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Vote rigging plot exposed
Youth Agenda Trust
February 22, 2012

Youth Agenda Trust has received with shock news that the Zimbabwe Youth Council is intending to hold elections for board members on the 29th of February 2012 after the previous board was dissolved mysteriously late last year by Youth Minister, Hon Saviour Kasukuwere. The ZYC has already nominated candidates for the elections and the candidates have already been notified. Youth Agenda Trust is privileged to be in possession of a copy of a letter that was send to one of the nominated candidates which was written on the 16th of February 2012. Youth Agenda Trust is saddened that attached to the letter is a copy of invite for Youth Associations to participate in elections for Council Membership - 2012. "The Council is inviting a maximum of two (2) delegates from each registered national youth association to participate in the election process. The elections will be held on the 29th of February 2012 at a venue to be advised, reads part of the invite.

Youth Agenda Trust is worried that Youth Associations must send the names and identity details of the two delegates for accreditation not later than the 24th of February 2012. However a survey that was carried out by the Youth Agenda Trust has revealed that by the 22nd of February the Youth Associations contacted by YAT had not received the letters of invite for the two delegates and have been kept in the dark for unknown reasons. We have a feeling that there is a deliberate ploy to keep bona fide delegates in the dark because in the past the ZYC used to send information through emails to all youth associations, surprisingly the same Council has seen it fit to withhold details pertaining to this important election.

The fact that the electoral process is shrouded in secrecy and that the venue has not been disclosed two days before the close of accreditation of eligible voters speaks volumes about the nature of the process. It is a matter of great concern that the ZYC is now being privatized and taken away from the real owners of the council (the Youth Associations) into the hands of political hawks and sharks who do not have the interests of young people at heart. Youth Agenda Trust thus views the purported election as nothing but a kangaroo gathering which does not have the mandate of young people nor represent their aspirations. It is in view of these developments that YAT would like to disassociate itself from the current madness and take this opportunity to call upon the ZYC Director Livingstone Dzikira to immediately halt this window dressing exercise and start over again an inclusive process that includes bona fide youth associations such as YAT and others. We urge the ZYC to call for an all stakeholders meeting that will pave way for free and fair elections, failure to do so we urge Youth Associations to;

1. Cease recognizing the board until it is properly constituted.
2. Shun the activities of the council.
3. Approach relevant stakeholders with a view to stop the illegal board from running the activities of the council.

Having said all this, we are however afraid that all our efforts to bring sanity to the Council may fail to see the light of the day given the fact that the history of ZYC particularly its origins is not too pleasing. But let us also hasten to mention that we have faith that the Director of ZYC will not have difficulties sorting out the anomalies.

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