By SAMUEL TAKAWIRA
Youths in the country have heavily critiqued the government’s Indigenisation and Empowerment programmes as politicised.
The Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act was enacted in 2007 with the aim of empowering local people among them being the youths but despite the confinement of the policy unemployment level still rank above 80%.
Deputy Minister of Youth Development Indeginisation and empowerment, Tongai Matutu revealed that the funding is not enough as compared to the number of youths in the country. He said the figures released by Minister Saviour Kasukuwere are just figures on paper not in reality.
“ZANU PF has taken over this government initiative and has used it as a political tool for campaigning so as to win support of the youths”, said Matutu
“This criterion of allocating funds to Pro ZANU PF youths has posed a blow to CABS as most of the youths are not returning funds because they purchased luxurious stuff instead of investing the money”, Matutu said.
Some of the youths had their proposals turned down without elucidation and they have shown frustration with the government for dismally failing to implement the empowerment programme and some have since dubbed it as partisan and a ploy by ZANU PF to win the support of the youths.
“Shamwari mari haibudi iyi handidi kukunyepera( my friend, its difficult to access the money) it’s not by choice that wondering up and down this mall (Ximex). I also tried my lucky with the intention of opening a shop but all my hopes were whacked with the politics behind the allocation of loans. Kana usiri youth ye ZANU hauna chaunowana.( if you do not sympathise with ZANUPF you won’t get anything) said one youth at Ximex mall who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Most of the youths in the country are believed to be opponents of the status quo and are enthusiastic for a regime change and this has necessitated ZANU PF to utilise the youth empowerment scheme as a campaigning tool prior to the upcoming elections. The national cake has been concentrated in the hands of very few at the expense of others.
The criteria used in the allocation of funds have not yet been publicized as the youths are not receiving any feedback regarding their proposals.
“I applied for funds for my farming project in Domboshava about a year ago, I prepared a sound proposal but since I was not wearing a favourable political jacket I failed to secure funds for my project” said Innocent Ndorikanda a youth based in Harare.
Ndorikanda further alluded that his friend applied for the same loan through the ministry and he scooped the loan unlike the rest of the youths who applied through banks.
The government has failed dismally to empower the youths as they have face huge obstacles to access the funds.
“Of all the youths at Youth Agenda Trust who applied for funding none got a favourable response, we opened accounts at CABS but everything is at a standstill, there is no feedback from the banks and the ministry ”. “I personally applied for the loan but I couldn’t get it”, said Lawrence Mushungu senior programmes officer at Youth Agenda Trust.
Failure by the government to empower youths has led to them being unconsciously conscripted into settling political scores by attacking their political opponents, a study Human Rights Watch on their 2012 Zimbabwean report revealed.
“These youths are recruited into settling political disputes through violent acts and are rewarded with alcoholic drinks. This system has eroded the morals of many young people to the extent that everywhere they are they act violently.” The report says.
Roy Magosvongwe chairman of the Liberation Vision holds a different perspective. According to him, government has no control over the allocation of resources “All you need to do is to draft a sound proposal and send it to pertinent banks and you will get a loan”, he said.
