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Can youth take control and be responsible in the national healing, reconciliation and integration process?
Practical Empowerment & Networking Youth Association (PENYA) Trust
September 21, 2009

Presented by Hillary J Musarurwa at the NANGO Youth Sector's International Day of Peace Commemorations on 21 September 2009

Ladies and Gentlemen: my task tonight was going to be much simpler if I was expected to give a one sentence answer. The question at hand and indeed in many people minds is can youth take control and be responsible in the national healing process? My answer will be a bold and underlined YES WE CAN. But one might ask are we in a revolution at all?

As defined by Wikipedia a revolution is a drastic political or social change that usually occurs relatively quickly. We are indeed entering a social revolution like none other before. Of the many revolutions Zimbabwe has gone through most have been marred with violence and they have mainly been political. Never before has our country taken the path it is embarking on, that of a non-violent transformation. Ladies and gentlemen we are entering unchattered waters with the odds and challenges we face being exacerbated by the polarization that exists. But I believe that President Obama's statement holds true. He said 'in the face of impossible odds, people who love their country can change it.' As a youth who love this nation we can be that change that we want in Zimbabwe.

A brief analysis of what has transpired over the past decades will help us in mapping the way forward. As one singer rightfully said if you don't know your past you don't know your future. What has been the role of youths in the revolutions of yester-year? It's undeniable that from the 1st through to the so called 3rd Chimurenga of 2000 and even the violent orgies of the June 2008 Presidential Elections youth have been placed on the forefront. It's a fact that the energy of youth was harnessed to bring about the needed results albeit for a cause not of their own. Many of the youth were forced into these revolutions for various reasons, some which include poverty and vulnerability whilst for others it was based on promises made to them. Some even though now grey haired still wallow in abject poverty yet they were promised access to wealth. Others suffer from mental trauma and lie forgotten by those whose agenda they ran with. In the years past youths were led into violence by those with their own motives. Our very own President and Commander in Chief of the Defence Forces Cde Mugabe stated that isu vakuru tisu tinokurwisanisai nerweseri.

This brings me to my next point, on what exactly needs to be done for youths to take control and be responsible in the new revolution. First and foremost there has to be accountability to ourselves and we have to take full responsibility for our actions and those of our peers. There has to be a paradigm shift and a new impetus has to be made. No more should youths be taken as road-runners for other peoples motives. True vanguardism has to be exercised with the youths taking center stage. I believe a van guard is that elite, intellectual and innovative team that masterminds the tactical formations of a revolution. These are the traits I identify in the people in this room tonight. It's therefore from here that innovations to successfully bring lasting peace to Zimbabwe should emanate. My colleagues we have received a rare gift of the future so let us make good use of it by changing the face of our nation once and for all. Let us therefore arise as the architects of that legacy we want to leave for generations to come.

You will agree with me that the conditions or situations that led or exposed us to being exploited have to be removed. As long as youths are not adequately empowered there still exists a window for anyone to come and use youths based on false promises. Resources have to be directed towards empowering youths on two fronts; education and generation of wealth. There has to be access to affordable education by all and not the situation we have were a child of a civil servant earning US$150 has to pay more than $400 per semester in fees. We need to be given equal access to means of generating wealth and not the current set-up where CBZ is making it impossible for needy youths to access the Youth Fund. I honestly believe that once appropriately empowered no youth will be enticed to compromise the very peace prevailing at the time of their empowerment.

The topic I have been given casts an element of doubt over the acceptance of any youth-led steps and involvement in the whole process to heal this nation. Given the previous events and the fresh memories of the violence of last year one would be justified to be doubtful. So to bring credibility to the whole drive by youths there has to be acknowledgement and admission to having wronged others. Youths have to accept that families and communities were broken by our acts. Even if the youths were a front for other people we have to come out and say we are sorry. Sorry for the violence that we and some of our peers lashed out on kith and keen over the past years.

Now is the time for a new voice and force to arise. No more shall the youths stand in the terraces and sing praise songs for others. We shall sing our own song 'haiwa kwete hatichada' declaring that we are tired of violence. We will have to create platforms for dialogue and provide leadership as well as direction towards reconciliation. The leadership has to be able to unite people and lead by example. As a new picture of the youths is painted we have to show the nation that we can do it. I cant wait to see the day when ZANU (PF) and MDC youths declare an end to their hostilities and come to work together constructively. I think that now with the youths in control of the ZANU PF Youth League it wont be long before this happens.

Finally ladies and gentlemen as you debate on the points of action and find out strategies on participating and bringing lasting peace you will come out with answers to many questions. Most importantly it will be you and not me who will be saying yes we can take control and be responsible in the national healing process. The youths tonight should take their rightful position as vanguards and promote a radical social reform towards lasting peace. The innovations crafted tonight have to close the door to violence and anarchy permanently. They have to put a tombstone on violence's grave that reads: here lies an agent used to break families, destroy hope and bring the nation to its knees. Brought upon us by our fore-fathers now dead and never to be missed nor to be resurrected again. Violence is defeated by a generation that embraced peace.

Remember peace begins with me, peace begins with you, peace begins with us.

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