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Peaceful participation: Our armour to the promised land
Student Christian Movement of Zimbabwe (SCMZ)
February 07, 2012

"I have sent a letter to you, fathers, because you have knowledge of him who was from the first. I have sent a letter to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God is in you, and because you have overcome the Evil One" - 1 John 2:14]

For the past years Zimbabwe has witnessed many national events with the eagerness to change the social, economic and political status core, alas to no avail. Perhaps faith is all that the people have left to cling to in Zimbabwe's ongoing turbulent times. State and non state actors have played a vital role in these national events which have impacted heavily on the processes of peace building as well as in the issues of conflict transformation.

Interestingly, contrary to the figures which reflect the youthfulness of the Zimbabwean population, young people have been seen on the peripherals of the country's electoral processes. Coupled by the endemic shrinking of space for political participation by an elderly ruling elite, bend on perpetuating their stay in power, the energy and eagerness of young people to participate in the electoral processes has been systematically channelled towards less important roles such as sloganeering, yet simple definitions of participation refer to different mechanisms for the public to express opinions and ideally exert influence regarding political, economic management or other social decisions. In actual fact it is those that are most affected by the decision that should have the most say while those that are least affected should have the least say in the processes. But one would wonder, on how our own learned politicians have redefined and adulterated this word to solely mean their input and exclusively their say, while the voice of the have-nots is only sought when it is time for bawling for power. Dishearteningly, in every community where a stone is thrown, where a house is burnt or where a violent rally is taking place, youths have always been at the epicenter of such retrogressive practices. The call is long overdue that young people of Zimbabwe realise that their energy and God given zeal is not for burning housing neither is it for bashing other people, but is for fighting the evil and defending what is just and right.

As the Student Christian Movement of Zimbabwe (SCMZ), we shall never tire in vociferously imploring and beseeching the youth to be the torch bearers of peace, love and mutual understanding within our communities for the Lord has given us this zeal for a good purpose. It is high time we realise that peaceful participation is the only armour we can use to protect and safe guard our constitutional right, for peaceful participation is the precursor to building a robust citizen response and participation in governance processes in allowing the citizens to have the final say on who governs them through regular, free and fair elections.

To all the youth and other progressive formations in Zimbabwe, elections are nigh - the season has come for the children of God to reclaim where the locusts and plant-worm have eaten through peaceful participation, for the Word of God says, " I shall restore to you the years that the locust, the canker worm, the caterpillar and the palmer worm hath eaten...." Joel 2:25.

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