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(HERALD) Zimbabwean youths roundly slam Biti

Zimbabwean youths roundly slam Biti
Tuesday, 29 November 2011 00:00
Herald Reporter

ZIMBABWEAN youths have slammed the 2012 National Budget and accused Finance Minister Tendai Biti of sidelining them from participating in the mainstream economy.

In his US$4 billion budget last week, Minister Biti allocated US$2 million to the youths for projects, a figure the latter described as an "insult".

In an interview yesterday, Zimbabwe Youth Council chairman Mr Hamilton Pazvakavambwa said the minister was trying to reverse Government's economic empowerment drive.

"It has been an elimination of the empowerment programme by substitution of the employment agenda. Instead of putting more money to empowerment, he (Biti) has put US$2 million for (a) jobs fund for companies to employ young people yet we thought young people were supposed to be entrepreneurs," he said.

"His decision for youths to get money through Stanbic is also questionable. If Stanbic wants to take a positive step forward into youths development then why not follow the Old Mutual way and assist in projects that can see the youths of this nation prosper," he said.

Old Mutual recently launched a US$30 million Youths Fund, where young people will get money for various projects.

Mr Pazvakavambwa said agendas of known political parties should not be reflected in national budgets.

"As young people, we refuse to support anything that ties us to a certain political following and ideology. The Minister should be reminded that he should not settle his political and personal scores on a national budget that determines the lives of many," he said.

He said the minister was "disempowering" the youths.

"Last year he theoretically gave US$5 million for youths and this time around decides to go down. This is against what was agreed by the Heads of State meeting in Equatorial Guinea this year that there should be accelerated youths empowerment for sustainable development. The budget is completely divorced from this. It shows that young people continue to be at the peripheral in the society without participating in the main economy," he said.

Labels: BUDGET, TENDAI BITI, YOUTHS

posted by MrK @ 7:31 PM