President has a heart for young people

ENVIRONMENT, Climate and Wildlife Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu has hailed the Second Republic led by President Mnangagwa for appointing youths in decision-making positions as that will make them realise their full potential and help grow the economy.

In an interview on the sidelines of the Robert Gabriel Mugabe National Youth Day held at Mushagashe Vocational Training Centre in Masvingo on Wednesday, Minister Ndlovu said the younger generation should focus on developing the country.

“The youth are expected to be at universities championing innovations and even handicrafts where we are building our country using our hands,” said Minister Ndlovu.

He commended President Mnangagwa’s leadership style for empowering young people.

“We have a leader who has demonstrated his desire to empower young people, a leader who has demonstrated his desire to see young people in decision-making positions. We have youths in Cabinet and also deputy ministers, youths in the Zanu PF Politburo, cutting right across, in boards of directors for companies, permanent secretaries and in Parliament,” he said.

Minister Ndlovu said the President made sure that the Constitution was amended because, in its 2013 form, it overlooked the importance of young people.

“Why can’t we as young people take advantage of a leader who cares for the younger generation,” said Mr Ndlovu.

He challenged the youth to rise to the occasion and become an economically empowered generation.

Young people, Minister Ndlovu said, should defend their country to fulfil a second generational mission.

“We have our current leaders who fulfilled their generational mission of delivering a free Zimbabwe. We were born in a free Zimbabwe. Anyone who is a youth was born in an independent Zimbabwe. We now have a day, a day where we need to reflect and ask ourselves what is our generational mission,” he said.

The youth, the Minister added, should be wary of the country’s detractors who want to reverse the gains of the liberation struggle by destroying the young generation.

“Our country is at a time when our detractors, who imposed sanctions, are determined to destroy the young generation.

“The proliferation of drugs is not a coincidence, it is a deliberate strategy by our detractors to make sure that our young people are distracted,” said Minister Ndlovu.

He said the National Youth Day is a reminder to the younger generation that they have a role to play in national development.