Staff Reporter
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has urged over 30 000 youths from across the country, who converged on Mushagashe Vocational Training center in Masvingo today for the National Youth day, to further develop the country’s economy.
Addressing this year’s celebrations which are running under the theme ‘Positioning youth empowerment and development towards achieving Vision 2030’, President Mnangagwa, who was the guest of honour, pledged Government’s full support to youths in the country through empowerment projects to improve their economic standards.
“Government will scale up support for all our rural vocational centers so that they are all well-equipped. We are committed to creating opportunities for our youth so that they can contribute to the development of our country. The participation of all young people in the national development agenda must be maintained. We now have young people in all facets of our economy. I want to congratulate youths who are making drinking products. I want to congratulate all vocational training centers in the country for training the youths.
“We will provide you with programmes like the Presidential heifer pass on programme, Presidential input scheme majority of which fall under the Ministry of Agriculture. We have established youth desks in all our ministries to assist the youth who require assistance. I urge all our youth across the country to organize yourselves and present your issues through the Party and Government so that your issues can be addressed,” said President Mnangagwa.
The President stressed that youths should remain united and further implement the National Youth Policy (2021-2025) as they remain masters of their own destiny.
“I say to you the youth stand up for yourselves, believe in yourselves take pride in being Zimbabweans. You have the duty to contribute towards the development of your motherland. Say no to hate, say no to regionalism, say no to tribalism. There is nothing that we can achieve when we are not united. Only we are capable of bringing freedom to ourselves. Some died and some went to jail for this country to attain the freedom we have today,” said President Mnangagwa.
Meanwhile, the National Youth day is celebrated on February 21 every year and has since been approved to be a national holiday to mark and reflect on issues affecting young people in Zimbabwe. President Mnangagwa also donated 10 tractors to youths in 10 provinces in the country to empower them in developmental projects, whilst one tractor was tested for its efficiency by the President at Mushagashe Vocational Training Center.
