Police bar NYDT training workshops

Police have denied National Youth Development Trust (NYDT) clearance to conduct trainings in Lupane citing an excuse that the life skills training clashes with another meeting in the same venue. Quite interestingly in all this case is the fact that NYDT had already secured the same venue for the life skills training which the police officers claim it was reserved for another meeting. It is from this basis therefore that the reason forwarded by the police officers fails to gain subsistence. 

The organisation had planned to conduct two different training workshops for four days from September 11, 2012, starting with a two day life skills training followed by a Leadership and capacity development training. The life skills training workshop is aimed at improving young people’s  understanding of gender, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS while ensuring that they make use of the acquired knowledge in decision-making, interpersonal communication and planning for their lives. It largely involves gender mainstreaming, HIV/AIDS and career guidance. The life skills training also focuses on ensuring that the youths are aware of and do get tested for HIV and AIDS. Similar life skills trainings have been conducted in Nkayi and Bulawayo with specific partnership with the local health practitioners.

The capacity development training on the other hand aims at equipping the youths with leadership skills and encourages them to able to engage with duty bearers in and outside their communities thereby increasing their meaningful participation in decision making structures. The broader aim of such capacity development trainings is meant to ensure that young people share on leadership related issues and promote the ideal of assuming leadership in their respective communities so that they can be significant contributors to development.   

Observations that have been made indicate that space for civic activity has been shrinking in Lupane as the district continues to face strong protection from security agents. In total the work of other civic society organisations has been made difficult. In March this year Lupane police arrested the NYDT Senior Programs officer for conducting a life skills training workshop in the area. The police had initially denied the organisation clearance for the workshop but were forced to let it proceed by a High Court order interdict obtained through the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR). However they went on to disrupt the workshop saying they did not recognise the High Court clearance. Ironic enough despite such a disturbance, the police officers failed to provide process the necessary documentation leading to the arrest.

More recently, the same police in Lupane arrested three NYDT officers for allegedly conducting unlawful meetings. This happened regardless of the fact that the consultative meetings they were conduction did not require police clearance as they involved only four people and they we meant specifically for the councillors

Currently the organisation has challenged the police response to the notification by seeking intervention from the Magistrate’s court. However, the threat of harassment and arrest of its officers remains valid as has happened in the recent past.