ZYC should represent youths

and promote youth development activities in the country.
Recently the ZYC has been in the news and generated a lot of interest among youth and observers since the Minister of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment Mr Saviour Kasukuwere dissolved the Board responsible for running the affairs of the organisation.
While it is beyond the scope of this submission to interrogate the possible reasons for the Minister’s decision I believe reconstituting the board at this juncture provides a golden opportunity to reposition, refocus, realign and strategically place the Council in a firm position from which it can decisively influence, foster and promote youth development in Zimbabwe.
This is particularly critical when the country is at crossroads with decisive leadership being required in order to accomplish the twin goals of obtaining permanent political sovereignty and the indigenisation of the national economy through implementation of sustainable economic empowerment programmes.
The role of youth is becoming more pivotal throughout African societies at this critical juncture as the continent is enhancing its role in world affairs by repositioning and rebranding itself as an equal partner for development. This is more telling for our country as we are in the midst of implementing the indigenisation and economic empowerment programme in favour of local citizens. While the current generation of Zimbabwean leaders brought political independence and consolidated human rights and other freedoms today’s generation of youths stands at the crossroads of past inequality and underdevelopment and future prosperity, stability and sustainable economic development of the country
Zimbabwe’s population is currently estimated at 12,2 million, with youth constituting close to 60 percent. It is also estimated that the youth constitute 54 percent of the total labour force which is not formally employed but engaged in the informal sector. Furthermore, while the education system churns out over 300 000 young people into the labour market annually, less than 10 percent of these are absorbed into formal employment. The rest have to find their way into the informal sector where they have to run their own enterprises for survival. Therefore, as custodians of the biggest constituency in the country and more importantly as guarantors of the nation’s future the youth and their leadership have a critical role to play in the affairs of the country. Being the most representative, most resourced and cross cutting legal youth body the Council therefore assumes a huge sense of responsibility as the torch bearer for Zimbabwean youth as they seek to navigate their way from the promising but challenging present to a prosperous and sustainable future.
While the outgoing board deserves recognition for the way they facilitated the acquisition of office infrastructure and building the existing staff profile the incoming board faces a huge challenge in transforming this early promise into tangible youth programmes that will make a difference to the lives of young people of this country. Besides the obvious imperative of facilitating the opening of offices in each and every province the Council needs to roll out visible social, economic and political programmes conceptualised, implemented and championed by youths themselves. In fact, through the council leadership, youths should be at the forefront of driving the national agenda and championing the Zimbabwe we want as young people of this country.
On conceptualisation of any given project there should be a clear vision that provides a sign post of the destination or what has to be achieved. Given the central role youths are going to play in the future of this country they should be at the centrepiece of the development of the country’s national vision.
Through countrywide consultations, student essay competitions, public debates, drama, arts, cultural acts and other youth mobilisation programmes young people should be encouraged to spell out the vision they want for the country. From there the ZYC should take the lead in compiling a vision document that can be endorsed by the rest of the nation through public hearings and parliamentary debates.
Once agreed the vision should be designated as a national public document to be displayed in all official places. Alongside the development of the national vision the Council should also play a significant role in facilitating the development of a national identity that we need to portray to ourselves as Zimbabweans and to the outside world. It is important to know and consolidate what defines us as Zimbabweans. National identity is getting renewed importance as we battle the impact of globalisation and the associated identities that are fluid and interactive bolstered by the dominant social media networks,
If we had a recognised national vision and a national identity that all young people are exposed to at an early age and aspire to reach we could have avoided the current scenario where the hidden hand of our former colonisers is playing an active role in trying to guide our national processes as evidenced during the land reform programme, the indigenisation and economic empowerment programme and the current constitution making process. The importance of these two social projects was recognised by the unlikely person in the form of Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara whose office tried unsuccessfully to initiate and guide their development.
While the DPM had the idea, energy and booming voice to articulate it he lacked the resources, popularity and national presence to drive such a critical national project. Only the Youth Council, under the guidance of the responsible Minister, can develop the required national footprint and mobilise the energy in youths across the great political, social and economic divides to drive such important initiatives.
When the vision and national identity are clear youths need to claim their stake in local politics in order to get the leverage that will assist them in achieving the stated vision. The council should have taken advantage of the current constitution making process to push through changes that will guarantee their political influence. For example, the Constitution can be used to reserve some Parliamentary seats for people between the ages of 18 and 35.
In addition youths should set the tone for national debates, be it on the state of the economy, indigenisation, national sovereignty, sanctions, homosexuality and any other burning issues. The 2000 General election that ushered in a generation of young politicians into the august house proved to be a false start as the young student graduates were overwhelmed and found wanting as they neither had a youth vision nor identity to articulate and defend.
While the current crop of parliamentarians is sprinkled with a handful of young people only one or two has come out forcefully to articulate and champion youth development issues. Therefore, there is urgent need for inclusion of public representatives who are youthful, elected by the youth, for the youth in the august house. The Council should also play a significant role in the development of the economic trajectory the nation needs to take. Through organising Youth Business Forums, Youth versus Established Business Dialogues, and facilitating youth representation on public companies, parastatals and even in private businesses, National Economic Consultative Forum, and business organisations like the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce, the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries etc the Council can play a pivotal role in grooming youths for future leadership of key sectors of the economy.
In the final analysis, the stage has been set for the creation of a youth empowering and futuristic production that will take Zimbabwe into the next phase of development. The only missing link is a Youth Council Board that is creative, imaginative and talented enough to direct and drive the youth development production process.
l Kurai Prosper Masenyama is a local economic and social analyst.