Zim celebrates youth day...

THE National Youth Day is celebrated on February 21 annually in recognition and remembrance of the late former President Robert Gabriel Mugabe. The commemoration falls on his birthday. The holiday was announced on August 18, 2017 and was gazetted as such on November 24, 2017.

The birthday was formally referred to as 21st February Movement.

This holiday honours Mugabe, who was the first Prime Minister of Zimbabwe from independence in 1980 until 1987, then the country’s second but first Executive President from 1987 to 2017.

The focus of the day is increasingly moving away from the late President to the youth. Speaking in 2021, Youth, Arts, Sports and Culture minister Kirsty Coventry, said: “The 21st February is a National Youth Day. The day was proclaimed and instituted by the government in 2017 in order for the nation to recognise and celebrate the contributions made by the youth throughout the history of the country as well as for the young people to recognise and emulate the leadership values.”

The theme for this year’s commemorations is Alleviate substance and drug abuse by the youth.

It will be officiated by President Emmerson Mnangagwa. The event will also witness the launch of the national drug abuse fund which was proposed in the 2022 budget.

Youths from all provinces will congregate in Harare at the Robert Mugabe Square where the celebrations will be held.

There will be a clean-up campaign in which Mnangagwa will take part.

A concept note from the Youth, Sports Arts and Recreation ministry together with Zimbabwe Youth Council stated that young people were an important and integral part of the national economic eco-system.

“Zimbabwe seeks to transform into an uppermiddle class economy by 2030. It is incumbent upon young people to be the major contributors to the achievement of Vision 2030. However, with this threat of drug and substance abuse there is an ever-growing fear of failing to harness the youth economic dividend for this feat,” read the note.

The event will also see Mnangagwa appointing an ambassador to help in the fight against drug and substance abuse.

“The objective of the National Youth Day will be to raise awareness on the effects of substance and drug abuse among the youth.

History of Robert Mugabe

Mugabe was born on February 21, 1924.

He was a schoolteacher before he got involved in African nationalist protests calling for independence of Southern Rhodesia from Britain.

He was imprisoned from 1964 to 1974 for making anti-government comments.

On release, he became the leader of the Zanu Patriotic Front. He took part in the peace negotiations that led to independence and the end of minority white rule.

Mugabe led Zanu PF to victory in the 1980 general election, becoming Zimbabwe’s first Prime Minister from 1980-87. In 1987, he became President, stepping down in 2017 after a coup.

and mass demonstrations.

Mugabe died on September 6, 2019 at the age of 95.

The Robert Gabriel Mugabe National Youth Day was proposed and accepted in August 2017, after intense lobbying by the Zanu PF youth league.

The 21st February Movement was formed in 1986, by the Zanu PF youth league, to commemorate the principles and ideals that Mugabe stood for.

It was officially declared as a public holiday on the inauguration of Mnangagwa on November 27, 2017. On announcing the holiday, Mnangagwa said the former President needed to be accorded the respect and recognition he deserved as the founding leader of Zimbabwe.

“To me personally, he remains a father, mentor, comrade-in-arms and my leader,” he said.