Africa Day rally held by the Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) Youth League in Harare on May 25, 2011. Zimbabwe is a leading country on the African continent., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
Youths commemorate Africa Day
Wednesday, 25 May 2011 21:10
Zimbabwe Herald
Hundreds of ZANU-PF Harare Province youths thronged Africa Unity Square yesterday to commemorate Africa Day
Herald Reporters
YOUTHS must position themselves to eventually take over local government and legislative leadership positions through the ranks, Zanu-PF politburo member responsible for indigenisation and empowerment Cde Saviour Kasukuwere has said.
Cde Kasukuwere said this at a gathering to commemorate Africa Day organised by Zanu-PF's Harare Province Youth League.
"As youths we should not be afraid of taking leadership positions as councillors and as Members of Parliament with direction.
"Let us not be cowards and afraid to take ownership of our resources, we should stand with power.
"A nation is not built by foreigners but by locals," he said.
Cde Kasukuwere urged youths to take advantage of the political independence that was brought by the efforts of Africa's founding fathers to economically empower themselves.
"There is a difference between oppression and exploitation.
"We were under oppression but now we are free but now Africa is free but still under exploitation.
"What should we do to get out of this exploitation?
"We are talking of development of African youths economically and we should do this following the legacy of our leaders.
"Our leaders fought and suffered for our independence, they suffered for Africa to be free. They suffered for Zimbabwe to be free," he said.
Cde Kasukuwere said as Africa celebrated Africa Day, the new struggle was an economic fight.
"Most countries in Europe are now broke, talk of Portugal, Ireland, Greece and Spain.
"Where is the real wealth, the real wealth is in Africa, it is about underground resources, our diamonds, our gold and platinum.
"Our country is under sanctions now because President Mugabe has stood and challenged the West saying what is underground belongs to our people," Cde Kasukuwere said.
He said it was symbolic that Harare youths had chosen to celebrate the occasion at Africa Unity Square and challenged the MDC-T led city council to change colonial names of streets in the capital.
Speaking at the same occasion Cde Kantibal Patel, Zanu PF's deputy secretary for finance said Africans should be masters of their own destiny.
"The EU, US and the UK have created trouble for us because of the indigenisation programme.
"We are trying to be masters of our own destiny and as Zimbabweans indigenisation is our birthright and we should have it," he said.
Cde Patel said the then OAU was founded on principles of peace, unity and development, the same attributes that form the cornerstone of Zanu PF.
He said Zimbabwe cherished the freedom of all African States and had suffered to ensure that South Africa was freed from the racist Apartheid regime.
Zanu PF Harare province chairman, Cde Amos Midzi said it was important that youths understand the history of Zimbabwe and the continent at large.
"The independence we celebrate today was not a gift, a lot of people died and suffered for it.
"We should always remember that history and to understand where we came from and where we are going," he said.
Zanu PF Harare province youth chairman, Cde Jim Kunaka said as youths they were not happy with the pace of the indigenisation programme and said they had given a 90-day ultimatum to all companies to comply with the regulations.
"Political independence came in 1980 but the whites are still ruling us economically.
"We are not happy with the pace of the indigenisation programme and we have resolved to give all foreign owned companies 90 days to comply with the regulations failure of which, we will take them over," he said.
The meeting was attended by youths drawn from Zanu-PF Harare province's districts.
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