National youth document set to transform the country's youths

MASVINGO - The newly crafted national youth policy document is a benchmark widely expected to purge hooliganism and unruly behaviour among the country's youth, Deputy Minister for Youth Development, Indigenization and Empowerment, Honourable Tongai Matutu has said.

Speaking in a wide ranging interview on Friday, Honourable Matutu said the national youth policy document would be carried into the new Zimbabwe and its contents were consistent with matters of global concern. He added the document was an international benchmark expected to transform the youth sector in line with peace and real empowerment.

"The national youth document is expected to transform the country's youths from militarism to responsibility. There is need for a paradigm shift among the youths because the majority of our youths were given the wrong orientation by Zanu PF.The national youth service was militarized by Zanu PF but we expect the new youth policy to reverse the system. We are making frantic efforts to redefine the youths that were inclined to the culture of looting and plundering of state resources. The national youth service document speaks to peace and other matters of global concern and we want to get rid of rowdy elements among the youth. In addition there is need to come up with positive youth programmes.We have a task to redefine the national youth legacy because youths have been associated with hooliganism and violence, "said Honourable Matutu.

Honourable Matutu added he was facing challenges in executing his duties in the Ministry because of Zanu PF functionaries dominant in the ministry.

"I am dealing with people who subscribe to the Zanu PF ideology. Their mentality is to reap where they did not sow and that is the typical Zanu PF culture. We have seen it in Chiredzi where they grabbed sugar plantations and the recent attempt by Walter Muzembi and Irvine Dzingirai to snatch Renco Mine. An MDC government will reverse such uncouth activities - that is why we have the JUICE programme.The MDC has a culture of hard work and commitment .The MDC is determined to rebrand the youth in Zimbabwe.

He added: "The so called youths officers are doing nothing in the wards and most of them spend their time drinking beer and it is my belief that we cannot afford a situation whereby three youths work in one ward. The Ministry is overloaded because of Zanu PF functionaries that were rewarded for unleashing violence. The so called technocrats in the Ministry are in actual fact Zanu PF apologists –that is why I am facing serious challenges in the Ministry. I am actually working as a lone ranger in the Ministry. I strongly feel there is need to for an independent Ministry to be structured because the current set up is purely political and embarrassingly one sided. Most of these Zanu PF functionaries are determined to block my efforts and they do not want to associate with the MDC.I am ostracized in the Ministry but I will keep on fighting until the eradication of the Zanu PF mentality."

He also castigated Zanu PF youths for being selfish by grabbing government loans and demanding more funds- forgetting government had other obligations to fulfill in the ministry and other crucial sectors of the country.