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The impending elections: The voice of the youth and the role of the youth in elections
Claris Madhuku, Platform for Youth Development
Febraury 01, 2011

"Mind you I have the constitutional right in the absence of any GPA (Global Political Agreement) position regarding the constitutional process to cause an election to be held on the basis of the old (Lancaster House) constitution"
- President R.G Mugabe as quoted in the Herald of 24 January 2011

The legality and constitutional right of President Mugabe to call for election any time, has sent tremors and serious panic throughout the opposition and civic society. Since Mugabe is a man of his word who controls the power politics of the GPA, it is imperative to take his thinking seriously. President Mugabe argues that he is reluctant to extend the life span of the GPA beyond six months because of his partner's insincerity. Knowing that the GPA is a transitional arrangement which is supposed to end in February 2011 by allowing another round of elections, sober questions beg for answers. One is bound to ask, is the environment sufficient to permit for an open, peaceful, free and fair plebiscite? Will the election results be accepted by all stakeholders? Will the involvement of SADC and other international bodies make the election credible? What happens if there is a repeat of June 2008 standoff? Are Zimbabweans ready to participate in the 2011 election, if not, are they capable of revoking Mugabe's hegemony?

This discourse on whether Zimbabwe is ready for elections should be premised by answering the above questions. It is very significant for all the political parties and stakeholders of democratic elections to fully understand the value and role of the youths in this current election mantra. In my own opinion, it can only be the youths who should stand firm and speak out clearly on what role they want to play. The history of elections in Zimbabwe has proven to be a violent contestation between and among the youths across political divide. This is what makes youths a very important, influential and effective subject matter. Elections in Zimbabwe will always be a bloodbath that brings in disastrous and debilitating consequences. This article seeks to critically alarm the young people to be pro-active in their participation to prevent this foreseeable repeat of the violent and contested election of June 2008. The young people in Zimbabwe who constitutes sixty-seven percent (67%) have capacity to make history by becoming masters of their own destiny. The role of the youths should be to reject violence against each other but strongly against abusive, authoritarian and narrow-minded political players. The young people can make a difference by persistently demanding for constitutional, electoral and other critical democratic reforms to be implemented before such elections can be held.

Elections remain a pre-requisite for democracy and the preoccupation of the modern world. It is not easy to dismiss elections because they give citizens the right to appoint or disappoint their political leadership. Research proves that elections can result in democracy no matter how sham they might be. However, the context of Zimbabwean election is different, the political leadership who are calling for elections are not being genuine and neither are they ready. President Mugabe and Prime Minister Tsvangirai are merely posturing and grandstanding as they seek to out-do each other in pre-emptive strategies of opponents. While their statements and behavior help us to know that they are frustrated about each other, it becomes unfair if their strategies of countering each other threaten the relative peace already being enjoyed.

Since the establishment of the exclusive Inclusive Government (IG) programming for the youths has been insufficient. Youths who are supposed to be the intrinsic drivers, were excluded in the negotiations and the momentous deliberations of the GPA. A case in point is the constitutional making process which has been described by many as having failed to ensure adequate representation of Zimbabweans. The outreach exercise was partisan, violent and selective. On the other hand the national healing is laughable. The organ is without form and has been neither victim-centered nor victim-owned. There has been nothing for the youths in these two important processes of the GPA.That being the case, why would anyone support the call for elections.

If anything, the next plebiscite should be determined by engaging the young people between the ages of eighteen and thirty five. It may need to be noted that this age group is critical not only because it forms the majority but contains the much needed energy capable of making the difference. It is clear that the impending electoral contest seems inevitable with each of the major parties determined to be a winner takes all. The reasons for winning are stronger now since none of the major parties is prepared to share power again. For MDC, losing the next plebiscite would mean the death of a ten year democratic struggle. As for ZANU PF it is win or war because should they lose, they will be nipped from the bud. Mugabe and ZANU PF have dominated electoral processes since independence, therefore technically superior in manipulation and frustration of opponents. The sanctions mantra and relics of the colonial era will continue to be exploited to seriously provoke independent political choice. With all parties dependent on winning the election, political contestation will be tense, therefore becoming a life and death affair for young people.

Youths have a role to be the bricks in building a conscious, politically mature and tolerant society. Youth leadership and stakeholders should be mobilized to come together and speak vehemently against elections without reform. Reference is made to the homegrown young people's uprising in Tunisia. It was through a spirited and collective resolve of the Tunisians that a dictator of twenty-three years, Zine el-Abidine Beni Ali was recently forced to flee the country after weeks of protests against his iron fisted rule. Should elections be forced on the people, marches and demonstrations should be opted until power hungry politicians are shown the way. Tunisia remains a good symbol of the power of the young people who are determined. Another case study is the Egypt demonstrations staged end of January 2011. President of Egypt Mubarak was forced to reshuffle his cabinet. As for Zimbabwe, who knows what will happen. The young people must use their energy and skills to demand more rights and freedoms.

To date incidences of violence have begun to show its ugly head throughout the country. It is very clear that calling for elections is tantamount to declaring war. It may be necessary for our political leadership to take note that if there are no minimum electoral conditions met, then the young people have a duty to campaign vigorously against the call for elections. Youths have a role to ensure that elections are not misused. Voting must have its real meaning as opposed to serving as a blood ritual where a predetermined conclusion is always established by suppressing, coercing and rigging.

The voice of the youths should be loud in pressurizing the inclusive government to reform itself by taking the mandate of its existence seriously. The Inclusive Government (IG) must attend to the constitution and electoral reform, the national healing, voters roll, delimitation of boundaries, media and the security sector before the young people gets convinced to talk of an election date. The young people are the only hope of a cowardly nation that has been taken advantage by politicians. The youths must not assist politicians who call for elections clearly as an excuse for assaulting, torturing and killing people to legitimize their rule. This writer is convinced that if the election discourse is not handled well, it has potential to take Zimbabwe back to the political gridlock of 2008. Then, stratospheric inflation stood at 231 million percent with a crippled socio-economic and political confidence. With only 18% of the youths having registered and less than 21% having participated in the COPAC outreach, it is clear indication that the youths are not yet ready for elections.

Claris Madhuku is the Director of Platform for Youth Development Trust (PYD). Views expressed in this article are his personal opinion and does not necessarily reflect that of the organization. He can be contacted on dhukela@yahoo.com

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