only we could have half the attributes of President Mugabe we will get far. Most of you spend their time getting drunk. You will not do anything in life. What the guest of honour said about emulating the President is true. We should all strive to be like him,” he said.
The thousands who thronged the venue of the celebrations were treated to a variety of entertainment acts, among them the Ben Arinoti traditional dance by a crew from How Mine, some exquisite ball juggling by Bulawayo-based Peter Mpofu and music from various schools across the province.
The guest of honour donated blankets and soccer jerseys to children from the province who were born on 21 February.
Cde Khaya Moyo donated a cow for the celebrations.
Among some of the dignitaries who attended was the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs in Matabeleland South Cde Abednico Ncube, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Power Development Mr Partson Mbiriri, Zanu-PF provincial executive members led by chairperson for Matabeleland South Cde Rapelani Choene, Mangwe District Administrator Mrs Felicity Gangada, traditional leaders from Mangwe and Bulilima districts, service chiefs among other guests.
21st February Movement celebrations are meant to celebrate the birthday of President Mugabe who was born on 21 February 91 years ago.
The Matabeleland South provincial celebrations were organised by the Zanu-PF provincial youth executive led by Cde Washington Nkomo.
Online Reporter