MDC-T youths reacts angrily to Zhuwao's exorcism remarks

MDC-T youths have reacted angrily to Youth and Indigenisation minister Patrick Zhuwao's calls for exorcism on thousands of unemployed university and college graduates selling airtime tokens on the streets after government failed to offer them employment opportunities.

In November last year, at a graduation ceremony at Kaguvi Vocational Training Centre, Zhuwao mocked graduates, who play soccer and sell airtime on the streets, saying they were possessed by demons and needed exorcism.

"If you are that type [selling airtime and playing soccer in streets] then traditional beer should be brewed for you to be exorcised because you would be possessed by demons. You also need to be exorcised by prophets," he said then.

MDC-T youth spokesperson, Brian Dube last week described Zhuwao's remarks as reckless and insensitive.

"Such utterances can only come from a very reckless and irresponsible minister, who did not appreciate the reality on the ground," he said at an MDC-T youth assembly meeting in Gweru last week.

"In fact, instead of making such irresponsible statements, his ministry should come up with ways of removing youths from the streets and not for him to talk of non-existent self-help projects."

Dube said Zanu-PF had failed to provide the promised 2,2 million jobs and that the youths struggling on the streets were part of that 2,2 million, who will remain on the streets as long as they don't have jobs.

He said selling airtime by graduates was a result of the economic ruin brought by the ruling party.