Movement for Democratic Change youths today demanded jobs from the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front government and said if President Robert Mugabe was the problem, they should take action.
“Too much fear brings misery to our land. Let us be bold and demand what is rightfully ours,” one of the youth leaders said in Harare as the youths marked the Day of the African Child which commemorates the Soweto Massacre in South Africa on 16 June 1976.
Youth Assembly spokesman Clifford Hlatywayo said the youths were fighting for economic justice, for jobs, for the respect of people’s rights and for the benefits of the next generation.
“We have problems with getting jobs, we must take action. If Mugabe is our problem, we must take action. If the police trouble us, the solution is action,” he said according to a statement released by the party.
Another youth leader, James Chidhakwa, the Secretary for Security and Defence, added: “We have lost a lot of cadres along the way. We lost Tonderai Ndira, Joshua Bakacheza, Kauzani and many others at the hands of ZANU-PF. They died demanding their rights to be respected. This day we continue to demand our jobs. You made promises, we demand those promised 2.2 million jobs. Too much fear brings misery to our land. Let us be bold and demand what is rightfully ours.”
The party’s Shadow Minister for Labour Paurina Mpariwa said a job was a right. “As parents, as leaders, it pains us to see so much unemployment in the nation especially for the youth. Our industries are down, people are losing jobs every day. This kind of situation cannot be allowed to go on, especially when certain people claim to be at the helm. Zimbabwe is ready for change. The youth should get the jobs.”
Full Statement:
Monday, 16 June 2014
We want Jobs: Youths demand
Hundreds of MDC youth in Harare today gathered in the Harare Gardens to commemorate the Day of the African Child under the theme “Demanding Accessible, Affordable, Quality Education, Jobs and Equal opportunities for all.”
The arrest of Harare province youth assembly executive member, Denford Ngadziore, and the heavy police presence did not deter the youths, who marched peacefully from Town House to the Harare Gardens. Charges against Ngadziore are still unclear; the MDC youths remained unfazed by the blatant attempt by the police to intimidate them.
The youths marched quietly with their placards held high and spoke about the need for the Zanu PF government to provide them with jobs as it promised the youth during the election campaign.
Speaking at the commemorations, the National Youth Assembly Spokesperson, Clifford Hlatywayo, highlighted the need for the illegitimate government to step down as it had failed to deliver. “Those youngsters who were massacred in Saouth Africa where young like us. They rose to show they wanted their rights to be respected. So today, we are rising as youth to demand our jobs, to demand our rights. We are doing this for posterity. We are fighting this struggle for economic justice, for jobs, for the respect of the people’s rights and for the benefit of next generation to benefit,” said Hlatwyayo.
He added that the solution to the current national crisis was for the people to take action.
“We have problems with getting jobs, we must take action. If Mugabe is our problem, we must take action. If the police trouble us, the solution is action,” he said.
Speaking at the same event, the MDC Shadow Minister for Labour, Hon Paurina Mpariwa, bemoaned the failure by Zanu PF to honour its constitutional obligation of providing jobs to the people. “A Job is a right. As parents, as leaders, it pains us to see so much unemployment in the nation especially for the youth. Our industries are down, people are losing jobs everyday. This kind of situation can not be allowed to go on, especially when certain people claim to be at the helm. Zimbabwe is ready for change. The youth ashould get the jobs, ” she said.
Adding to the cries for jobs, Youth Assembly national Secretary for Security and Defence, James Chidhakwa said the Day of the African Child is significant to Zimbabwean Youth as it is a demonstration of courage. He said the youth had a role to take the destiny of Zimbabwe to another level.
“We have lost a lot of cadres along the way. We lost Tonderai Ndira, Joshua Bakacheza, Kauzani and many others at the hands of Zanu PF. They died demanding their rights to be respected. This day we continue to demand our jobs. You made promises, we demand those promised 2,2 million jobs.
“Too much fear brings misery to our land. Let us be bold and demand what is rightfully ours, ” said Chidhakwa.
The Harare Province Youth Chairperson, Shakespeare Mukoyi weighed in saying the youth of Harare were no longer afraid of the brutality of Zanu PF. He said the youth were prepared to die for their jobs and their rights to be honoured.
“This illegitimate government cannot and will not silence us. They must go because they were not mandated by the people. They promised 2.2 million jobs during their campaign, but they have ensured the same number of people have lost their jobs since they stole the election. They should have written 2.2 million job losses in their manifesto,” he said.
The Harare Provincial Women’s chairperson, Ronia Bunjira said mothers where pained to see their children, university graduates, suffering and selling juice cards for a living. “The reason as mothers we came out to commemorate this day with you is because you are suffering and struggling to get jobs. This hurts the women more. We work hard to get you to school and it pains us to watch you sell DVDs and airtime vouchers. We demand that this government steps down and allow those who can govern to take over, ” she said.
The Harare Province Chairperson, Hon. Eric Murai said it is painful that there are no jobs in the nation. “It is improper for an elderly person to refuse to step down from a job because they will be denying the next generation an opportunity to work as well. “
Similar commemorations were held in Bulawayo and Chitungwiza provinces over the weekend.
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