The training workshop for first time voters which drew youth leaders from the country’s six provinces attracted scores of civil society leaders.
The camp was held on the backdrop of proclamations by President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu (PF) party that elections will be held in March
2013 with or without a new constitution, even though the party’s political competitors and civil society are strongly against that.
According to a statement released by Youth Agenda Trust, young first time voters were trained how to handle polls in volatile conditions.
“The youths were also fully cognisant of the violent, corrupt and undemocratic history of elections in Zimbabwe. These factors have been proven in various studies that they tend to stifle the quantitative and qualitative participation of young Zimbabweans,” read a statement from the civic organisation.
According to the organisation, a number of resolutions related to concerns of first time voters were made at the end of the workshop.
“The young people of Zimbabwe will tirelessly work towards resisting any machinations by the State machinery to subvert the will of the youths and the broader Zimbabwean society through the State-sponsored technical and political frustration of young people to register as eligible voters,” read part of the statement.
Youths were urged to go back to their provinces and engage in mass identification, recruitment and mobilisation of young voters in endeavors to chart a democratic dispensation in Zimbabwe.
Meanwhile, the organisation said youths were fully aware of the political risks they will be exposed to as they execute their constitutional mandate of encouraging broader society to proclaim their right to vote and choose political leaders through popular participation and a democratic process.
Youth Agenda Trust said it had a mandate to set up networks with relevant institutions that offered social solidarity, legal aid, medical aid and psychosocial counseling to affected young people mostly at election time.
The organisation took aim at the state media for remaining partisan, subsequently rendering it irrelevant in disseminating crucial information to young people on the voting process.
“The state media continues to be the epicenter of hate speech, indoctrination, intolerance and the instigation of political violence amongst young Zimbabweans. The youths resolved to set up a parallel political information programme that will flood the social media, mobile networks, print media, electronic media and community information centres that will act as the hub of informing and educating Zimbabweans on the electoral process and peaceful conduct during and after elections,” said the civic organisation in a statement.
Post published in: News