Recent pronouncements by Indigenisation and Youth minister Patrick Zhuwao that he will reactivate 80 000 of the notorious Border Gezi militias and train more should be dismissed with the contempt it deserves. It is saddening to note that Zhuwao has lately developed an “I-know-it-all” attitude which has only exposed him as an amateur who does not deserve to be anywhere near State decisions-makers. BY LOVEMORE CHINOPUTSA
In the little time that Zhuwao has been at the helm of the Youth ministry, he has demonstrated beyond doubt that he is not cut for the task and has arrogantly presided over a number of questionable and controversial decisions that have done little to improve the welfare of young people in this country.
The National Youth Service in its current format, is not meant to do any good to the young people of this country, who urgently require employment and other basic necessities for them to lead meaningful lives. The militia graduates that have been churned out over the years have been known to terrorise parents and elders in the villages and have been notorious for committing heinous acts, all in the name of the ruling Zanu PF party. We will not allow Zhuwao to create a militia that will be used to unleash violence and intimidate innocent citizens of this country who all believe that his uncle, President Robert Mugabe, has failed this country and, therefore, should resign.
Surely, we cannot allow Zhuwao to continue to abuse young people so as to suit his insatiable appetite for power as he attempts to create a Gushungo dynasty. We have a feeling he is “retooling” for 2018 elections, but unfortunately he will definitely use and then dump these gullible young people when his mission has been accomplished.
Zhuwao should be reminded that he is running a whole ministry for the young people of Zimbabwe and he should not take them for granted. He is supposed to superintend over policies and ideas that benefit and enhance the wellbeing of all young people. The youth are national stakeholders who deserve to be listened to and respected.
In a recent interview with NewsDay, Zhuwao highlighted that he was not a fool who would come up with a policy to appease the opposition. Surely, if what the opposition says is of value and meant to uplift the lives of young people, he must swallow his pride and do the rightful thing in the best interests of young people. He should undertake programmes and projects that have direct benefit to the constituency that he is supposed to superintend over.
Zimbabwe is for all and all Zimbabweans deserve to enjoy its fruits. No one has monopoly over this beautiful country. The minister should be reminded that national affairs will remain above party factional interests and thus any policy that is crafted at any ministry should reflect that national outlook. The Youth ministry is meant to serve all Zimbabwe and not just a few Zanu PF functionaries .
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If he can trample upon and despise many within Zanu PF, he definitely cannot do that to youths in the Movement for Democratic Change. We are not like the few terrified people in Zanu PF that he has always intimidated and looked down upon, we are not cowards and we will continue to speak out and act on issues of principle.
We shall embark on a programme to educate and mobilise young people against participating in a flawed partisan programme that is meant to brainwash their minds.
Zhuwao has a generational mandate to ensure that the lives of young people are improved and their is preserved, but enrolling them for national service will not improve them. It will only turn them into irresponsible young people who can maim for Zanu PF votes.
Lovemore Chinoputsa is MDC-T youth assembly secretary-general
