By James Muonwa
THE Zimbabwe National Statistical Agency (Zimstat) is under siege from Zanu PF officials who are politicising the recruitment of youth enumerators for the upcoming census.
The 2022 Population and Housing Census will start on April 21.
Following a recent cabinet resolution to reserve a youth quota in the employment of census enumerators, Zanu PF youth league officials have annointed themselves recruiting officers, thereby overriding government employment protocols.
The district development coordinator (DDC)’s office is also reportedly involved in the candidate vetting processes, an exercise that must ideally be conducted by the Public Service Commission (PSC).
In the politically volatile Mashonaland West province, Zanu PF youth league provincial chairman, Tapiwa Masenda, wrote to all district structures instructing them to begin the process of identifying beneficiaries and submit their curriculum vitaes by Friday.
“Attention Mashonaland West YL. Reference is made to Cabinet directive on the recruitment of youths for the 2022 Population and Housing Census. Provincial YL executives in constituencies have taken centre stage of recruiting youth across the province and districts who meet the following criteria: 5 ‘O’ levels including English and Maths, must be below 35 years and should be able to communicate clearly,” Masenda wrote in a widely circulated internal memorandum seen by NewZimbabwe.com.
“The following are the numbers of youths needed in each district and provincial youth executives to share numbers per constituency in the district. Deadline of submission is Friday 9am. Zvimba 100, Hurungwe 80, Makonde 70, Sanyati 60, Ngezi 50 and Kariba 33.”
Masenda confirmed his party was enlisting its supporters to conduct the census to fulfil electoral promises to provide employment.
“We are there to complement government efforts. Remember during political campaigns, Zanu PF made job promises, therefore we are moving with our manifesto on job creation,” Masenda said.
“We are a new executive which needs to show that we don’t merely make promises, but rather we deliver. These are the jobs we promised the people. We are not stopping at the census but going further to get our youths jobs in the army, police, among others,” he said.
He revealed he was working closely with relevant ministries to ensure Zanu PF youths get temporary jobs at Zimstat.
Zimstat public relations executive Mercy Chidemo professed ignorance over the partisan job recruitment despite the agency’s officials at the Chinhoyi offices turning away job seekers who didn’t come through Zanu PF channels.
Scores of dejected prospective enumerators who were roaming around Zimstat Chinhoyi offices told NewZimbabwe.com their job prospects were very slim as Zimstat officers were being selective.
“l am not aware this is happening. Our recruitment has a portion for the youths as directed by the Cabinet resolution. We are looking for those with five ‘O’ Levels, who are computer literate, able to use tablets, and fit to walk. I will need to inform my bosses of those allegations so an investigation can be done,” Chidemo said, adding, of the required 41 000 enumerators, the majority will be civil servants.
