Youths encouraged to be innovative, bust sanctions
YOUTHS have been encouraged to stop seeking employment but rather to start their own businesses so as to empower their peers and resuscitate the country’s economy.
Such a development will help Zimbabwe overcome the sanctions imposed on the country by Western powers. Speaking at the Zanu-PF Youth Symposium in Bulawayo yesterday under the theme Resilience, Progress and Solidarity under an environment of sanctions, Politburo member and principal at the Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology, Cde Munyaradzi Machacha said youths should not be passive participants in the economy, but instead they should start their own businesses and uplift their peers.
The symposium was held at a local hotel with a limited number of attendees because of Covid-19 restrictions.
“I want to encourage the Youth League and say that the days of queuing for jobs are over. This is the time we should retain the brains, the skills that are in young people, not only to resuscitate the dead industries but to start to new greenfield industries that can create employment for the youths, that can grow the economy, increase our export capacity and result in the upliftment in the standard of living of our people,” he said.
Only by starting their own business, Cde Machacha said, could youths help the country reboot its economy.
“I want to see you starting companies. I want to see you making money. Because that is what Zanu-PF empowerment programmes are all about. We don’t want people to feel sorry about themselves. We don’t want people to feel sorry about their circumstances. We want to change our youths into a bold, aggressive young team that can change their circumstances, circumstances of others and circumstances of our country. So, let’s work together, let’s encourage everyone else and we make money,” he said.
Cde Machacha thanked Sadc for standing in solidarity with Zimbabwe, saying that its decision to stand behind the country’s call for the unconditional removal of sanctions had bolstered the morale of those that had been fighting for the removal of the illegally imposed measures.
“I want to thank Sadc. In the world when you’re surrounded by bullies and you’re under attack, it is gratifying and it is encouraging to know that there are friends that will come and stand with you. So, Sadc declared the 25th of October as the anti-sanctions day really motivated us to keep on fighting knowing that we are not alone in this fight,” he said.
Given the country’s abundant natural resources, Cde Machacha said, sanctions could be defeated.
“Zimbabwe is capable of turning its fortunes and becoming a prosperous nation again. Under the new dispensation, it has been demonstrated that Zimbabwe does not need foreign loans. Zimbabwe needs technological transfer and Zimbabwe needs foreign markets.
“Zimbabwe has got abundant natural resources, nearly all the known minerals in the world are found in Zimbabwe and some of them in major quantities making us number one, two or three in lines of production. Zimbabwe has also got quality, highly trained human capital. So, if you invest you know you will get quality labour to produce quality goods to be highly competitive in the global market,” he said.
The ruling party’s Director of Information and Publicity, Cde Tafadzwa Mugwadi, said there was a concerted effort to smear the country, particularly by media houses determined to effect regime change. This had led to the polarisation of the media landscape.
“The key message I have for you today is that I want it to be known that our media has been portioned. On one hand we have media that is pro-sanctions and on the other hand we have media that is anti-sanctions. What I can say is that in the end the anti-sanctions media will win. We have refused to break in the past 20 years and we won’t be broken now,” he said.