Zanu-PF youth League hails Mnangagwa over Cabinet

THE Zanu-PF Youth League has hailed the inclusion of youths in the new Cabinet, saying President Mnangagwa demonstrated a clear-cut intention to invest in youths and create more job prospects for the young generation.

President Mnangagwa last week gave a face-lift of his Cabinet, retiring most of the long serving ministers. He brought in vibrant technocrats and youthful ministers expected to bring the much needed expertise and innovative ideas to revive the economy.

Zanu-PF Youth League secretary Pepurai Togarepi extolled President Mnangagwa for recognising the party's youth wing in his new Cabinet set-up.

"I think this is the first time in the history of the country that we have so many youths who are in Cabinet, as National Assembly Members and councillors," he said while addressing the party's Youth League national executive at the Zanu-PF headquarters on Tuesday.

"It has never happened in the previous administration and we want to say thank you to Mnangagwa for recognising your youths and we shall continue to support your vision as the party's youth wing."

Togarepi said the youths who were included in the highest decision-making positions were some of the best both in terms intellectual capacity and loyalty to the party.

"We are confident that those appointed are going to perform and open opportunities for others in future," he said. "This is the best time, even in my career as a politician that I got an the opportunity to work with you, and among you the President then chose leaders to revive the economy and take Zimbabwe forward."

The injection of fresh blood in the new Cabinet has brought confidence across all sectors of the economy. Youths included in Cabinet were Mangaliso Ndlovu (Minister of Industry and Commerce) and swimming sensation Kirsty Coventry (Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation).

Minister Ndlovu is a product of the Zanu-PF Youth League along with the deputy Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation, Yeukai Simbanegavi. Togarepi attributed the appointment by President Mnangagwa of the youths to the Cabinet to the hard work shown by the youths in the ruling party.

"We now have two Cabinet ministers from the party's youth wing," he said.

"It is a pride. It has never happened. We also have four deputies from the Youth League."

Togarepi continued: "I am telling you we must be shouting and excited. One thing we should recognise as the Youth League is that the President is a man of his word. He told us that he was going to consider a youthful Cabinet and indeed he did it and many of our youths were selected."

He said he was going to write to President Mnangagwa thanking him for "walking-the-talk" that honoured them. Togarepi thanked the Youth League for working as team and tirelessly to ensure Zanu-PF and President Mnangagwa won the elections held in July.

"In many ways you did a lot," he said. "Provincial chairpersons did a lot to mobilise for the party. I want to thank you for your effort. National executive members were working with the structures of the party. Today we are smiling, we are celebrating our victory."

Togarepi said it was now time to put the elections behind and rally behind President Mnangagwa and see Zimbabwe running again.