PUT aside the politics, the biggest hurdle which faces ZANU PF’s Extraordinary Congress, is turning around of the economy and mapping the way forward.
Beyond doubt, the congress must leave citizens inspired to serve the motherland.
Even people here in the Diaspora are interested in the congress.
Plunderers, who did not care about the people were now occupying Government offices, threatening the gains of the liberation struggle, these were duly weeded out.
Politics had gained notoriety of being run by thieves.
In any nation, there are two places where honesty and hard work are critical, that is the Church and Government.
This need for honesty and hard work, action to better our fortune as a nation, must come from the congress.
Our young people should benefit from this congress.
I am on the cusp of that generation.
Children of the 1980s and 1990s have been labelled ‘born frees’ but have spent a third of their lives queuing for money and jobs.
This generation has been resilient and their resilience must be used to form the backbone of the Party and the future of the country.
There is need for a clear direction from the revolutionary party, the need to walk the talk.
Today’s youths are products of social breakdowns, two decades of rapid economic and global change.
They are a product of a time where politicians have told them that they didn’t owe them anything, yet they owe them everything.
Young people do not own assets, do not yet own homes.
They have been the most affected and attention must be paid to them.
We have empowered our young by a vibrant education system and they are raring to explode their potential for their motherland.
Let us restore the legacy and build from our gains, with the young at the forefront.
The young generation might not have the same experiences as generations past, but just because they are different, doesn’t make them indifferent.
In fact, this young generation is nothing short of remarkable.
Many young people in the Diaspora, some born here, are eager to come back home and contribute to the development of their country.
In the face of rapid technological advancement, our youth have shown to be motivated more by collaboration rather than competition.
They get job satisfaction out of purpose, not just wages.
And they are perhaps more aware of the world and environment around them than any other generation.
So they will be following the Congress with interest.
They may not be making decisions, but that does not make them a group without value.
The Congress must express its goals as a social programme which will promote the housing of our people, protect their health and ensure full employment and equal opportunity for all.
The Party must pursue absolute eradication of poverty.
We did it for our older citizens through the Land Reform Programme and economic empowerment and now we must do it for our youth.
As much as this generation is resilient, adaptable and tough, they are exposed to hardships that have been taking their toll for some time now.
We already know that after the early years, adolescence is the next most crucial stage of brain development, and that has an effect on everything – relationships, risk taking, emotional control and behaviour.
Add to an already biologically difficult time, a whole range of environmental stresses, like family strain, or material deprivation, things then get tougher.
It should not be hard to be a young person growing up in Zimbabwe.
In every youth, is the potential for a life of brilliance and community built or a life lost and community shattered.
There should be no politics in addressing issues of our youth.
All of ZANU PF goals, be it eradicating poverty, ending the housing crisis, or lifting the quality of our education system will have an effect on our young people.
ZANU PF has shown the way before, and must continue to do that, prioritising the masses as it has always done, successfully.
ZANU PF is a progressive party, a party driven by values, people and hope.
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