Yeukai Munetsi
Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA) last week urged youth to be active and claim positions in their respective political parties in order to have their needs addressed.
Speaking at the engagement event GRRA director Cornelia Selipiwe raised concerns over how service delivery issues were being politicized thereby hindering development.
“Youth should play an active role in politics by being affiliated to a political party that works with what they want. Decisions are done along political lines hence there is need for youth in political parties to influence service delivery issues.
“Young people should avoid being whipped in the wrong decisions because of refreshments. Why do we have Gweru city council spending three months without collecting bins when youth are there? Why are youth failing to demand for these service delivery issues? Let’s wake up and be involved,” said Selipiwe.
He further encouraged youth to avoid being used by politicians for the wrong reasons.
Gweru Urban Member of Parliament Brian Dube said it was only through active participation that youth can demand efficient service delivery.
“Only people who have influence are responded to at a personal level hence as a young persons, make yourselves significant by being active,” said Dube.
Juliet Mucharozva, a youth said that there was limited accessibility to service delivery information.
“Due to the fact that youth are not active and not willing to openly align themselves with political parties they want, there is limited access to information as evidenced by the ward council information dissemination methods and the billing systems which are not well delivered and explained.
“Council is to be blame for youth’s involvement into drug and substance abuse as they have destroyed recreational centres that assisted youth by occupying their minds with activities.
“The law requires that 10% of land be preserved for recreational facilities,” she added.
Meanwhile Gweru Deputy Mayor councillor Cleopas Shiri promised that issues raised were a matter of concern and were going to be addressed.
“I have noted all these issues that youth have raised and I assure you that they will be looked into and be addressed.
“We currently bought three high lift pumps that will lead to an increase from the 37 mega litres a day to 63 mega litres. With this improvement, we are hoping that areas facing water challenges will soon be having water as well,” said Shiri.
