Local election advocacy group, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) has implored youth to actively participate in the country’s electoral processes in line with the national Constitution.
In a message to commemorate the 21st February National Youth Day, ZESN called on youths to exercise their constitutional rights through peaceful participation in electoral processes.
“Whilst the youth are an important demographic group in the country constituting 67.7% of the total population, their participation and representation in key governance processes remains low due to lower voter registration and low turnout during polling.
“ZESN thus, implores youths to exercise their constitutional rights through taking part in continuous voter registration as well as in participating in various electoral processes peacefully. Critical is the importance of opening up these spaces to younger people to take part in electoral processes as candidates, observers and election workers among other roles key to the democratic processes of Zimbabwe,” said ZESN
The network welcomed the adoption of the youth quota system and urged stakeholders to ensure representation of youths as defined in the national youth policy.
“ZESN welcomes the institutionalisation of the youth quota in the National Assembly to enhance their participation in democratic governance processes as this is something that youth had been lobbying for since 2017. However, there is need for the government and political parties to employ the 25% threshold as outlined in the National Youth Policy, to ensure representation of youth in all public office and leadership positions from the grassroots going upwards e.g. village, ward, and council to National level,” the network said
The advocacy group further implored youths to desist from societal ills that threatens their participation and positive influence in electoral processes.
“The Zimbabwe Election Support Network urges young people to uproot vices such as drug and alcohol abuse, violence and the abuse of social media that threaten their existence as responsible citizens, limiting their full participation and positive influence in the electoral processes which in turn erodes trust, credibility and slows the democratic momentum of the nation. The Network reiterates its call for youth to foster peace and not to allow themselves to be used to cause violence in the coming harmonized elections,” said ZESN
