Source: ‘Mnangagwa Cabinet oldest in Zim history’ – NewsDay Zimbabwe June 7, 2018
Finance deputy minister Terence Mukupe has said President Emmerson Mnangagwa is finding it hard to appoint a youthful Cabinet, as most young people shy away from politics, leaving him with no option, but to appoint old people as ministers.
BY XOLISANI NCUBE
Addressing students at Nyadire Teachers’ College in Mutoko on Tuesday, Mukupe said when Mnangagwa took over power in November 2017, he had a torrid time in getting a Cabinet of educated youth, as most of them were not in Parliament, forcing him to resort to the old and tired politicians.
“Who knows when we last had a young Cabinet?” he asked, with a student responding, saying “1980”, and Mukupe concurred.
“This is because there are no young educated people in Parliament, who can be appointed as ministers.
“You have to be in the corridors of power for you to be appointed. The current Cabinet is the oldest in the history of Zimbabwe and we have to correct going forward,” he said.
The junior minister has been moving around tertiary institutions addressing students −mostly members of the Zanu PF- aligned student union − Zimbabwe Congress of Students’ Union (Zicosu).
On Tuesday, he was accompanied by Zanu PF secretary for youth affairs, Pupurai Togarepi.
Mukupe said Mnangagwa was geared to win the 2018 elections, but the absence of the youth in politics was worrisome, as this would force the President to choose ministers from a pool of “old tired politicians”.
Togarepi said because young people were reluctant to participate in elections, “uneducated old people would make decisions on their behalf”.
“Because you don’t want to join politics, old people, who have no knowledge of how to solve the current challenges will take key position in government and lead us astray.
“As youth, who are educated, you should strive to be part of the ruling class because you have the knowledge on how to solve the problems we are faced with. When you complain about the calibre of people, who would have been appointed ministers, yet you did not participate in the election process, what do you want the President to do?” he said.
The Zanu PF youth league boss took aim at the opposition for demanding electoral reforms two months before the general elections, saying they failed to do so when they were in the Government of National Unity.
“(The late MDC-T leader) Morgan Tsvangirai had executive powers just like former President (Robert Mugabe), but he failed to push for reforms. Now, because they have realised that Zanu PF is winning, they want to make noise, people must go and campaign for voters and stop this noise-making business,” Togarepi claimed.
COMMENTS
No. Its not because younger people do not want to partake. They realise that it is futile because the old guard are so entrenched within the gravy train and milking the system for their personal gain, they do not want to reliquish any control to the younger generation.
Funny this from a group that endorsed a 94 year old just a year ago, a party that berates the opposition for presenting a “child” to the electorate, a party that has re-runs every time any of their dinosaurs loses their own primary elections!!!! Be serious.
we know Zanu Pf is all about those who fought for freedom no us as youth, shame to the ruling party they didn’t mention about youths as we a reluctant, we will vote for the opposition as youth so that we can have jobs, equal living for all.Maybe they would be no corruption, too many youth a educated because u want to do rigging like your father Mugabe who rules our country with dictatorship! All the cabinet for Zanu pf they were there how come they will change l hesitate, they took our country deep to drains from hero to zero enough is enough we will vote for the opposition as youth!’ we are tired of stories every vote so u will be voted out (Zanu pf) in order to rest.Same cabinet of dictatorship it will not change anything but it always bring suffering to the entire nation!