2012: A Year for Emboldened Economic Empowerment

A New Year dawns upon Zimbabwe,
presenting our nation with an opportunity to consolidate the indigenisation of
our economy and facilitate real broad based economic empowerment. This
opportunity is being presented at a time when we are learning from western economies
in turmoil that no national economy is sustainable when it fails to guarantee its
majority people an equitable share in national wealth. Such lessons must
strengthen our resolve as we forge ahead with confidence on this path that
seeks to ensure that our nation’s wealth is restored to the majority indigenous
Zimbabweans who continue to be socio-economically deprived by the economic discrimination
inherited from colonialism.

The year 2011 witnessed our Government’sgenuine commitment to broad based economic empowerment of all indigenous
Zimbabweans without discrimination what so ever. The Mhondoro-Ngezi, Chegutu,
Zvimba Community Trust and Tongogara Community Trust are precedents of such
empowerment, guaranteeing local communities 10% shareholding in two mining
companies exploiting the world’s second largest platinum reserves. Zimbabwe’s
workers who have been the back bone of our economy, though long denied any real
fruit from their labour, are now being empowered through Employee Share Ownership
Schemes, the first of which have been established by Meikles and Schweppes to
the benefit of not less than 10 000 employees.

Indigenisation has also been about prioritizing the opening up of new frontiers and opportunities for young
and emerging entrepreneurs whom we must ensure form the foundation of our indigenized
economy. In this regard a Youth Development Fund has to date made no less than
US$40 million available to young entrepreneurs, which funds have been placed
under transparent co-management between the Ministry of Youth Development,
Indigenisation and Empowerment and reputable financial institutions such as Stanbic
Bank, CBZ and CABS. The Government of Zimbabwe has also set aside funds foryouth empowerment and job creation in its recent 2012 budget. Indeed we are ontrack with regard to ensuring the economic empowerment of our youths and injection of new entrepreneurs into the foundation of our economy. 2012 shall see us prioritize the capacity building of our youths, ensuring that they are endowed with the necessary entrepreneurial and business management skills to
guarantee their successful economic empowerment.

Civil servants, who have long expressed discontent over inadequate salaries, must begin to identify and pursue opportunities arising from their government’s economic empowerment
initiatives. Indeed their various associations can become vehicles for investing
in the economy, cushioning themselves from the current socio-economic challenges still being addressed by the government. Women too must take centre stage, as their resourcefulness has long proved them capability to positively define our economy, more-so when targeted as beneficiaries of economic empowerment. Where women come together and are motivated toward a common goal we have seen enough precedent of women entrepreneurship. Why should we not see women in mining,tourism, banking or manufacturing industries?

Our role as Government shall be to ensure that all our people, from whatever background are provided with the conduciveenvironment to successfully empower themselves economically. We shall thereforebe looking to the banking sector, especially non-indigenous banks, to open up attainable capital to indigenous entrepreneurs, while endeavoring to guarantee our indigenous
banks the rehabilitative support to ensure their stability and capacity toremain pillars for economic growth spurred by indigenous Zimbabweans. We shall also expect to see the National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Fund (NIEEF), our model of a sovereign wealth fund, play a more defined role in ensuring economic empowerment across the whole country.

2012 must see us pursue our people’s economic empowerment always with the understanding that it is only when the majority indigenous Zimbabweans own and participate in their national economy that such economy will grow in a sustainable manner. Such growth, pursued
within the socio-economic harmony achieved when the majority is guaranteed an
equitable share in their national economy, will become more appealing to
foreign investors whose investments are best secured by indigenous Zimbabweans
with whom they will partner.

May our 2012 resolution then be that Zimbabweans find a unity of purpose, an unwavering commitment to safeguard and see through thesuccessful implementation of indigenisation and economic empowerment toguarantee our economic prosperity and with it socio-economic development and rights for generations of Zimbabweans to come.

Minister Saviour Kasukuwere
Ministry of Youth Development,
Indigenisation and Empowerment.

Invitation to the AFRICA YOUTH DAY COMMEMORATIONS.16 NOVEMBER 2011 HARARE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE (HICC).

On Wednesday we will be gathering at the HICC Rainbow Hotel to hold a belated Africa Youth Day celebrations and the launch of the Youth Fund. Let's attend the celebrations and be part of history as our determination to ensure that indigenisation and empowerment efforts succeed.The youth are our biggest asset as a nation and they are going to be central in developing our national economy.

We will continue to work tirelessly to raise funding for the empowerment of the energetic youths of Zimbabwe.As l have often said,the young Zimbabweans are what any serious nation needs to achieve economic independence.Smart,educated and brave the skills base is awesome and must be harnessed for the national good,with the right support and focus it wont be long before we talk of serious entrepreneurs emerging within these great people. I am certain that the youths have what it takes and can be relied upon to make our nation a proud country.However we must support them,ensure that banking institutions embrace youth empowerment.It is through empowerment that we can create jobs ,it is through the youths that we can have strong domestic investors who can match entrepreneurs the world over.We have done it before and we can do it again,history repeats itself.It was the young generation that fought for the liberation of our country and it will be the young again who must grow the food,till the land ,mine the gold ,break the rocks and build new roads,manufacture the latest phones and challenge the world.

Today you might be misunderstood and abused,but lets have the indomitable Zimbabwean spirit.....never die attitude.The $10million dollar fund,well managed and rolled over again and again,will definitely open a whole world of opportunities for our youths.It's a generational responsibility and l have no doubt that out there there are lions and lionesses ready to get out economy back on her feet and expand it.

The efforts being made are not without challenges and serious undermining.I must admit ,a GNU while necessary to stabilise our nation,is however not ideologically prepared to take the painful decisions that can uplift our young people.Too much backstabbing,lack of foresight and crude attempts to acquire power at the expense of the young,is very very sad.Lets do the right thing and give our youths hope and opportunity.They want to grow healthy and happy families ,they want to be given an opportunity to own property and clothe their offspring.We owe it to them not to some foreign power who are irrelevant when it comes to our people.Construction of policies that do not speak to the people and are essentially elitist and unrealistic can not be entertained anymore.

The youths must be empowered and let's stop being slaves of other people and insult ourselves because we think we are inadequate.NOW we can do it and the youths ,do me a favor just rise to the occasion,let's shame the detractors.

Enough punishment has been meted out to the young and its time you get the bearings right.Empowerment and indigenisation is yours.It's about the youths ,it's about your current and future well being.Don't make any apology about it,the country is yours and you have a duty to work,develop and be in better circumstances in your Zimbabwe.

On Wednesday all the youths irrespective of your political persuasion,come and let's build a common future based on enterprise,hard work ,honesty and dignity among the youths.Through empowerment let's create the jobs,it can't be the other way round...in other words an empowered people can create jobs for themselves and others not the failed American Jobs Act policy.Izvo zvekukopa izvi zvinonetsa!

Let me share again,imagine the amount of roads this country must develop for us to compete with other first world countries,the buildings we must build,the food we must grow and export.The industry we should set up ,manufacturing,the banks ,tele networks etc... it all requires dreamers amongst our young people.Fear fear itself.

And lastly,VIOLENCE is unacceptable in whatever form,be it physical,emotional or otherwise.No to fighting over nothing,get busy and build your future.Your words must build and not inflame or promote hatred . Lets meet on Wednesday,BE THERE AT THE HICC Rainbow.Its your day !!!!