Ambassador Urges African Youths to Remain Patriotic

(The Herald)-African youths play a critical role in the development of the continent and should remain patriotic. This was said by the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Zimbabwe Ambassador Mawampanga Mwanananga of the DRC at a luncheon dialogue held to mark the African Youth Day in Harare last week

He said they should give back to their countries instead of abandoning their homelands to work as soldiers of fortune in Europe and America. The day was celebrated under the theme “The Partnership between Youth and Public Authorities”. Mr Mwanananga said African governments had invested tremendously in educating the youths but they flee their countries in search of greener pastures while their continent was equally rich.

“African youths do not need to sell their souls to be recognised. I challenge youths to complement Government efforts in developing the continent,” Mr Mwanananga said. He noted that the continent had invested more than US$35 billion towards education and training of youths to become doctors, engineers and lawyers. “The minute they get their degrees they turn against government but the same government would have subsidised your education so that tomorrow you give back by serving your country. So you can imagine the budgets of African countries on education compared to the United States which has spent over US$400 billion on the Iraq war,” he said.

Mr Mwanananga said youths should strive by all means to work with their governments and this was the only way the continent could fully develop. “I would like to insist on patriotism and that you don’t have to go up North. When there are tremendous opportunities in Africa. The challenges we are facing are opportunities,” he said. He challenged youths to understand the objective of the continent’s living and departed revolutionaries such as Julius Nyerere. “Their vision should be complemented by youths who are leaders of tomorrow. So I challenge the youth to take on this legacy,” he said.

Speaking at the same occasion, Minister of Youth Development and Employment Creation, Retired Brigadier Ambrose Mutinhiri challenged youths to join hands with local authorities in pursuit of developing Africa. “The theme for this year’s commemoration of the African Youth Day calls for youths and public authorities to join hands in pursuit of all development efforts given the critical contributions that both parties play in such efforts,” Rtd Brig Mutinhiri said.

Inherently, he added, youths have energy, enthusiasm, dynamism and intellectual capacity which are crucial for any development effort. He said on the other hand public authorities have the resources and are the custodians of development programmes and policies. Rtd Brig Mutinhiri, who is also the chairperson of the African Union Ministers in charge of youths, urged African governments to seriously consider and speedily rectify and popularise the African Youth Charter for the empowerment of the present and future generations.

The charter, Rtd Brig Mutinhiri said, seeks to create a platform for youths and stakeholders to discuss developmental issues, promote and facilitate partnership in youths programmes and also to foster youth involvement and participation in developmental programmes.

National Youth chairman Advocate Farai Mutamangira also outlined the activities of the youth council, a national co-ordinating body. Adv Mutamangira reaffirmed the youths’ commitment in working and supporting Government in the development of the country.

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