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Youths must not be used by politicians
The Independent (Zimbabwe)
May 27, 2011

http://www.theindependent.co.zw/local/31080-youths-must-not-be-used-by-politicians.html

Zimbabwean youths have been encouraged to take a leading role in rebuilding the country by participating in national processes and avoid being used by politicians in their "dirty jobs". Youth leaders from the two MDC formations and non-governmental organisations told guests at the Independent Dialogue in Harare yesterday that young people from across the political divide should rise and claim their stake in the national agenda.

The dialogue supported by the US Embassy Public Affairs section under the theme "Does the youth have a role in rebuilding Zimbabwe?" saw youths from different backgrounds debating how they could empower themselves and take a meaningful role in the roadmap to help rebuild Zimbabwe.

Zanu PF Youth Affairs secretary Absolom Sikhosana ducked out at the eleventh hour.

The dialogue came at a time statistics show a low youth participation ratio in national processes such as voter registration, elections, constitution-making and indigenisation.

Coordinator of the Students Solidarity Trust Masimba Nyamanhindi said it was worrying that many youths involved themselves in violent political activities, instead of issues to do with their emancipation.

Nyamanindi said: "While we want to be voted for and be seen as youths, the youth themselves are not participating in youth processes. So it becomes difficult for us to be voted for if we are not participating."

"Young people constitute about 67% of the Zimbabwe population but we have had two major events that happened in the last four years - the 2008 election and the constitution process.

"If we look at the statistics of youth participation in those events, you will see that they are scary and negligible.

"The young people are found mostly doing all the dirty work on the ground but when it comes to the most important things that will make a change in society we are found without people."

Nyamanhindi said young people should be inspired by youths in some of the Arab countries in North Africa and the Middle East, who after the revolts have managed to be seen as "a force for change and not source of violence" after taking control of challenges of high levels of unemployment and high food prices to change their society.

Director of the Zimbabwe Young Women's Network and Peace Building Grace Chirenje said the youths were conveniently engaged when the adults have got something that they want to achieve.

Chirenje said: "A lot of the times reasons are given as to why youths should not be included and some of those are reasons such as the youths lacking the necessary skills and qualities.

"We are also not afforded opportunities to share power with the adults."

"I know some say we lack motivation and inspiration, but is that true? Is that a true reflection of who we are as young people? My favourite is that we are born frees, we are mafikizolos and have just come on board so what do we know?" said Chirenje.

She said for youths to have a hand in effectively rebuilding Zimbabwe, they should be able to define their own role without interference from older people. "The role that we have is at micro level. We can't look at rebuilding Zimbabwe at a macro-level somewhere way up there. We need to start looking at it in terms of what can I do as a young person to rebuild Zimbabwe. Imagine in your respective communities if you were to make a small difference what kind of Zimbabwe we would have.

"This role should start from you at an individual level. We are sick and tired of rulers in Zimbabwe, we need leaders who can transform this nation from point A to point B," she said.

MDC-N youth secretary-general Descent Bajila said youths should move away from the role of being used during campaigns and be at the forefront of taking meaningful positions.

Bajila said: "When it's time to campaign the youths and the elders move together but when we are getting to the table where the cake is, we are chased away.

"This has been a trend in our politics. There should be at least an agreement among all youth institutions that in rebuilding Zimbabwe, youths, be it from Zanu PF, MDC-T or civil society, should play a central role."

Bajila said the youths' role in rebuilding the country was not as "green bombers, perpetrators of violence, toy toying or raping". "This is not our role. There is also a role that is possible for young people to be progressive industrialists, real political leaders and not political puppets," he said.

Bajila said youths should not just register to vote in numbers but to be voted for as well.

"We can't have our issues in parliament being discussed via Bluetooth telling older MPs to say this and that on our behalf. We should be in there (in parliament) saying what we want," he added.

Bajila also attacked leaders who did not want to make way for the younger generation by stubbornly clinging to power. MDC-T youth chairperson Solomon Madzore said there was need to address aspects like education that acts as an important tool in helping youths rebuild the country.

"Education is a fundamental right but unfortunately that same education has been reduced to something else, something like a privilege. Young people in Zimbabwe are not guaranteed of that education and yet it is education that equips us as young leaders of today with various skills as we lead and move forward, "he said.

He acknowledged that poverty was the root cause of youths easily being hired as perpetrators of violence and called for an economic model young people can access to be developed.

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