‘Let’s utilise VTCs to our benefit’
Address by President Mnangagwa at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe National Youth Day Celebrations at Mushagashe, Masvingo yesterday
Iam honoured to be addressing the nation and in particular the youth of our country, both at home and abroad, as we commemorate the Robert Gabriel Mugabe National Youth Day.
The Day was set aside to ensure that the rich national ethos and character that brought about our freedom, democracy and independence is passed down from generation to generation.
Today, on one hand, we look back in honour of one of our Founding Fathers the late former President and National Hero , Cde R.G. Mugabe as well as the many brave and fearless young people who sacrificed their youth and schooling to wage the protracted war of liberation. We must never forget their supreme sacrifices.
On the other hand, we look forward to the future with great confidence, guided by our philosophy “Nyika inovakwa, inotongwa, inonamatirwa nevene vayo /Ilizwe lakhiwa, libuswe, ngabanikazi balo,” li-khu-le-ke-lwe.
We are strengthened by the strides our nation continues to make. Even though sanctions continue upon our country, we are marching forward. We remain a friend to all and an enemy of none. We are our own liberators. You our Zimbabwean young people, no matter where you are in the country or around the world, know that you have the weighty responsibility to develop our country. The young people of yesteryear played their part. You must play your part. The challenge is now yours.
We have a target to achieve, aspirations to realise and a national Vision to attain. By 2030, our great motherland Zimbabwe must be a prosperous and empowered upper middle income society.
You the youth of this great country have a role to play on this ongoing journey. You are the descendants of the Great Munhumutapa. You must believe in yourselves. You are not an inferior people.
Take pride in being Zimbabwean and be confident in your unique national identity. No matter which province you come from or where in the world you may find yourself, always remember that you are one people. Zimbabwe is your home, together. Say no to regionalism; say no to tribalism; say no to self hate and denigrating your own country.
Remain focused, disciplined, patriotic and loyal to our great motherland, Zimbabwe. Kukapisa, kukatonhora, nenguva yemaguta, nenguva yezhara, ngatide Nyika yekwedu. Tikabatana, tikadanana, tikashanda nesimba tinobudira. Nothing is impossible if we are united, hard working and love one another.
I was with you last year, here in Masvingo at the “Conference of the First Time Voters” which was attended mostly by you the young people. I commend you all for your support and love for our revolutionary mass Party, ZANU PF. True to your pledge, you defended our independence, unity and peace, and also rejected the opposition and its handlers. Takavasvasvanga, Takavarakasha. Well done, well done youth of Zimbabwe.
Today you have once again come out in your large numbers. This demonstrates that you not only value our rich national history, but you are equally committed to building our great country, brick upon brick, stone upon stone, step by step. Makorokoto. Amhlope. Tinodada nemi vechidiki venyika yedu.
Comrades, The theme of this year’s celebrations: “Positioning Youth Empowerment and Development Towards Achieving Vision 2030” is critically important at this stage of our national, social, economic and political development.
As your President and the ZANU PF Party, we continue to make bold and deliberate decisions to ensure that young people fully participate in all socio-economic activities and the governance systems of our motherland.
I am proud that some of our youth, individually and collectively, are demonstrating excellent capacities in various areas. Under the Second Republic, the youth are excelling in education, science and technology, agriculture, mining, construction, sports, arts and culture, among many other fields. This has seen unprecedented successes for our country and greater production and productivity across all sectors.
Well done and Congratulations. Going forward, I urge you to take advantage of our Engagement and Re-engagement Policy to form strategic partnerships with other young people and young investors from friendly and progressive countries. I challenge you to also pursue businesses in the exports markets and global value chains. Kugara nhaka kuoona dzevamwe.
Comrades; I commend the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training as well as other stakeholders for facilitating insightful exhibitions. These highlight the success of my Government’s thrust to develop skills through an education system that creates goods and services that are useful for our people right at the community level.
Our Heritage Based Education 5.0 model which focuses on science, innovation, technology and skills development is resulting in the transformation, modernisation and industrialisation of our country.
I congratulate our Vocational Training Centres for also playing their part towards the realisation of our aspirations under the Heritage-Based Education 5.0 model.
Here at Mushagashe Vocational Training Centre, the youth are also demonstrating training with production. Going forward, I invite the private sector, development agencies, other Ministries, Departments and Agencies to partner with our country’s Vocational Training Centres, towards nurturing and supporting our talented young people.
On its part, Government will scale up support for all Vocational Centres so that they are well equipped and capacitated to be drivers of community empowerment, rural industrialisation and economic development that leaves no one and no place behind.
I re-configured the Ministry of Youth to specifically pay attention to youth empowerment, development and vocational training. As such, the Ministry is directed to ensure that the development of the National Youth Act, is accelerated. I want to see more youth-led development activities, across all sectors of the economy.
The participation of young people in the national development agenda and decision-making processes should also be focused and better coordinated. We want them to undertake their projects and programmes in a disciplined and orderly fashion.
Never abandon hunhu hwedu sevanhu vatema. We must remain true to our African morals. We are a respectful, honest and humble people. Tinoda ma youth eZimbabwe to be known for integrity, hard work and professionalism. Say no to corruption and illicit dealings.
Take advantage of the Youth Focal Desks established across some Ministries and Departments. Many of our young people are benefiting from the partnerships and networks availed through these desks. The concept will be continually improved to make it more inclusive.
As the young people of Zimbabwe, I assure you that the ZANU PF Government’s youth-oriented policies, programmes and projects will be supported to address both your current and future needs. Opportunities presented by the Empowerment Bank and other programmes such as the Presidential Heifer Pass-on-Scheme, Integrated Youth Skills Development and Agriculture Mechanisation Scheme should be utilised so that you realise your full potential.
In the meantime, I call upon you, our young people to develop partnerships and viable business synergies, that generate incomes as well as improve the quality of your lives. Zvikomo zviripedyo zvinotapudzirana mhute. Never be ashamed of improving yourselves or learning from those who have gone ahead of you.
Allow me to commend our country’s young people in the Diaspora. You at home must never forget your compatriots in far-away countries.
You are one people. Likewise those in the diaspora must equally appreciate those young people that are here at home. You are all important. Never despise or look down upon each other. Those in the diaspora are urged to be proud of their Zimbabwean heritage. The skills, education and socio-economic success you may realise out there, must ultimately benefit our motherland, Zimbabwe.
oing into the future, I direct Ministries, Departments and Agencies to implement innovative youth-to-youth programmes to facilitate sustained interactions, skills transfer and capacity building among our young people, wherever they may be.
My Dear Young People; Drug and substance abuse, among other social ills, continues to ruin our moral and social fabric. All of us must work harder to fight this scourge. Families, institutions and in particular, you the youth must rally behind all efforts to end drug and substance abuse. Say no to drugs.
Never to be deceived into accepting alien and foreign cultural practices and identities. As the vanguard of our country, reject any agendas which advance regionalism, tribalism, division and hatred.
Our road to a modernised, industrialised and prosperous society must be anchored by our rich cultural heritage and the philosophy of Ubuntu/Hunhu. The marriage institution is sacred and so are our communal family ethos, values, traditions, and respect for our traditional institutions. Musanyengetedzwa netsika dzirikuparadza vamwe kunze uko, nenyika dzavo. Rambayi makamira pa hunhu hwedu.
Comrades and My Dear Young People of Zimbabwe;
I commend the youth leadership at Government and Party levels and indeed other stakeholders for the manner in which these land mark commemorations were organised. I thank you all for coming in your large numbers from your respective provinces and for the unity and your love for our country that you have demonstrated at this event. Madadisa. Congratulations.
With these remarks, I wish you all memorable celebrations and look forward to more opportunities to interact with you, as the youth of our country. I wish you a memorable day and journey mercies as you travel back to your respective communities.
Happy National Youth Day.
God bless you all
God bless Zimbabwe.