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Jestina Mukoko ruling a triumph of justice over evil
Youth Agenda Trust
October 21, 2009

The Youth Agenda Trust has received shocking and disturbing news that the Ministry of Youth, Indigenization and Empowerment is soon to resuscitate the National Youth Training Programme. The National Youth Training programme has in the previous political dispensation been hijacked by ZANU PF into being a breeding ground for youth militias best known for their gross violations of human rights and political violence.

It is sad to note that despite the constructive engagement by the Youth Agenda Trust and other youth formations with the Ministry of Youth, Indigenization and Empowerment over this sensitive issue the Ministry has decided to go ahead with this programme without introducing any minimal reforms. We have repeatedly called for urgent reforms around the recruitment process, the curriculum and the abuse of this training programme as the areas that needed urgent reform amongst others. Our engagement with this ministry dates back to the formation of the inclusive government in February. A joint conference between the ministry of youth and civic society youth organisations was held in February, followed by two youth conferences on constitutional reform held on the 13th and 17th of August in Bulawayo and Marondera respectively. These conferences drew participants from across the political divide and civil society. Despite the fact that in all of these conferences youths called for the reformation of the National Youth programme forthwith, the Minister of Youth, Indigenization and Empowerment has thrown deaf ears to the demands of young people and vowed to go ahead.

It is with this background that we lambast the Ministry of Youth for its chameleon approach as far as reforming the national youth service is concerned. In our previous engagement they have been indicating left and suddenly they have changed direction. We maintain that the recruitment process has to be made transparent and non partisan accompanied by a curriculum that does not orient young people into perpetrating violence and spreading hate amongst the citizenry. This will only be possible through sincere and honest engagement with all youth oriented organisations from the civil society and the political divide so that they input on what they want to learn.

We are also worried about the timing of the re introduction of this notorious scheme considering the mass mobilization that may be required by ZANU PF to see the Kariba draft sail through the referendum. The Youth Agenda Trust is calling all youth organisations and young people in general to join in this cause as it seeks to submit the attached position paper (below) to the Minister and his deputy of youth on Monday 26 October over this issue. We seek to make the voice of young people clear and loud that we are tired of being recruited into semi military bases under the guise of a national youth training programme. A true national youth service programme is voluntary and does not spread hate, intolerance or the political gospel of any single political party.

Youth Agenda Trust petition on the resuscitation of the National Youth Training Programme

Taking note of article XV of the Global Political Agreement which states that

a) all youth regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, religion and political affiliation are eligible to participate in the national youth training programme

b) the national youth training program must be run in a non partisan manner and shall not include partisan political material advancing the cause of any political party

c) whilst recognizing that youth undergoing training at national youth training centres have a right to hold political opinions, they shall not, during the period of training, collectively and as part of a scheme of the training centre be used or deployed for partisan political work

Cognizant of the partisan nature of the previous national youth training program which only recruited youth from Zanu pf

Saddened by the various allegations of gross human rights violations leveled against graduates of the previous national youth training programs

We therefore demand the following from the Ministry of Youth Empowerment and Indigenization:

An audit of the previous national youth training program in terms of
i. who was trained
ii. Who was training them
iii. What was the training curriculum
iv. How many training facilities are there at the present moment?

The immediate engagement of all stakeholders i.e. youth from all political parties, civil society, various associations and clubs, from all socio-economic backgrounds and any interested Zimbabweans in designing the national youth training program

The training program should remain voluntary and should not be tied to any economic empowerment opportunities but should be driven by the need to serve the nation

The training curriculum should be accessible to the public as the graduates are trained to serve the whole nation

Training facilities should be easily accessible to the public and the programme should be done at community level not at isolated training camps which can be easily transformed into barracks and concentration camps

The recruitment of training staff and participants should be transparent and open to youth from all socio-political and economic backgrounds

We remain committed to a democratic and prosperous Zimbabwe were young people enjoy sustainable livelihoods.

Visit the Youth Agenda Trust fact sheet

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