Young people must save Zimbabwe as Nkomo opined
Rabson Chere, Secretary General of ARTUZ
By Robson Nikita Chere
The late former Trade Unionist and Zimbabwean stalwart, Father Zimbabwe Joshua Nkoma once opined that, “…the country will never die, young people will save it”. This profound observation and vote of confidence on the youths was never more relevant to Zimbabwe than it is today. As the country burns with unemployment, absolute poverty, corruption and human rights abuses, the citizenry is asking one question. Who will save us?
A mere perusal of the history of the struggle of Zimbabwe points to a picture of young people who organised themselves and took up arms against Ian Smith and succeded in dislodging white minority rule. The first cabinet of Zimbabwe was made up of young people and General Mujuru was in his early 30s when he came back from war.
The Zimbabwean crisis has adversely affected young people more than any other age group. It is the young who have deferred their dreams just to survive. We constitute the majority of the population and it is the young who have been scattered all over God’s green earth to eke a living.
Cdes, the struggle of poverty eradication and total freedom belongs to the youth. It is not a political identity struggle but a struggle for the real essence of being and existing. We simply can not outsource that struggle to anyone hence on this day I make this clarion call from a pedestal of conviction that like our parents during colonialism, let’s once again join hands and fight with all our mighty to free ourselves. We have nothing to give our country except our collective sweat, our blood and our commitment.
The world has heard our cry of being oppressed. Let not that cry being a cry of desperation, hopelessness and helplessness. It is a war cry. An expression of virtual intend to do away with all enablers of poverty. Let this day mark the migration of our struggle from Twitter, Facebook and Whatsapp to our streets, locations, surbubs, villages, compounds, farms, mountains and valleys. We have no guns. We don’t want and we don’t need any. We only have our correct of message of demanding what our parents went to war for.
The brutality of the regime will not count when we face it in our millions. We will face the system and let today be the day when every young person raises his or her hand to be counted.
Zimbabwe, our motherland, may she survive till eternity through the courage and commitment of her sons and daughters.
Aluta continua.
Robson Nikita Chere is the leader of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe.
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