OPPOSITION parliamentary aspirant Ephraim Ndlovu has said Zanu PF party has failed to address youth and empowerment issues despite governing the country since independence.
Ndlovu who was making his contributions during a political parties engagement in Gweru recently, added that it is sad that 43 years into the country's independence, professionals are leaving the country to take up menial jobs in European countries.
He added that the ruling party usually "pranks youths" during election time, promising them mines and farms only to renege on them.
"There is talk of youth empowerment through mining and farming. But it's a sad reality in Zimbabwe today to check how many ordinary youths in Zimbabwe today own mines and farms except for a few who are connected to the ruling elite," he said.
Ndlovu said lack of empowerment of youths is seen through everyday struggles.
"The everyday struggles being experienced by the youths speak to the reality of lack of empowerment for the youths. It is sad that women and youths constitute the biggest chunk of voters, but there is no meaningful empowerment for those groups. It's shocking that 43 years after independence, our people in the country are following our former colonizers. As a country, we are exporting the best of our youths to go and be nurse aides in the United Kingdom.
"Everyone is doing a nurse aide course because they want to leave the country. It's sad that I have friends whom I graduated with at the law school who have left the profession to be nurse aides in the United Kingdom, simply because the environment is not conducive for youths to thrive," he said.
The aspiring Silobela MP said his party once elected into power as a matter of urgency will be seized with improving the economy.
"Once the economy is stabilized then people will be able to earn decently, women and youths will be able to live decent lives. Once that is in place we can talk about social engineering for economic development and we can develop the lives of the youths and women, we can empower the lives of youths and women."
