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Stephen Mpofu

Perspective
POLITICAL leaders feigning dubious patriotism are often wont to turn their youths into big headed knobkerries as it were to pulverise rivals during run-ups to and in elections proper in order for the leaders in-point to stroll to victory and political stardom but with the knobkerries fading into virtual shadows when the youths ought to be empowered for the development of their motherlands.

And you (yes, you) come to think of it: the leaders now ensconced in power crush hats into their hands appealing for foreign aid to develop their countries with the youths and other voters who put them in power rotting in oblivion.

But thanks to our beloved Head of State President Emmerson Mnangagwa who exemplifies normal practices out there in the countryside — and in other countries as well — for keeping people fed and alive.

Those of us born and raised in rural areas or which white racist colonial masters derogatively described as “the sticks” will be acquainted with what happens at the outset of the rain and planting season.

A family needing assistance brews beer, for instance, and asks neighbours to help with their spans of oxen in tilling his land for cropping or for them to come out with their hoes to help in cultivating the young crops and/or in harvesting the ripe crops or in threshing corn.

Next, the host does not sit back and watch invited party members performing the various tasks in point.
To the contrary the host leads the spans of oxen in tilling the parts of the field that his own oxen cannot finish on its own in the same way that help is sought in other tasks mentioned in this discourse.

Which is precisely what our President has done instead of sitting back relaxed and calling for outside help in empowering the youths of this country.

President Mnangagwa

The President this week launched a revolving fund to empower the youths of this country, as part of his broader vision to drive economic development and support young people in acquiring education, skills and employment opportunities.

But were the President a fake patriot he would simply have invited the United Nations, or other aid donors, to help with the empowerment of the youths of this country in order for them to herald successive brave new futures for our motherland and its people, while he himself just sat back and watched unconcerned.

Therefore all of us are wont to support all the initiatives for youths empowerment as all of us stand to gain from the positive initiatives by our President, the United Nations Development Programme as well as from any other help availed for making Zimbabwe’s youths more utilitarian developmentally.

But if to the contrary a country, any country for that matter, Cinderellas its youths, either boys or girls or both, educationally and/or skills-wise it pre-dooms its future as our President’s mantra clearly states: “nyika inovakwa nevene vayo/ilizwe lakhiwa ngabanikazi balo/a country is built by its owners”.

Those who have ears to hear have captured and internalised the message in the discourse above for the good of all.