tawandamusarurwa
Sunday Mail Reporters
PRESIDENT MNANGAGWA’S victory in the August 23-24 harmonised elections signals better days ahead for young people, as the Head of State is a champion of youth empowerment, youth organisations have said.
During this year’s harmonised elections, 10 youths, who are under the age of 35, were elected into the National Assembly as the youth quota for the first time ever. This highlights the Second Republic’s commitment to enhancing the role of young people in governance processes.
In an interview, leader of the Masvingo-based youth empowerment lobby group and ZANU PF affiliate, Big Deal Economic Empowerment Movement (BEEM), Cde James Pande, said young people should now focus on taking advantage of enabling conditions created by the Second Republic to ensure inclusive growth.
“President Mnangagwa’s deserved victory in the just-ended polls is a perfect opportunity for young Zimbabweans to strategically position themselves and start driving key levers of the national economy, in line with Vision 2030.
“Opportunities abound for Zimbabwean youths in spheres such as mining, agriculture and tourism,” Cde Pande said.
He said President Mnangagwa is what the doctor ordered in the quest for complete economic emancipation.
“BEEM wishes to extend hearty congratulations to His Excellency, President E.D. Mnangagwa following his sweeping re-election that has left his challengers paralysed and in disarray. We want to urge Zimbabweans, especially young people, to remain united and move forward to harness opportunities in various sectors of the economy that were engendered by the Second Republic under President Mnangagwa,” he said.
“Our President is a champion of youth empowerment and we will continue to vigorously lobby for more opportunities to be opened for the country’s young people under the guise of His Excellency’s ‘leaving no one and no place behind’ philosophy that has inspired other dispensations outside our borders.”
In Masvingo, BEEM has already indicated plans to secure stakes for the province’s young people in sectors such as mining and agriculture, which are slowly gaining traction as drivers of the region’s development agenda.
Leader of the Young Women for Economic Development Cde Tatenda Mavetera said the President has inspired youths to scale dizzy heights.
Cde Mavetera, who was elected Member of Parliament for Chikomba West in the August 23 polls, said: “Now that the President has won, there is so much in store for young people to be excited about. For example, in my own constituency of Chikomba West, we have the Manhize Steel Plant that the President commissioned. Many young people are going to get jobs, while others are going to become their own bosses by winning tenders. We are going to witness unparalleled development.”
University of Zimbabwe Student Representative Council secretary-general Elisha Gumbo said the President’s victory is a boon for young people.
“We are happy with the President’s re-election.
“He has introduced Education 5.0 at our universities and these have been exciting times for us, as we have enhanced our innovation capacities. Now that his victory has been confirmed, we want him to ensure the youth continue to play a key role as the country implements the National Development Strategy 1.”
Online Reporter