A YOUTH situational analysis report carried out from 2018 to 2019 and commissioned by the Youth Empowerment and Transformation Trust (YETT) has revealed that millions of educated youth in Zimbabwe are unable to find jobs.

BY VENERANDA LANGA

The study sampled around 5 582 young people aged 18 to 24 in the country’s 10 provinces and findings revealed that only 7% of them were formally employed.

Young males were said to be 9% formally employed compared to their female counterparts at 5, 2%.

“The proportion of urban youths who were formally employed was 10%, while rural youths formally employed was 5%. This number is lower compared to data from sub-Saharan Africa,” the report said.

Compared to research done by the World Bank, their 2019 figure shows that 8,13% of young people aged 15 to 24 are formally employed.

Data from round six of the Afrobarometer also put unemployment levels for people below 35 years across Sub-Saharan Africa at 63%.

“For Zimbabwe alone, the unemployment estimate is 66%. The number is also significantly lower than official estimates by Zimstats, which puts unemployment at just 11,3% (2014 Labour Force Study).

In their report, YETT said youths from large cities such as Harare, Bulawayo and Mutare attributed lack of employment to the fact that formal employers had either scaled down or completely ceased operations as the country continues to experience economic challenges.

The study also shows that more than 51% of the 7% employed youths were engaged as general hands, with 25% employed in the public sector, followed by the food and beverages sector at 12,6%, mining 6,1%, transport at 5,1% and non-governmental organisations at 2,9%.

Very few of those employed youths were said to be engaged in professions for which they trained to do at college.

“Nine percent of youths reported running a business. This number is rather low compared to Sub-Saharan Africa at large. The 2016 Afrobarometer states that 42% of the employed youth below the age of 35 reported to be self-employed. For Zimbabwe, the estimate is 23%, which is still significantly higher than our own estimates. Sixteen percent (16%) of urban youths reported running a business compared to 5% among rural youths.”

Of the youths running their own businesses, Harare was said to have the highest proportion at 16%, followed by Bulawayo (14%), and Mashonaland Central had the smallest proportion with 4,3% and Matabeleland South at 5%.

“Businesses run by the youth made an average monthly profit of US$40. The greatest profitability was found in the manufacturing sector with US$74 per month, followed by services at US$53 per month and agriculture at US$41 per month, with the retail sector at the least with profitability of only US$25 per month. Only 9% of respondents running businesses reported receiving funding from financial institutions for business support.”

The report said 40% of participating youths cited lack of capital or funding as a barrier to their economic participation, while 14% cited currency instability and 8% cited lack of information as a barrier.

A 2012 report by the International Labour Organisation stated that the causes of unemployment among Zimbabwean youth included incompatibility between the curriculum and the needs of the industry in the changing times.

GOVERNMENT has called on the corporate sector to lead the digital transformation drive so that it remains relevant and adapt to the ever-changing digital environment.

BY MTHANDAZO NYONI

Officially opening the Marketers Association Zimbabwe convention in Bulawayo yesterday, Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the corporate sector should move with time lest it becomes irrelevant.

“This marketers convention comes at a time when there is global digital transformation. As you are aware, government is working on transforming the country into a digital and knowledge-driven society in line with vision 2030,” she said.

“Recently, as government, we announced the migration to the holding of e-enabled paperless Cabinet meetings, as well as the introduction of the executive electronic dashboard to monitor the implementation of priority government programmes in real time,” Mutsvangwa said.
She said these two innovations were part of the broader e-government programme which seeks to transform Zimbabwe by 2030.

“As such, we implore you the corporate sector to lead in the digital transformation so that you remain relevant and adapt to the ever-changing digital environment,” she said.

Mutsvangwa said in modern marketing strategies, marketers have to engage in professional and responsible communication as they expand their horizons.

“The business trends, globally, are changing and changing very fast. This therefore calls on you the marketers and communication professionals to be at the forefront of presenting your brands,” she said.

“Gone are the days when long-term strategies are needed, but effective tactics that are swift and responsive to the changing environment. I say this (because of) the digitalisation of the business world and processes. The coming in of the social media space has completely revolutionised the way we communicate with our customers.”

In fact, it had become the other way round with customers now speaking to “us and we have to tailor make our products and or services to the dictates of the customers”, she said.

“Even us as government, we take communication seriously as we need to keep abreast with technologies. Gone are the days when we would have to wait for the main news bulletin to make announcements, but we are also forced by you the general citizenry to act swiftly and timely otherwise the news would have gone out via social media unnoticed,” she said.

She appealed to marketing professionals to support government officials with further insights into the trends and platforms so that they keep abreast with the new developments. “Change is real, it is, therefore, paramount for every constituent to be at its toes in order to be relevant,” Mutsvangwa said.

“Uncouth marketing strategies will never last long as they fast disappear in people’s memories. As government, we encourage responsible communication from you as you have a very broad influence, not only on people’s choices, but even the world’s view.”

She said social media is a very powerful medium which can either destroy or build brands as well as the nation.

She urged marketers to engage in professional marketing that does not contain inflammatory language, hate speech or encourages violence in the country.

“As we ride on current affairs in our social media marketing, let’s also be wary of insensitive messages,” she said.

She also implored marketers to position and market the country brand on the global scale, promote local goods and brands as well as promote exports.

The convention, ending today, is running under the banner Engaging Strategic Marketing in a Dynamic Environment — Expanding Horizons

ZIMBABWE’S poultry sector recorded a 28% drop in output after producing about 16,8 million broiler day-old chicks in the third quarter of the year, with players attributing the decline to high input costs, an industry official has said.

BY MTHANDAZO NYONI

Zimbabwe Poultry Association (ZPA) chairperson, Solomon Zawe said in the third quarter (July to September), broiler day-old chick production averaged 5,6 million chicks per month, which is 20% to 28% lower than the second quarter of 2019 and third quarter of last year, respectively.

Zawe said chick prices continued to increase in the period under review and reached $5,51 per chick in September. However, in US dollar terms, the prices remained unchanged.

“Depreciation of the Zimbabwe dollar against the US dollar in the third quarter of 2019 continued to exert pressure on feed and day-old chick prices that were not matched by increases in consumer disposable incomes,” Zawe said.

“However, demand remained strong largely due to greater increases in prices of alternative livestock proteins, primarily beef, pork and fish,” he said.

The ZPA boss said dwindling stocks of maize coupled with restrictions on maize purchases from farmers brought about by the promulgation of Statutory Instrument 145 of 2019 implied that the feed sector will need to import maize which currently lands in the country at 36% higher than current producer price.

“Without increases in consumer purchasing power, this will further erode the margins from poultry production during the fourth quarter.”

“The reduced margins have already driven down the producer prices of both day-old chicks, broiler meat and table eggs to lower than prevailing prices in neighbouring countries in US dollar terms, prompting some breeders and farmers to explore export markets,” he said.

Going into the fourth quarter, Zawe said demand will be spurred by farmers building up stocks for the festive season. “However, going into first quarter of 2020, necessary upward adjustments to school fees to take into account local currency depreciation will likely have a more pronounced negative impact on demand for poultry products,” he said, adding that following the steady recovery of total broiler breeding stocks (growing and in-production) to 796 150 birds in May 2019, stocks declined by 11% to 705 046 birds in September, being similar to previous peak stock levels in 2013 and 2014. He said broiler breeder in-production stocks peaked at 499 415 birds in May, before declining to 366 539 birds in August and, thereafter, increasing to 415 887 birds in September, while growing stocks averaged 314 927 birds per month for the period May to September.

Returns from large-scale processors revealed that the number of birds slaughtered and broiler meat produced declined by 3% in the third quarter of 2019.

Although the meat produced from this sector declined by 12% compared with the third quarter of 2018, Zawe said it was still the second highest ever recorded. Small-scale broiler meat production estimated at 5 457 tonnes per month decreased by 36% compared to the same period last year.

“Consequently, a dramatic drop in both uptake and supply of broiler chicks has affected this sector,” Zawe said.

Total meat produced was estimated at 8 728mt per month, 29% lower than in the third quarter of 2018. Zawe added that from March this year, wholesale prices rose sharply each month, reflecting the local currency devaluation and increasing costs of inputs, particularly feeds.

Wholesale prices of whole bird and 2kg individually quick frozen pieces in September were $27,42 and $25,21 per kg, respectively.

Highlanders….3
YADAH FC…….1

Highlanders fans are obviously rejoicing at seeing their team continue with their steady climb on the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League table and relishing the nick of time arrival of Dutch coach Pieter de Jongh.

By Fortune Mbele

The Dutchman has so far presided over six league matches at Highlanders and since his arrival everything has started to look bright and beautiful as he has lifted the gloom at Bosso following a poor run of form just before he came in.

The Bulawayo giants were fretting at the prospect of plunging into relegation at the end of the season.

Pity they will most likely run out of matches to hunt down the leading pack of Caps United (12 points ahead) at the top, FC Platinum and Chicken Inn with six matches left before the end of the season.

But this short period in the season has been blissful for the Bosso faithful who endured frustrations under Madinda Ndlovu and then Mandla Mpofu.

Yesterday, Bosso put up another show of strength to power their way to another set of three points against relegation-doomed and basement side Yadah at Barbourfields Stadium.

Bosso barely missed star striker Prince Dube with Mbongeni Ndlovu, Godfrey Makaruse and Tinashe Makanda adding their names to the goals column on the 13th, 20th and 28th minute.

Yadah scored their consolation through Ralph Matema 12 minutes before time.

Ndlovu was set up by the impressive Denzel Khumalo before poking the ball past Yadah goalkeeper Issah Ali.

Nine minutes later, Makaruse executed a beauty from outside the penalty box before dazzling a bemused Ali.

Khumalo then sent Makanda through and the striker dribbled his way past Ali before rolling the ball into an empty net.

De Jongh was happy with the result, revealing that he was nervous prior to the match.

“I am happy with the result. I was a little scared before the game because, from my experience, I (expected) it was going to be a difficult game. We played good football, good focus and concentration and we scored three goals and the opponents could not do anything,” De Jongh said.

Teams

Highlanders: A Sibanda, M Phiri, M Ndlovu, A Mbeba, P Muduhwa, N Masuku, G Makaruse (C Kapupurika 76′), B Banda, T Makanda, A Silla (B Sibanda 46′), D Khumalo (P Nyirenda 90+2′)

Yadah: I Ali, M Musiyakuvi, Z Bizeki, B Madzokere, J Chitereki, S Linyama, G Mangani, W Kamudyariwa (P Nyamakura 61′), A Shumba (B Mhlanga 55′), R Matema, I Sadiki (M Chiwara 65′)

AN O-LEVEL pupil at Arundel School in Harare was recently denied access to sit for her Cambridge examination after school authorities claimed she had fees arrears amounting to $44 000 although she had fully paid the examination and centre fees.

BY CHARLES LAITON

The move by the school has now prompted the girl’s mother, Mavis Jakarasi to file an urgent chamber application through Justice for Children, seeking the court’s intervention, arguing that the school had no authority to prevent her child from sitting for examinations. She cited trustees of Arundel School as respondents in the matter.

In her founding affidavit, Jakarasi said her daughter had been a student at the school since the beginning of 2019 and had registered to sit for her Cambridge final Ordinary Level examinations that are currently underway.

However, Jakarasi said due to fees being owed to the school, her daughter was barred from attending lessons since the beginning of the third term.

“Being a trust school, I do understand and accept that the respondent has such a right. The problem arose when my child appeared to sit for her first examination on October 15, 2019, English Paper 2. The respondent (Arundel) school official, the headmistress Pauline Makoni and her officials refused to allow the child to sit for her examination,” Jakarasi said, adding she then approached Justice for Children for assistance and the lawyers issued a letter of demand for the school to allow the child to sit for her examinations, but she was still prevented from doing so.

The woman said she was told that the tuition fee had been raised to $44 000 for the third term and that the amount she owed the school had equally increased on the day her daughter missed her second exam.

Jakarasi said after paying $18 000, her daughter was then allowed to sit for her History examination on October 18, 2019, but on Monday October 21, 2019, she was again barred from writing Mathematics by the headmistress who demanded that she pays the balance first.

“Though I owe the school in arrear tuition, for the school to then bar my child from writing examinations that are not property or a programme of Arundel School, but an independent external examinations body, on the basis of fees I owe to the school is unacceptable,” Jakarasi said
“Cambridge Examinations is an independent body to which I made full payment. That payment includes the examination fee and the centre fee. The child is thus fully paid to use Arundel School as an examination centre. This fact is independent from the child’s registration at Arundel as a student. It is for her studentship at Arundel School that the respondents can bar my child from accessing the school facilities. However, that is not the case with the Cambridge examinations.

All the school is providing and required to provide, is an examination centre with the requisite facilities and personnel.”

The matter is pending.

A MATABELELAND South youth advocacy group has called for a 30% youth quota instead of 10 parliamentary seats allocated to the youth for the 2023 elections in proposed constitutional amendments.

BY NQOBANI NDLOVU

Government recently approved constitutional amendments that will see the creation of 10 parliamentary seats for the youth, extension of women’s quota by another 10 years and scrapping of the running mate concept on Presidential elections.

“On the youth quota, the proposal is to increase our seats by 10 and have each province get one youth representative, so parties will submit the names of candidates and depending on the votes in the province, the party with the majority will have its candidate in Parliament, so we are not cutting down on anything,” acting Information minister Amon Murwira announced after a recent Cabinet meeting.

The Community Youth for Development Trust (CYDT), a Matabeleland South youth advocacy group, however, said the proposal was not enough and instead suggested a 30% quota for the youth in the next elections.

“While we do acknowledge that this is a positive step, we believe that reserving only one seat per (province) is not enough considering that young people constitute the majority of the Zimbabwean population,” the CYDT said in a statement yesterday.

“As CYDT, we call upon the government to introduce a proper and well-defined quota system that comes as a stand-alone in the Constitution. As CYDT, our proposition is that there should be 30% youth parliamentary representation as from the 2023 elections.”

The adoption of women and youth’s quotas is seen as key to the implementation of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and the promotion of democracy through inclusive institutions.

Also, the adoption of electoral quotas for politically under-represented groups has become a prominent policy worldwide.

“Youth representation should be at political party levels and, therefore, we challenge political parties in Zimbabwe to start developing and implementing strategies that will ensure that their candidates in the 2023 candidates have a clear and balanced representation of both women and youth,” the CYDT added.

A MIDLANDS State University (MSU) student was this week spared jail time for smashing a Trip Trans bus’ windows with burning logs in a fit of rage at an accident scene in Chipinge.

BY RICHARD MUPONDE

Denford Semwayo (25) of Clear Water Chipinge, who is an MSU student, was convicted on his own plea of guilty to malicious damage to property when he appeared before Chipinge magistrate, Joshua Nembaware.

He was sentenced to eight months in prison of which five months were conditionally suspended. The remainder was suspended on condition he pays $400 damages to the bus company.

In mitigation, Semwayo said he damaged the bus after being assaulted by passengers from the bus.

“I was angry because I had been assaulted by people who had disembarked from the bus. I ask for forgiveness and for the State to exercise leniency when arriving on its sentence since I am still a student who is in the middle of his studies at MSU,” Semwayo said.

Prosecutor, Shamiso Ncube told the court that on September 6, Semwayo was a passenger on a Honda Fit vehicle which was driving towards Chipinge when it was side-swiped by a Trip Trans bus going in the opposite direction.

As the bus driver, Fila Machona, was negotiating with the Honda Fit driver, Semwayo fetched two burning logs from a nearby homestead and threw them at the bus.

Machona made a police report, leading to Semwayo’s arrest.

FILMMAKER Shem Zemura’s dream to see his village stories receive recognition on international platforms came true with the triple award nomination for the film, Kushata KweMoyo, at the annual Lake International PanAfrican Film Festival (LIPFF) slated for November 7 to 10 in Kenya.

BY TAFADZWA KACHIKO

Kushata KweMoyo, a 92-minute feature film, was nominated for the Best Feature Film, Best Actress and Best Editor awards at the festival.

Zemura — the film’s producer and director — will leave for Kenya with Best Actor nominee Gamuchirai Duve , who plays the character of Chiedza. He described the nominations as a great milestone.

“I am very excited that our talent is being recognised outside Zimbabwe on a Pan African platform. Being nominated is a big milestone for Rain Media, Mirazvo Productions, the cast and the crew of the film,” he said, adding that the film’s success was the result of collaborative effort.
He cited the Mirazvo crew and cast of Duve, Kudzai Musingo, Tinotenda Sataande, Charles Mzemba, Amanda Ranganawa and Ashley Savanhu.

Duve said she was excited about the nomination, her first outside Zimbabwe.

“I was happy when I heard the news… It’s a great achievement since it’s my first time to be nominated outside Zimbabwe. It’s so encouraging and made me believe in myself,” she said.

Kushata KweMoyo is about a woman who is forced to deal with her dark past when her step sister pays an unexpected visit. It won the Best Feature and Best Actor awards at the National Arts and Merit Awards in 2018 and got an official selection at the ZIFF-2018.