Home Uncategorized No Reason To Celebrate National Youths Day: MDC Youths

No Reason To Celebrate National Youths Day: MDC Youths

by Kudakwashe Vhenge

By Trevor Makonyonga

The MDC Alliance Youth Assembly has downplayed the National Youth Day celebrations issuing an utterance that the is “nothing to celebrate” as youths are faced with many challenges.

MDC Alliance Youth Assembly Spokesperson, Steven Chuma, issued a statement seemingly on what could be seen as the political incorrectness of the day as he said that many youths cannot see the significance of this day.

“It is important to note that the day was set aside by those that presided over an economic genocide that is threatening our very existence as a veneer to cover up for their unfathomable hatred of young people. To many a youth, the day has no significance and there is nothing whatsoever to celebrate or cherish on this day.

“If anything, the day is a stark reminder of how successive ZANU PF dictators have destroyed the past, present and future of this generation and generations to come,” said Chuma.

Chuma confronted the issues of unemployment and political freedoms which seem to be focused on the youths majorly.

“Abject poverty, unemployment and death of civil and political freedoms is all we see on our doorsteps as we mark this day. It is a shame to Emmerson Mnangagwa’s rogue regime that this year’s so-called Youth Day comes at time when three MDC Alliance female youth leaders are still in courts fighting for their freedom following abduction, torture and sexual abuse since April last year. Only yesterday, the same regime swapped Alan Moyo for Makomborero Haruzivishe as the latter was sent to Harare Remand Prison while the former headed for the exit after spending 75 days at the prison facility without trial!”

In support of the MDC Alliance statement is Youth Forum Zimbabwe (YFZ) who also issued a statement and brought up the same challenges as those highlighted by the MDC Alliance youth assembly.

“Youth Forum Zimbabwe (YFZ) joins the rest of the country in celebrating National Youth Day, a special day set aside to recognize the contribution of young people to the political and socio-economic development of our country. The day was proclaimed a holiday in recognition of our late former president’s work in promoting youth empowerment and emancipation but sadly, this day  reminds us of his dark days which were characterized by corruption, nepotism and cronyism among other vices.

“As we celebrate this day,  the civic space continues to shrink with the constant arrest, detention and torture of young politicians and activists such as Allan Moyo, Joana Mamombe and Godfrey Kurauone to mention but just a few.”

Robert Gabriel Mugabe National Youth Day formally known as 21st February Movement was recognized as a public holiday  on  February 24 2017 on the same day President Emmerson Mnangagwa was sworn in as leader of Zimbabwe following a coup which led to the resignation of Mugabe as President

This was after the youth arm of the ruling Zanu PF party lobbied for the former president’s birthday to be declared a national holiday for what the organization says the leader’s role in empowering the country’s youth.

The Ministry of Youth Sport Arts and Recreation have set the 25th and 26th of February for online celebrations.

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