DISGRUNTLED Zanu PF youths in Manicaland have threatened to cross the floor and join the opposition MDC-T, accusing the party of failing to honour pre-election promises.
CLAYTON MASEKESA
The youths told Chimanimani MP Munacho Mutezo (Zanu PF) during a meeting at Biriri business centre on Sunday that they felt betrayed by the party.
The youths said in the run-up to last year’s elections, the party promised them jobs at the Chiadzwa diamond mining fields, enrolment at teachers’ training colleges and start-up cash for various income-generating projects, among other things.
“We are particularly concerned on why we have been neglected. They promised us many things before the (July 2013) elections. Now that the party has won the elections, we are being neglected,” said one of the youths who spoke on condition of anonymity.
He said Zanu PF bigwigs, who appeared to be empowering only themselves, were failing to assist the youths in their quest to start income-generating projects.
“They hide by saying the projects and programmes are not Zanu PF initiatives yet we know that the projects belong to the party,” said the youth.
A visibly emotional Thomas Chigiya said the youths were promised jobs at Chiadzwa, but no one had benefited about a year later.
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“In fact, there are people from outside Manicaland who are continuously being employed there while the youths here who voted for Zanu PF are wallowing in poverty,” he said.
“Employees at the mining companies who live in Manicaland are being targeted for retrenchment while those from outside the province are protected.”
Moses Mukubva said the youths were promised shareholding in companies as part of an empowerment drive.
“Up to now, we do not have anything to show. They only want us when we approach elections, next time we will say no,” said Mukubva.“We are disgruntled because we cannot access bank loans to start income-generating projects and programmes as per their promises.”
But Mutezo, who is also a Zanu PF politburo member and Energy and Power Development deputy minister, said the ruling party had already addressed some of the youths’ concerns through its economic blueprint, Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (ZimAsset).
“There is no way we can leave out the youths. That is why the government has crafted ZimAsset so that we embrace their participation in economic development. We are going to fulfil all the promises that we made to them,” Mutezo said.
“I know that there are others that are disgruntled, but we have managed to send some of them to teachers’ colleges. We cannot send them all at once. We will be picking them up in small numbers.”
Mutezo said he had personally negotiated with diamond mining firms in Chiadzwa so that the youths could get jobs.
“Some of the youths got employed there through my influence. However, I admit that there is much which needs to be done at Chiadzwa so that our youths are employed there,” he said.
Mutezo said youths could start projects like tailoring and poultry rearing, among others, and sell their products in Chiadzwa.
“I know that there are NGOs (non-governmental organisations) that are operating here that are causing confusion. These are the ones that are denying Zanu PF youths access to income-generating projects. From now on, all operations by the NGOs should come through my office as an MP,” he said.
Mutezo also blamed the Ministry of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment for allegedly sidelining Zanu PF youths in its empowerment programmes.
“I want to remind the ministry that they should always work with our party office,” he said. “I am told that the ministry is having meetings without consulting the party. This should stop. The government is Zanu PF and whenever projects get underway, the party should also know so that our youths are advised.”
In pursuit of a new trajectory of accelerated economic growth and wealth creation, the Zanu PF government has formulated ZimAsset to stimulate the economy, achieve sustainable development and social equity anchored on indigenisation, empowerment and employment creation.
According to the drafters, the programme “will be largely propelled by the judicious exploitation of the country’s human and natural resources”.
