Youths advised to promote unity

Zimbabwe celebrates its 42nd Independence Day anniversary today and President Mnangagwa has called on youths to promote unity as it forms the basis of the country's development.

The President said this in his weekly column in The Sunday Mail ahead of today's independence celebrations whose main event will be held in Bulawayo in line with Government's decision to decentralise commemorations of national events.

"Youths must never retreat from a united, unitary Nation of Zimbabwe, which is home and comfort to each and all.

"With Zimbabwe now free, and in the wake of our historic land reform programme, which validated our Independence and thus should never be reversed, the key National Question which now begs is that of wealth-creation for national recovery and inclusive growth and development," he said.

The President reminded youths that the development of the country lied in the hands of its citizens and urged them to take lead in that endeavour.

"We will never tire of reminding you that nyika inovakwa nekutongwa nevene vayo/ilizwe lakhiwa libuswe ngabanikazi, or tire of preaching the virtues of inclusive growth whose fruits are evenly spread and enjoyed, so no one, no community, no region is left behind or denied," President Mnangagwa said.

"Unevenness breeds divisions which undermine our claim to unity, our quest for stability, and the goal and fact of consolidating a unitary State spelt out in our Constitution.

"As with the liberation struggle, the youths must be in the forefront of this new frontier of struggle."

The President said youths should play a vanguard role in the country's quest for development and urged them not to waver in that regard despite the effects of the illegal sanctions.

"By-standers can never be agents; those who surrender to, and look helpless in the face of foreign pressure can never be builders of a solid Nation.

"Quite often and especially for our African continent, nations are born out of defiance of a cruel destiny by highly resolved peoples. We did just that during the struggle.

"You our youths must show such resolve, defy circumstances which seek to belittle you, aspire to lead, to create and to own national wealth, thus writing your own destiny," he said.

President Mnangagwa said Government was incorporating young people in various leadership roles and would soon legislate for a youth quota as part of its youths empowerment drive.