The Sunday Mail
Gutu North Member of Parliament Cde John Paradza was elected Deputy Secretary for Youth Affairs during the recently held ZANU PF Youth League 7th Conference. The Sunday Mail’s WALLACE RUZVIDZO (WR) spoke to Cde Paradza (JP) about his plans as he begins his term.
****************
WR: You were recently elected Youth League boss; can you describe the importance of this position in the party?
JP: The Youth League is one of the three wings of the ruling party as outlined in the ZANU PF constitution.
Its main objectives can be summarised as follows: to mobilise and protect the interests of the youth in all spheres of society towards their full socio-economic and political participation.
Being elected as Deputy Secretary for Youth Affairs is an honour, as the youth of the ruling party have shown confidence in me by entrusting me to lead them as we carry out our constitutional mandate guided by our party President and First Secretary, His Excellency Cde Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa’s vision of an upper middle-income society by 2030.
WR: What would you say are your top priorities?
JP: You will be aware that we are now probably just over a year before the 2023 harmonised elections.
It is natural that the Youth League focuses on initiatives and strategies aimed at mobilising the youth of Zimbabwe to rally behind the ruling party and its sole presidential candidate, President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa.
ZANU PF has given itself a target of mobilising five million votes and l strongly believe we can achieve this.
The Youth League will leave no one and no place behind as we mobilise towards the five million votes and a victory for the party.
The President, Cde Dr E.D Mnangagwa, has unveiled unending empowerment opportunities for the youth of Zimbabwe through Vision 2030, NDS1 and devolution.
It is incumbent upon the Youth League to rally youth to embrace and take advantage of opportunities for economic growth and, more importantly, improved livelihoods of our young men and women.
Going forward, we will engage students as well as minority groups in line with the development philosophy “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo/ Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabanikazi balo” and leaving no one and no place behind. It is important that students embrace entrepreneurship even before they graduate in order to also relieve pressure on their parents as well as prepare them for the future in line with Education 5.0.
WR: What sort of changes do you intend to introduce as Deputy Secretary?
JP: I am coming into office at a very unique and uncommon time in the history of mankind.
The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted the way we do things globally and at home we haven’t been spared either.
It thus can no longer be business as usual.
The new normal requires a lot of innovation and flexibility in all spheres of life, politics included.
As the new executive of the Youth League, it is critical that we be able to embrace strategies and programmes which make the party remain relevant to the masses in general and the youth of Zimbabwe in particular.
ZANU PF is and must remain the party of choice for all young people of Zimbabwe.
It brought us political independence in 1980 and today through the wise and visionary leadership of His Excellency President Dr E.D Mnangagwa, the focus is on improving livelihoods of our people as espoused in Vision 2030, the NDS1 and devolution.
It is important that the youth assist the leadership to deliver on Vision 2030.
Embracing the use of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) is important in the new normal and we need to exploit all the positivity associated with the use of technology in all spheres of life.
I am glad to share with you that the President has already created an enabling environment for innovation.
All State universities have innovation hubs and the Venture Capital Fund is also available to assist any innovators to further develop their ideas.
While it is a challenge, the Covid-19 pandemic also offers a number of empowerment opportunities for our youth in as far as coming up with solutions that are needed to cope with the new normal is concerned; for example, in the digital economy.
WR: The youth vote is expected to play a crucial role in next year’s general elections, what are your plans to canvas the youth vote?
JP: There is need for us to reach out to youth voters, both new and old voters who constitute the majority of the voting population. Socio-economic and political exchange programmes within and outside the country are some of the programmes we will embark on.
We would like to see young people playing a more active role in the economic revival agenda through entrepreneurship. As you may have realised, there is great appetite for economic empowerment through the proliferation of various empowerment lobby groups, and that is a positive development.
It clearly shows that young people have embraced the call by the President that nyika inovakwa nevene vayo/ llwize lakhiwa ngabanikazi balo.
WR: Past internal elections in ZANU PF were usually associated with personal clashes among comrades. What do you intend to do to unite the youth wing following the recent elections?
JP: We are a product of a free, fair and smooth electoral system, which proves that internal democratic processes within the ruling ZANU PF party have come of age. We had probably one of the best youth conferences in the history of our party and l would like to thank the President, His Excellency Dr E.D Mnangagwa, for instilling a spirit of love, unity and cohesion within the party.
As the Youth League, we will continue to be guided by such virtues as we execute our mandate.
We will also work towards uniting and embracing all who may have felt that they were treated unfairly as a result of the election outcome.
It’s normal in elections; not everyone can be happy. But when the process is through, it is the majority that wins.As our President says, “the voice of the people is the voice of God.”
When the people have spoken through an election, a good leader embraces everyone and we move on as one family in unity, love and peace.
WR: President Mnangagwa has put youth empowerment at the centre of his development programme. How do you intend to lobby for the economic empowerment of young people and push for their involvement in the high echelons of power?
JP: I would like to applaud the President, His Excellency Dr E.D Mnangagwa, for setting aside 10 seats in the National Assembly for youths.
This shows commitment from the highest office in the land to achieve sustainable youth empowerment and inclusion in decision-making, which is the nucleus around which all other youth development issues revolve.I am of a strong conviction that this milestone will go a long way in pushing the youth agenda through the promulgation of youth-friendly legislation, policies and programmes.
Zimbabwe is also one of the very few countries with a youth-friendly financial institution – Empower Bank— which seeks to achieve financial inclusion for the youth of our land.
l urge all youth to take advantage of this institution and play a more active role in our country’s economic revival agenda. l also urge Empower Bank to go to all corners of our country, including the most remote parts so that no youth is left behind.
Vision 2030 has unveiled unending empowerment opportunities for the youth across all sectors.
These are in mining, agriculture, tourism, green projects, ICT, aviation and infrastructure development, among many others.
It is my hope that we can have young people participating in big projects that make a big impact on both the economy and their livelihoods as well as communities.
WR: What role will the ZANU PF youths play in defending the country’s sovereignty against foreign interference?
JP: The Youth League as the vanguard of the party has a perpetual role to defend the party and the leadership in line with the party’s constitution.
It is also imperative that we do everything in our power to defend the hard-won Independence we enjoy today, for it is only if we remain in total control of our destiny that we can realise our goals and aspirations.
As such, the defence of our sovereignty and territorial integrity is non-negotiable, and as the Youth League, we shall defend the party and the country to the last drop of our blood if need be.
WR: Going into 2023, what is your message to the young people of Zimbabwe?
JP: The good work that the Second Republic has done under the stewardship of our visionary leader, President E.D Mnangagwa, is evident for all to see.
ln a very short space of time after taking over the reins, President E.D Mnangagwa has managed to put the country’s economy on a positive growth trajectory.
In a short space of time, Zimbabwe has become an investment destination of choice through the engagement and re-engagement drive in general and the “Zimbabwe is open for business mantra” in particular.
I urge young people to position themselves well so that they are not left behind.
Investors are welcome to partner with youth-owned businesses.
My parting word to the youth is: ‘The future is ZANU PF and the future is President Dr E.D Mnangagwa. 2023: five million votes plus for E.D.’
