Open advice to Minister Zhuwau

“The first priority beneficiaries of the youth fund will be those who got it the first time and managed to pay back.” Patrick Zhuwau

Dear Cde Minister

Firstly let me congratulate you on your appointment as minister. Am not really in the business of boot licking or singing praise and worship songs but let me applaud you for managing to raise the Ten Million Youth loan facility in a very short space of time. You have clearly shown that you mean business.

Now into the main issue Cde minister, You know very well that this same facility was handled in a tuck shop manner by the then minister, Cde Saviour Kasukuwere .

Only those in the proximity of personal relations benefited immensely at the expense of ordinary youths. People who by virtue of being related to government minsters and those in the power corridors became the biggest beneficiaries of a facility that was supposed to target the marginalized.

I will not go into historical details and ancient accounts, rather let me direct your attention to my major worry. Cde Patrick Zhuwao, Your center of priority leaves me questioning the seriousness of your intention to empower the marginalized youths in this land between Zambezi and Limpopo.

You know very well Cde minister that majority of those who managed to pay back those loans were already people who were empowered by social, economic and political circumstances and yet you want to continue empowering the same youth at the expense of others.

We know very well that the previous empowerment system was designed in a way which made looting of the facility a carnival enjoyed by those who administered it hence most youths failed to pay back.

You can’t correct a wrong by continuing to empower the already empowered. rather as the new minister you should come up with a new strategy which ensures that the beneficiaries will pay back their loans. We can not continue pouring national resources to a few friends and family as was the previous case.

This is our money and we all need a portion of it Cde minister. It would also be a great pleasure if your office could also publicly publish all the names of the next beneficiaries for transparency purposes.

I will rest my case for now.

Concerned Reader