Be disciplined, avoid drugs, children told

Source: Be disciplined, avoid drugs, children told | Herald (Top Stories)

President Mnangagwa makes an intervention during a Heads of State panel discussion at the World Children’s Day Commemorations held at Mulungushi Conference Centre in Lusaka, Zambia, yesterday. Listening are host President Hakainde Hichilema and Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi

Darlington Musarurwa in LUSAKA, Zambia
Young people should be disciplined, ambitious and avoid drugs in order to transform their communities and countries, while the adoption of science, innovation and technology will help developing countries to leapfrog and catch up with the developed world, President Mnangagwa has said.

Speaking in a Heads of State panel discussion during the World Children’s Day commemorations held at Mulungushi Conference Centre in Lusaka, Zambia, yesterday, the President said while leaders had a duty to create conditions to help young people who have constructive and developmental goals, the realisation of such aspirations could only be possible if they were disciplined.

Host President Hakainde Hichilema, Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi and Namibian Vice President Nangolo Mbumba, who stood in for President Hage Geingob, were part of the panel discussion.

“Traditionally, we are Africans. Under African philosophy, wisdom is with the elders and cleverness is with the young. I can see that our children are very clever, and I am very proud of you,” said President Mnangagwa.

“I would wish you to dream big. But these dreams must be useful dreams. You dream you are a space engineer, you are an accountant, a financial guru; you dream you are a president — very useful dreams. If you dream you are a crocodile or an elephant, a snake or a frog, none of us can help you on such dreams.

“But if you dream something useful, then we have a duty to create conditions for you to realise such dreams because they are constructive and developmental.”

Yesterday’s commemorations were attended by 500 children from Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia and Botswana.

President Mnangagwa, whose speech was punctuated by appreciative applause from the gathering, said while young people from the region had eloquently outlined their aspirations, they, however, had a role to play by fulfilling their end of the bargain.

“You have spoken about what you want us to do, but you have not spoken about what you should do for us. Now, let me tell you what I would want you to do for us. Number one, discipline. Do you have discipline? All these aspirations that you are looking for would require you to be disciplined in order for us to assist you achieve your aspirations,” he said.

“Secondly, we would want you to abstain from drugs. I am not so sure you have ever heard Presidents accused of taking drugs, but it is children who are accused of taking drugs.”

Young people, the President added, could help their countries transition from developing to developed countries by embracing science, technology and innovation, which he said could help meet the demands of communities.

“I would want to say, how has this world developed nations which are called First World, Second World and Third World? What happened to those countries calling themselves First World countries? Why are we Third World countries? The First World countries applied themselves to science, technology and innovation . . . So in your aspirations to develop our countries towards a better future — to be wealthy, to make money — attend to science, technology and innovation,” he said.

According to President Mnangagwa, embracing science, technology and innovation could help drive the modernisation and industrialisation agenda of developing countries.

“So for us to leapfrog and catch up with the developed world, you must aspire — all of you — either to excel in science, technology and innovation, and ask us to facilitate . . . The future is digital.”

He said Zimbabwe’s governance architecture, which makes provisions for a Child President and Parliament, among other critical organs, is designed specifically to be inclusive and enable children to contribute to both national debates and policy-making.

Government is also striving, he said, to ensure that every school has lapt0ps or computers, especially in rural areas, to ensure that no one and no place is left behind.

As part of Government’s inclusive agenda, the Constitution has also been translated into the country’s 16 local languages, including Braille.

President Mnangagwa’s counterparts, who spoke after him, re-emphasised the need for young people to take it upon themselves to chart a new developmental trajectory for their countries.

President Hichilema said the presence of regional leaders at the commemorations demonstrated “our commitment to work together to support children in our four countries”.

Zimbabwe’s Child President Unathi Nyoni, who was the country’s child representative during the panel discussion, said children bore the greatest burden of the impact of climate change due to food insecurity.

He also reiterated the need to protect the environment.

World Children’s Day is celebrated on November 20 every year to mark the day when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Child in 1959.

On the same day in 1989, the UN also adopted the Convention on Children’s Rights.

However, since 1990, World Children’s Day commemorates the anniversary of both the Declaration and

Convention.

This year’s celebrations are running under the theme “Inclusion, For Every Child”.

Namibia will be hosting next year’s event.

Zimbabwe has a comprehensive legislative framework for protecting children against abuse.

Section 81 of the Constitution outlines a Bill of Rights for children, while laws such as the Marriages Act (Chapter 5:15) outlaw and criminalise child marriage in any form.

The Children’s Act (Chapter 5:06) similarly criminalises neglect and defines parameters of children in need of care.

Currently, the National Assembly is seized with the Children’s Amendment Bill, which is envisaged to address various gaps to ensure effective implementation of provisions of the Constitution and commitments made to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, among others.

The Children’s Amendment Bill is being jointly considered with the Child Justice Bill, as the two pieces of legislation complement each other in ensuring the comprehensive protection of children.

Meanwhile, President Mnangagwa returned home yesterday evening.

He was met at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, service chiefs and senior Government officials.

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