Mugabe urged to appoint Ministers who are non-political

THE Zanu-PF Youth League has called on President Mugabe to appoint non-politically aligned individuals to key economic related ministries, noting that this would ensure that they are fully dedicated to the task of turning around the country's economy.

Speaking during the 21st February Movement celebrations held yesterday at the newly named Matopos Junior School, in Matabeleland South, Zanu-PF Secretary for the Youth, Kudzanai Chipanga said economy related ministries were key as they had a direct bearing towards the country's development.

He said non-political ministers would contribute positively towards the revival of the country's economy as they will take their appointment as a job, giving it their undivided attention.

"We appeal for the appointment of non-political ministers to head several economic ministries within Government. By doing so, it will ensure that these ministers have an undivided attention in order to positively transform our economy.

"What we are saying here is that the ministers which you appoint to head mainly economic ministries are expected to turn around the economy, service the constituency they represent in Parliament and then they are also expected to service their position in the party.

"Given the calibre of some of the ministers we currently have, some of them are so deceitful such that straight after President Mugabe appoints them they start plotting on how they remove the very President who appointed them. They thus spend five percent of their time towards the task of reviving the economy and the remaining 95 percent goes towards petty succession politics," said Chipanga.

He said with non-political ministers in all economic related portfolios it will see a situation where even in the evening instead of busying themselves with shadowy meetings on succession they will be meeting on how to revive the country's economy.

Chipanga assured the President that as the youth they will do their part of working hard in all sectors of the economy to turn around the economy.

He commended Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor, Dr John Mangudya for introducing bond notes, which he said have solved the issue of cash shortages and cash hoarding in the country. He said the introduction of Statutory Instrument 64 could not have come at a better time after the Office of the President and Cabinet had coordinated reforms meant towards the ease of doing business in an endeavour to protect the local businesses as they endeavour to resuscitate the economy.

"As youth we are, however, concerned with the slow and tedious procedures to follow when you want to venture into business here in Zimbabwe. For instance if you want to open a company in Zimbabwe, the process takes about three weeks unlike in other countries. We feel that process must be reduced to two or three days.

"We also have artisanal farmers, for them to have an operating licence; they are required to buy a license using cash up front. We feel there is a need to relax such policies so that these small scale miners will be given an opportunity to mine first and pay those licence fees in instalments," said Chipanga.

Chipanga said as the Youth League, they were mindful of the task ahead in terms of ensuring the party's resounding victory in next year's harmonised elections.

"The Youth League will ensure the party's victory in the 2018 general elections by forwarding the youth agenda of endorsing President Mugabe as the Life President of this Republic of Zimbabwe. We are tired of holding congresses of electing leadership. Party elections are different from elections conducted by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, in party elections it is us who know what we want and don't want. The Youth League is therefore saying; if we are conducting congresses, let's do them for formality purposes, deal with issues to do with the Vice-Presidents, Politiburo and Central Committee members but as for the position of President it is cast in stone that it is President RG Mugabe," he said.

Chipanga warned senior Zanu-PF members who were attempting to use the youth to further their selfish agendas of dividing the party, saying they will soon expose them for who they truly were.

He further reiterated the Youth League's call to have 21 February declared a public holiday named National Youth Day, giving the ministry responsible for this an ultimatum that the day should be included in next year's calendar.