Mugabe urges 'well-skilled' to create their own companies

President Robert Mugabe has urged skilled people in the country to form groups and create their own companies so that their skills and expertise can benefit the economy.

Speaking at the opening of the 21st Junior Parliament of Zimbabwe at the Harare International Conference Centre in Harare, President Mugabe said the Ministry of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment is working to ensure that the indigenisation and economic empowerment programme succeeds.

"I am calling upon our well-skilled men, geologists and others to form their own companies so that we will not export our wealth.

"Don't be afraid, we are training our best to look into those areas we think will develop our youths, for example, education. Try to acquire that technological knowledge for the development of our own technology so that it is home-grown.

"You have to go much higher, higher than ourselves, and that is development," said President Mugabe.

The President said a child is a family's source of inspiration, adding that children must be nurtured by avoiding negative aspects that retard growth.

President Mugabe spoke of the incurable HIV and AIDS and urged young people to avoid contracting the pandemic through abstinence from sex before marriage.

Mugabe also said young people should work hard to be in proper marriages and weddings, adding that it is shocking these days that out of every three weddings, there is one which ends in divorce.

"There is so much of divorce and separation. Take time before you get married, don't rush before you get married. Study your partner before you get married," he said.

The President also highlighted that the new constitution has made efforts to incorporate rights of children under the Bill of Rights, adding that Part 3 of the Bill of Rights states that every child has a right to be heard.

The President called for peace in the country, adding that political parties and religious groups must all join hands to ensure the country remains peaceful.

He said: "Peace, peace, peace must begin with an individual, interact with others in a friendly way, think of the disabled, think of those who are not as gifted as you, the less fortunate.

"Don't be a man or woman of violence, don't a bully at school, it's not good. We want to hear that the students are obeying their teachers."

Mugabe promised better working conditions and salaries for teachers after a resounding Zanu PF victory in the forthcoming harmonised elections.

"To teachers, we haven't been able to pay you well because of our budgets and also because of our two-headed governmental creature where we do not always agree. I want to assure you that after the elections that we are going to win, things will be better. It's because we are the best party with the best policies," said Mugabe.

He said the government created an environment where Zimbabwe is now rated as the country with the highest literate levels in Africa.

President Mugabe said there is need to acquire more skills at the highest level in areas that include ICTs for the country to move in tandem with global developments.