30 000 to attend National Youth Day in Lupane

Leonard Ncube, Sukulwenkosi Dube -Matutu and Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Chronicle Reporters
IT will be a mother of all bashes in Lupane tomorrow as Matabeleland North province hosts this year’s National Youth Day celebrations for the first time outside Harare, with more than 30 000 people expected to attend.
President Mnangagwa will lead the proceedings as the guest of honour under the theme: “Drug and substance abuse: A threat to Vision 2030, every community has a responsibility”.
Lupane State University is the venue of the high-level programme and is already a hive of activity as advance teams led by the Department of Public Works and other stakeholders are busy putting the final touches ahead of the arrival of national leadership.

Lupane State University
The National Youth Day honours the legacy of the late former President Mugabe who was born on 21 February and the day was declared a national holiday.
The day is celebrated annually on 21 February and this year, for the first time, the national celebrations are being hosted outside the capital Harare in the spirit of devolution and in line with President Mnangagwa’s pronouncements that the capital city should not have a monopoly over national events.
The programme is not restricted to youths as every citizen is welcome to participate and listen to the President.
Initially the province had requested and had been given 50 buses to carry people from all seven districts.
However, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution in Matabeleland North, Richard Moyo, yesterday said they have since requested for 50 more buses, as they expect more than 30 000 people to attend the event and interact with President Mnangagwa. This excludes those who will travel from other provinces.

President Mnangagwa
Minister Moyo who is also Zanu-PF chairman for Matabeleland North said the province is ready to host the President.
“It lifts us high as a province to be the first to host the celebrations outside Harare and for that, we will remain grateful to President Mnangagwa and the Second Republic for pushing the devolution agenda and according us the opportunity to be the first this time,” he said.
“Preparations are going on well and we expect 30 000 people. We got 50 buses and we have requested 50 more so that we have 100 for people to be carried to the venue. As a province, we are more than happy and everyone is excited as this will uplift Lupane, especially in terms of business as shops are set to have a brisk business,” said Minister Moyo.
The decentralisation of national events also augurs well with President Mnangagwa’s philosophy of “leaving no one and no place behind”.
Minister Moyo said the province has mobilised enough food to cater for all people that will attend while the Zimbabwe National Water Authority and Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority have assured 100 percent water and electricity availability on the day.
He said the event was open to every Zimbabwean especially since the country is heading towards harmonised elections later this year and the President wants to meet people who will also be grateful to interact with him.
“We encourage people to come in numbers as transport will be available to pick them and drop them at the same place after the event,” he said.

Child president Unathi Nyoni
Commenting on the key message for the day, Child president, Unathi Nyoni, said the country faces a big challenge that threatens Vision 2030 objectives if the drug abuse issue among the youth is not decisively dealt with.
Statistics show that at least 30 percent of Zimbabwean youths are hooked on drugs with health experts warning that the anti-drugs war can be easily lost if drastic measures are not taken immediately.
“Drug and substance abuse is alive and living with us. We see some of our agemates literally becoming zombies because of these drugs. My fear is that what President Mnangagwa set out in terms of Vision 2030 may not materialize because of drug abuse by the youths,” said Nyoni.

Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa)
“It’s scary, it’s saddening. I hope that after the speeches on Tuesday, we will have a changed society, a changed youth.
“I have all the conviction that His Excellency President Mnangagwa will deliver a life-changing speech.”
Bornfrees4ED president, Mr Lesiman Humbe, said the National Youth Day was a monumental occasion that every youth in Zimbabwe must be proud of.
“As we celebrate this important day we are pretty sure that our country is in safe hands under the stewardship of our father and President Cde ED Mnangagwa,” he said.
“He has made various strides in empowering our young people in the various sectors of our economy. We have seen a surge in the number of young business people who are managing high-profile companies all because of our President.
We are also happy that our Government is making efforts to politically empower our young people especially by reserving 10 seats for youths [in the National Assembly].”

Zesa
Mr Humbe said as Bornfrees they were challenging other youths to abstain from drug and substance abuse and called upon authorities to play their role to bring culprits to account.
Zanu-PF Matabeleland North Youth League chair, Cde Lundy Sinzeka, said youths were busy mobilising on the ground for a successful day.
The Youth League provincial leadership has been holding a series of preparatory meetings with other stakeholders preparing for the day.
“The province is geared to welcome President Mnangagwa and as Youth League provincial executive we are working flat out for this. Yes, the day is for youths but it is open to everyone who wishes to interact with the President, which is why we requested more buses,” said Cde Sinzeka.

Elections
He said various stakeholders including the business community and individuals had chipped in with transport, food and health provisions for the day.
His Matabeleland South counterpart Cde Moses Langa said youths from the province have been mobilised to attend the occasion while a provincial event will also be held on Friday at Umzingwane High School.
“We have mobilised youths from all seven districts in the province who will be attending the national youth day celebrations in Lupane. The youths are excited as they will have an opportunity to interact with President Emmerson Mnangagwa,” he said.
“We are looking forward to a powerful message, which will have huge impact on the lives of the youth that will help address some problematic issues such as drug abuse among the youth.
“We will be holding our provincial celebrations on Friday at Umzingwane High School. We expect students from various schools and tertiary students to attend. In the lineup we have a number of programmes that will benefit the youth and lots of entertainment, including a music gala,” he said.
Teachers4ED deputy coordinator for Matabeleland North Mr Constantine Ncube urged their members to also go in numbers and play a part in the country’s development agenda.
“We are going there as youths and as an organisation. Our vision is in line with Vision 2030 and this is an opportunity to interact with the President and see how as teachers we can position ourselves in the mainstream economy and contribute to development,” he said.
“So, hosting the President gives us hope that as youths we will one day grow as entrepreneurs because this is his vision.”
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