Matabeleland youths accuse government of marginalising them

Matabeleland-based Zapu youths have accused the government of sidelining them in the allocation of loans under the Indigenisation ministry's youth fund.

Zapu youth secretary for information and publicity Mbonisi Gumbo said the CABS Kurera/Ukondla Youth Fund and the Meikles Youth Empowerment facility "discriminated against youths in marginalised areas," reported The NewsDay.

"In surveys we conducted in Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South, we discovered that many youths were disappointed at the low numbers of beneficiaries of the CABS Kurera/Ukondla fund," he said.

Last year, CABS launched a $10 million youth fund and is in the process of disbursing the funds.

At the end of February, the bank had disbursed $250 000.

"Some were accusing it of being deliberately biased in its selection of beneficiaries," Gumbo said.

"We are also sad to see that only five youths from Bulawayo and one from Matabeleland North benefited from the fund."

Gumbo said the Meikles youth empowerment facility was clearly biased in its selection of beneficiaries as it only benefited those in Harare and surrounding peri-urban areas.

"The Meikles youth empowerment facility is clearly biased in its operations," he said. The 100km radius that it uses to select beneficiaries literally shuts out the rest of Zimbabwe," he said.

Deputy Indeginisation minister Tongai Matutu confirmed the allegations, adding: "I totally agree that the Meikles fund is discriminatory because once you put a certain radius for your beneficiaries, you automatically shut out people in other areas."

Matutu said few youths in marginalised areas benefited from the CABS Kurera/Ukondla Fund because of lack of resources.