Harare Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni (MDC-T) Refuses To Officiate At Youth Fund Because Of Zanu PF HQ Venue, Ploticisation

HARARE Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni (MDC-T) refused to officiate at Wednesday’s launch of government’s US$10 million youth fund after organisers indicated the event would be held at the Zanu PF offices in Harare.

Losing Zanu PF Hatfield constituency candidate in the last election, Acie Lumumba – one of the organisers – on Tuesday advertised in the press that the event would be held at the ruling party’s headquarters.

He was later forced to backtrack and said that “courtesy of Harare Mayor Bernard Manyenyenyi” the venue had been changed to the City Sports Centre.

“Some people who I hold in high regard have reached out to me that Zanu PF HQ, as a venue to launch the new 10million dollar youth fund, is restricting,” wrote Lumumba on his Facebook page after complaints from members of the public complaining that Zanu PF was politicising a national event.

“I would like to announce that I have decided to engage the powers that be on the matter and will revert. Some of the points are valid and, I think, worth exploring. So give me a few hours please,” Lumumba told those expressing concern.

Zimbabwe Association of the Unemployed (ZAU)’s Clifford Hlatywayo said politicising the national project was detrimental to youth development.

“The fund is a government program meant to support initiatives of young people in Zimbabwe across political divide,” Hlatshwayo told NewZimbabwe.com.

“The holding or the planning to hold such an event at any party’s offices is detrimental to the holistic goal of empowering the youth.”

Hlatywayo said they were not convinced that all interested youths would benefit from the loan facility given the history of the programme.

“There are (concerns) that the beneficiaries of this fund are going to be drawn from party structures which leave the non Zanu PF stewards unnoticed,” he said.

“As a national programme targeting the Zimbabwean youths, the fund must benefit all, the majority of which are either unemployed or underemployed.

“As the Zimbabwe Association of the Unemployed, we urge the ministry of youth to act professionally and in a non-partisan manner when disbursing the fund.”

The loan facility is however, being launched after some some 97% of those who benefited defaulted on the 2009 US$11 million Kurera/Ukondla Youth Development Fund, which was being administered by  CBZ, Cabs,and the IDBZ.