(Last Updated on August 20, 2013 by Editor)
YOUTHS have said their hopes of getting employment have been dashed after President Robert Mugabe, accused of decimating the country’s economy in the past three decades, won last month’s disputed elections.
The 89-year-old leader, in power since 1980, secured 61% of the vote while his main political nemesis, MDC-T president Morgan Tsvangirai got a paltry 34%.
Tsvangirai said Mugabe rigged the poll in his favour.
Zimbabwe National Students Union (Zinasu) said the country was heading for an economic disaster as Zanu PF would continue to pursue the policy of indigenisation which discourages foreign investment and employment creation.
The union said the policy was only benefitting youths with links to Zanu PF.
Zinasu national spokesperson, Zechariah Mushawatu said the unemployment rate was going to worsen under the new Zanu PF administration.
“Unless the new government takes austerity measures to resolve the [economic] issues, the country’s unemployment rate will continue to escalate,” said Mushawatu. “More university graduates will continue to pervade the streets in desperate pursuit for better living conditions.”
The country’s unemployment rate tops 85% and more people are becoming jobless every day as more firms shut down citing harsh economic conditions.
“Students have already lost hope, the number of unemployed youths is rising up and there is no hope that things will change for the better in the next five years,” said Mushawatu. “A lot of students have been disadvantaged by the indigenisation law which only empowers a few individuals; again the law scares away investors.”
Youth Agenda Trust (YAT) programmes officer, Lawrence Mashungu concurred that most youths had lost hope in the face of a Zanu PF victory.
“Many youths have been devastated by the election results,” he said. “As youths, we need to restore our confidence so that we continue to play an active role in the democratisation of Zimbabwe.”
But Nyasha Chiguma, a University of Zimbabwe student said it was too early to paint a gloomy picture.