Statement by National Youth Development Trust on violent occurrences during the Parliamentary portfolio committee consultative meetings

National Youth Development Trust is appalled by the behavior and conduct of some youths who have taken a deliberate stance to disrupt progressive consultative meetings that provide Zimbabweans an opportunity to shape democratic transition processes.  The recent orgy of violence that has characterized public consultations on policy issues are an indication of the regressive nature of some political parties that continue to bus young people to these meetings for the purposes of disrupting progress.

 A case in point is the violent occurrences at Mucheke hall in Masvingo on Wednesday October 19 as well as at the Bulawayo City Hall on Friday October 21, 2011 that led to the desertion of the meetings. The parliamentary portfolio committee on, Justice, Legal, Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs, consultative meetings on the Zimbabwe Electoral Amendment Bill were violently disrupted by youths who tried to suppress contributions from other people during the meetings. Such expressions of a lack of tolerance amongst these youths are a strategy being used by their sponsors to make intolerance of political dissent a postcolonial culture with a consequent effect of derailing democratization processes in Zimbabwe.  

 What is disheartening, and deserving strong condemnation, is the continuous use of young people as perpetrators of violence during these disruptions. Such anoetic behavior, by these youths, is surely an appearance of the sad realities of ideological indoctrination from a regime that is refusing to die. The net effect of such indoctrinations have been the survival of a Zimbabwe with a terribly stunted democratic culture, antipathy towards and hatred of democracy; and disdain for human rights, tolerance and pluralism.

In a political climate, like the one prevailing in Zimbabwe, where the old is dying and the new cannot be born, it becomes inevitable for the consequent political vacuum to be occupied by political monsters. The disruption of meetings facilitating citizen participation in legislative reforms is part of a reflection of a monster occupying the political vacuum hence the speed traps on the train of transition and attempts to extinguish the embers of democratisation.

As part of the development of a new social contract between citizens and their leadership, there is a need to rebuild the people’s confidence in political processes by;

·        Allowing space for various institutional and legislative reforms, which are needed to recreate the state, as a sensitive and people-oriented institution.

·         Compelling political players to start building a culture of tolerance

·         Ensuring that state security institutions conduct themselves in a non-partisan and apolitical manner

·         Exorcising the ghost of political violence through a proper national healing process as a basis for building a peaceful, tolerant and just Zimbabwe.

Most importantly, NYDT urges young people to desist from engaging in violent behavior for cheap political gains.

Statement by National Youth Development Trust on world youth day for democracy

National Youth Development trust joins the world in commemorating World Youth Day for Democracy. Of striking importance this year has been the pro-activeness of youths in democratic transformation of their society’s world over. Over 4,000 Egyptian youth protested brutal violence by their government, police, and security officials. Such a protest contributed to the ultimate ousting of former president Hosni Mubarak.

Similarly in southern Africa youths played a critical role in the recently held presidential elections in Zambia. The positive participation of youths in these elections became a determining factor in the democratic transition of the country. Such benchmarks deserve recognition on this particular day.

It cannot be doubted that youths are the potential change makers in all efforts to achieve democratic transition in Zimbabwe, just like they have been on the forefront of all revolutions and democratic transitions that have taken place globally this year. However, there is still a lot to be done in Zimbabwe to create an environment that will allow for democratic processes. A lot remains unaddressed in terms of electoral universal suffrage of youths in Zimbabwe. Nearly 72 % of the youths in Zimbabwe are not registered voters owing to the unfavorable political environment, skewed nature of the country’s politics and the violence that has characterized elections in Zimbabwe since 1980. Selective application of the law, lack of rule of law and draconian pieces of legislature are all contributing to the suppression of youth participation in critical processes in Zimbabwe.

On this day, the National Youth development trust reaffirms its commitment in ensuring greater youth participation in all democratic processes.  We also challenge the leaders of Zimbabwe to create an environment conducive enough for young people to play their part in the struggle for democratic transition. We also encourage them to channel the potential and energy of young people to positive use.

NYDT Holds Human Rights and Arts Festival

More than 200 young people thronged Nkulumane Hall for the Democracy and Human Rights Arts festival to witness various artistic presentations under the theme “Inculcating a culture of proactive youth participation.”

The Festival, hosted by National Youth Development Trust (NYDT) on the 14^th of October brought together young artistes from Bulawayo and Gwanda. These included Jahunda Community arts who staged the play 1983: the years before and after, a play focused on National Healing, Reconciliation and Transitional Justice. Victory Siyanqoba also performed a play entitled Time-Up, whose main thrust, was to encourage young people to participate meaningfully in elections. Other artistes who scintillated audiences with informative artistic presentations included stand up comedians Ntando and Clive, Poet Mgcini Nyoni, GDA a musical group as well as Isazi dance group. The various art pieces were modeled in a way that depicts the aspirations of the Zimbabweans about the current human rights and democratic mirage.