The Youth Development Fund this week received $1 million to be disbursed to youths for their business ventures countrywide.
The government allocated $2,5 million to the Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment Ministry in last year’s annual budget, but nothing had been disbursed by Treasury since then.
The release of the funds came at a time youths were complaining the ministry was being selective in the manner it was making the disbursements for youth projects countrywide.
However, Youth Development minister Saviour Kasukuwere dismissed the allegations saying he had begun engaging youths in various organisations encouraging them to take advantage of the fund.
Addressing chartered accountants in Kariba, Kasukuwere said: “The reports are not true. Actually, I have been moving around provinces assessing and encouraging youths to venture into projects which give them life.”
Recently, a Bulawayo-based youth organisation, Zimbabwe African Youth Heritage Trust, accused Kasukuwere of overlooking them.
“Kasukuwere and his administration should freely minister to every youth regardless of their political and geographical affiliation on things like the youth fund,” said Tofara Machona, founder of the Trust.
Machona said there was discrimination at the ministry as evidenced by their silence on his organisation’s proposals for projects on media, tourism and travel, forwarded seven months ago.
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He also accused the minister of inaccessibility, saying he must adopt an open-door policy to youths.
“I don’t select any province. In fact, I have since abandoned my province to make sure these other provinces benefit from all indigenisation processes,” Kasukuwere said.
Secretary for Youth Development Prince Mupazviriho said the ministry would offer a maximum of $2 000 per project to approved proposals.
