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Youth election symposium statement
Youth Alliance for Democracy
April 12, 2011

These conditions were crafted and adopted at the Youth Election Symposium hosted by Youth Alliance for Democracy (YAD) on Thursday 29 March 2012 at Harare Club, Harare Zimbabwe. The overall Goal of the Symposium was to provide a platform of exchange of ideas between youth CSOs and Election Management Bodies, Parliamentarians and stakeholders as well as tracing the progress on the elections discourse in Zimbabwe in the face of the proposed Electoral Amendment Bill and locate the role that young people as leaders in their own right can play a role in this particular discourse. The youth remain vigilant that Zimbabwe MUST NOT embark on an electoral process without addressing outstanding issues and that the Global Political Agreement (GPA) and Roadmap to the Conduct of free and fair elections be adhered to expeditiously and in full spirit and letter of the GPA. These preconditions reemphasize the Minimum Conditions which were finalised by civil society organisations at the Election Roadmap and Electoral Laws Conference held on 21 July 2011 - hosted by Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, Zimbabwe Elections Support Network (ZESN) and the Civil Society Monitoring Mechanism (CISOMM) and the Face the Future Roundtable hosted by YETT and YAD on 31 March 2011. The youth and broader election stakeholders agreed thus:

Constitutional Reform

The SADC Zimbabwe needs a new, democratic constitution that conforms to local and regional expectations and to international best practice and standards. The new constitution must guarantees full and equal participation of all citizens, (the youths) in political processes. The new constitution is prima facie and a preceding requirement before any electoral process takes place.

Security Sector Realignment

All serving security personnel must maintain and observe their constitutional mandates and not interfere in partisan political processes. The security forces must not influence or jeopardise the outcome of electoral processes in Zimbabwe.

Freedoms

The Public Order and Security Act (POSA), the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA), the Broadcasting Services Act, the Presidential Powers Temporary Measures Act and the Criminal Codification and Reform Act, among other repressive laws, be expeditiously repealed or amended to remove clauses that unreasonably constrain freedom of expression, association and assembly.

Political Environment

All political parties must comply with the already existing code of conduct on violence and manipulation of the vote, the Youth and Election Violence Communiqué of 27 February 2011 to which the Youth assemblies and Youth League were signatory to and the current Electoral Act and make a public pledge and end all forms of political violence. Political parties must encourage and adopt a 50/50 youth representation in local government and parliamentary seats.

Electoral Legislative Reform:

The proposed Electoral Amendment Bill must guarantee the independence, non-partisanship and professionalism of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC). In this regard, ZEC must be accountable to Parliament as is currently the case. The Inclusive Government must ensure that ZEC is adequately resourced to efficiently administer a credible election. ZEC must be legally empowered to take full responsibility and control of the process to establish a clean and credible voters' roll. ZEC must be exclusively mandated to invite and accredit all election monitors and observers without the influence of the executive. The Election Commission must produce and publish an audit of its structures, personnel and operations and take appropriate actions to ensure that all employees are competent, non-partisan and professional. Voter education on electoral matters, currently a ZEC preserve, must be broadened and democratized to enable youth civil society and other stakeholders to carry out civic education freely. ZEC must engage and ensure youth representation in electoral administration and management bodies and create and sustain initiatives that encourage youths to register to vote. The proposed electoral amendment Bill must guarantee the electoral participation of all Zimbabweans living in the Diaspora.

Transitional Justice and National Healing

The Inclusive Government takes urgent steps to hold accountable perpetrators of political violence and other human rights abuses and ensure justice for victims of abuse. Decisive action against perpetrators of violence demonstrates commitment to non-violence and ends the culture of impunity.

Media Reform

The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Cooperation, and the print media, affords all political parties and independent candidates contesting an election free access to their broadcasting services in line with the provisions of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Media Coverage of Elections) Regulations. The Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) should fully execute its mandate to ensure professionalism in the media and rein in those violating the basic tenets of journalism that currently manifests in hate messages and abusive language.

Election Monitoring and Observation

The African Union and SADC must send in compliance teams 12 months and 6 months before elections to assess the political situation in Zimbabwe and SADC as the guarantors of the Global Political Agreement ensure that Zimbabwe's elections are held in full compliance with SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections. Young people must be afforded equal opportunity to constitute monitoring teams.

Electoral Conflict Management:

ZEC must be mandated to set up district electoral conflict management courts which should derive their mandate from the constitution and in their composition civil society must play a leading role.

The alliance of youth organisations, YAD members, broader civic society and other pro-democracy election stakeholders that are signatory to these minimum conditions for sustainable electoral democracy in Zimbabwe WILL NOT hesitate to mobilise youths against participation in an ill-conceived and undemocratic electoral process that fails to harness these submissions.

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