Youths yearn to be at the heart of land

Mkhululi Ncube, Chronicle Reporter
WHILE the youths born post-independence have been called the born frees, that did not stop Government from availing land which was one of the main reasons which led freedom fighters to take up arms to fight the white settler regime for their birthright.

The majority of freedom fighters were youths when they left the country to join the war of independence while a majority of those who remained behind also played a crucial role in the war as they assisted the freedom fighters in various ways.

Several youths have already distinguished themselves following the late nationalist and Vice-President Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo’s mantra: Nxa ufuna imali phendulela ibala elithi mali, which in short called for people to work the land if they want money.

While a number of youths got land during the fast-track land reform programme instituted by the First Republic, the Second Republic has gone further by ordering a land audit which will see more land being freed to benefit more people but with youths being prioritised.

Zanu-PF youth league deputy secretary for administration Cde Donald Mabutho said youths want to be at the heart of the land.

“First and foremost, independence came after the people saw the importance of repossessing the land. Our elders did not go to war so that they only take political power, it was deeper than that and land was very fundamental as far as the national question then was concerned and as far as the national question now is concerned,” he said.

Cde Mabutho said because of age, most youths missed out when the initial land reform programme was implemented.
He said youths are at the forefront in farming around Bulawayo which shows that land is a low hanging fruit for empowering youths.

“Our President is on record in recent months saying after the land audit, youths will be prioritised as far as the allocation of land is concerned. As you will understand, most of them were very young when the fast-track land programme was rolled out in the early 2000s so this is an opportunity to empower youth by giving them means of production, which is land.

“If you look at the current activities of horticulture happening in these farms that are surrounding Bulawayo it is young people now doing farming. Some of them are renting while some of them are using their parents’, land but those who do not have the land are finding it very difficult to participate in the mainstream economy in as far as agriculture is concerned,” he said.

Cde Mabutho hailed Government, under the National Development Strategy, for committing to support the recovery and growth of the horticulture by availing more funds to the sector.

He said the youths must also be involved in other cash crops along horticulture with more opportunities being availed with the construction of the Gwayi-Shangani to Bulawayo water pipeline which was recently launched by President Mnangagwa.

“During the groundbreaking ceremony for the Gwayi-Shangani pipeline, the President was very clear that a green belt will be created along the pipeline. So, as youths it is our time to push so that we get those small pockets of plots which will have irrigation which will see us supplying the ready market in Bulawayo.This is the opportunity for young people to benefit from this resource,” he said.

Cde Mabutho said it was part of the youth league’s strategic plan to see more youths participate in the opportunities availed by the land.

He said with youths forming most of the voting population by the next elections in 2023, it will be folly not to push for the land issue as a priority because that is where real empowerment can be realised at the shortest space of time.

Cde Mabutho said youths were also doing very well in mining where they are the majority.

“In the mining sector youths are doing tremendously well and we are the majority in that sector. But we still feel we need to address the land ownership issue to solve some of the disputes that we see happening. Youths must have the land and decide what to do with the land.

“We encourage our youths not to sit back and wait for the land to be given to them, we must start due process now applying for the land so that when the land is availed, we know that the people who are going to benefit are people who have already applied,” he said.

Cde Mabutho said youths also must target the tourism sector as most of them are only involved in the sector as workers rather than owners.

He urged youths to form clusters so that they push for more participation in some of the closed tourism areas like the hunting industry which has remain white dominated despite vast lands which could support land conservancy
Cde Mabutho said some young people are doing well in the manufacturing sector but need support with affordable loans so that the youths can create employment. — @themkhust