News / National
Bid to mobilise Zimbabwean youth to register to vote
19 Jun 2011 at 05:50hrs |
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A non-governmental organisation has launched a campaign to mobilise Zimbabwe's youths to register to vote in the next elections.
Youth Alliance for Democracy (YAD) launched the campaign on Friday.
President Robert Mugabe has intimated that he wants fresh elections this year but indications are that this would not be possible due to outstanding issues within the Global Political Agreement.
South African President Jacob Zuma, the SADC appointed mediator in the Zimbabwe crisis, has demanded that Zanu-PF and the two formations of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) fully implement the GPA, agree on an election roadmap, and complete the writing of a new constitution that will lead to fresh fair and free elections.
The two MDCs are also concerned about state-sponsored violence amid reports that Zanu-PF intends deploying more than 80000 soldiers as part of Mugabe's election machinery.
Mugabe has also been under pressure from the SADC and the international community not to rush an election whose outcome would be disputed, such as what happened in the 2008 presidential election.
But YAD coordinator, Thulani Mswelanto, said his organisation was leaving nothing to chance by starting its voter education campaign, saying Zimbabwean youths had a role in the future of the country.
"With an increase in the number of new informed young voters coupled with comprehensive electoral reforms, we anticipate minimal electoral fraud," said Mswelanto.
His organisation launched a CD and DVD on Friday titled "Donhodzo" (Pacifier) with the purpose of encouraging youths to register to vote.
The CD has four tracks that seek not only to get youths registered to vote but also mitigate against electoral violence, and are part of the broader alternative media advocacy channels being employed by the organisation to provide unbiased information on electoral processes.
The DVD is a compilation of young people's views calling for electoral reforms collected during outreach meetings and will be used to lobby government to embark on a reform process that will lead to electoral democracy.
Through this process YAD will distribute 50000 copies of the entertaining but educative discs.
At the same platform, YAD also launched the Youth Voter's Guide which has information on the country's election system, laws and procedures, dispelling electoral myths that have been peddled over the years to marginalised communities.
Youth Alliance for Democracy (YAD) launched the campaign on Friday.
President Robert Mugabe has intimated that he wants fresh elections this year but indications are that this would not be possible due to outstanding issues within the Global Political Agreement.
South African President Jacob Zuma, the SADC appointed mediator in the Zimbabwe crisis, has demanded that Zanu-PF and the two formations of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) fully implement the GPA, agree on an election roadmap, and complete the writing of a new constitution that will lead to fresh fair and free elections.
The two MDCs are also concerned about state-sponsored violence amid reports that Zanu-PF intends deploying more than 80000 soldiers as part of Mugabe's election machinery.
Mugabe has also been under pressure from the SADC and the international community not to rush an election whose outcome would be disputed, such as what happened in the 2008 presidential election.
But YAD coordinator, Thulani Mswelanto, said his organisation was leaving nothing to chance by starting its voter education campaign, saying Zimbabwean youths had a role in the future of the country.
"With an increase in the number of new informed young voters coupled with comprehensive electoral reforms, we anticipate minimal electoral fraud," said Mswelanto.
His organisation launched a CD and DVD on Friday titled "Donhodzo" (Pacifier) with the purpose of encouraging youths to register to vote.
The CD has four tracks that seek not only to get youths registered to vote but also mitigate against electoral violence, and are part of the broader alternative media advocacy channels being employed by the organisation to provide unbiased information on electoral processes.
The DVD is a compilation of young people's views calling for electoral reforms collected during outreach meetings and will be used to lobby government to embark on a reform process that will lead to electoral democracy.
Through this process YAD will distribute 50000 copies of the entertaining but educative discs.
At the same platform, YAD also launched the Youth Voter's Guide which has information on the country's election system, laws and procedures, dispelling electoral myths that have been peddled over the years to marginalised communities.
Source - timeslive
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