’21 February… a day we are reminded of a momentous national mistake’

By Tererai Obey Sithole

I have been reminded that today is a public holiday, to me and many other young people there is not difference because we are and remain jobless hence it is rare to notice differences in days because everyday is non-working day to us.

This inherent joblessness we are subjected to forms part of the broad legacy of failure that Mugabe left us with; he created it, perfected it, nationalized it and it is a pain that we are still battling with even after his departure.

Shockingly the very same people who idolized him so much to an extent of setting aside his birthday as a public holiday under the guise of a Youth Day are still here with us pretending to have transformed, we cannot be fooled!

It is so sad that the mistakes of the past are still haunting us as this day remains engrained on our calendars only to serve as a reminder that there was a time when a certain old man spearheaded the robbery of our future.

As if that was not enough, some people in their wisdom or lack thereof saw nothing wrong with giving such huge recognition to a tormentor who was supposed to be a mentor, a man who was supposed to be a leader who later became a misleader.

What boggles our mind more is that in the desperate attempt of idolizing Mugabe, we the young people found ourselves being roped in the agenda yet we have nothing to do with him as an individual nor his series of misgivings.

It is a day that they refer to as the “Youth Day” yet nothing youthful nor beneficial to the youth came with Mugabe’s rulership; if anything we the youth lost so much all because of this man and we sadly continue to lose more even now due to the perfected failures of the man who replaced him.

We were cheated to have this day named after us the youths, the liberation struggle ideals were betrayed by this man and as such we are only but victims of this man’s past practices which are presently being perpetuated by the illegitimate Mnangagwa.

I take this day to mourn the death of the young people’s livelihood but more fundamentally I take this opportunity to invite all the youths to come together and undo the the sad past and create a brighter future for all.

While we may have a little to do with the past, we have everything to do with the future. It’s now or Never!!!

Happy International Mother Language Day Zimbabwe.

Tererai Obey Sithole
“Commander Luther”
MDC Youth Assembly Chairperson