According to Lovemore Machingura, a councilor in Manicaland, young people in the rural areas continue to be sidelined in all the policies that cover youth issues.
“While there is a hullabaloo about economic indigenisation and empowerment and the national youth policy, very little has been done to help the young people here. Very few of them have even heard about the policy, but the politicians continue to talk about how much good it has done,” he said.
The Hauna Growth Point is a popular skulking ground for the youth as several major companies have packed up and left.
“Big retail outlets like OK and Spar have moved out of the area and all of the youths who had been employed there are now jobless. It’s something that we as traditional leaders are worried about as we see a surge in criminal activity in the area,” said Headman Zuva Samanga.
Grace Chirenje of the Women Coalition of Zimbabwe said although they were consulted in the drafting of the policy, she had received no communication since its approval.
“It’s shocking that after we contributed towards the crafting of the national youth policy we have not heard anything from the relevant authorities on how the policy will be implemented,” said Chirenje. Tenford Chitanana, the Zimbabwe Youth Festival Director slammed the National Youth Policy for continuing to discourage active youth participation in politics.
“The Zimbabwe government continue to see our young people as immature. Our youth are being used in political violence while decision-making continues to rest in the hands of the older generation,” said Chitanana.
National Association of Youth Organisation national chairperson Misheck Gondo said although the policy was sound, there was a need for an institutional framework in order for it to achieve its goals.
“While we talk about poverty reduction among youths, especially in the rural areas, there is a need to ensure that sound mechanisms in terms of administration and political set-ups are put in place,” said Gondo.
The Zimbabwe Youth Council has established a 2010-2012 strategic plan for the youths’ affairs. It identified several key objectives that include facilitating the active participation of youths in district, provincial and national development programmes, conducting research related to youth development issues and enhancing the capacity of youth organisations, among other things.
The relevance of the ZYC is measured in terms of the soundness of its programming. In order for the ZYC to play its stated leadership role in youth development, it is important that it not only contributes to national policies, but it must be the champion of youths on various issues.
However, the Youth Council has been blamed for ignoring youth issues by being partisan in their approach, a fact that they have vehemently denied.
Post published in: Analysis
This is a smart blog. I mean it. You have so much knowledge about this issue, and so much passion. You also know how to make people rally behind it, obviously from the responses.
I am currently in China, and am absolutely appaulled by what I am reading. How did we get from Christianity to Bhuddism???? My biggest issue is someone who had such high views on Chairman Mao is imposing Bhuddism in ZIMBABWE. Freedom of religion is not even allowed in China, how dare they impose whatever religion this is in anywhere else!