In the past electoral processes, seeing a young person on the ballot paper was rare especially in the heavily traditional and cultural communities of Matabeleland South that only saw electoral processes as a thing for financially-backed men.
It was quite unthinkable that a young person can actually lead a community because to them—young people were too immature and inexperienced to make informed leadership decisions.
Years later, Matabeleland South has over 30 youths that were successfully nominated to participate as candidates in the looming 2023 elections!
“Its an incredible time to be a young person. I mean I will be voting for my fellow youth this August. Who could have thought this would happen a few years back?,” a happy young person from Matobo District told CYDT.
Another one shouted “Bazwakele oNtanga” in reference to CYDT`s trademark hashtag “#ZwakalaNtanga” which meant that young people had arrived and made their mark during candidate nomination process held on the 21st of June 2023.
The number of youth candidates could have been more if it was not for the nomination fees which young people believe were “exorbitant and beyond their reach”. One youth from Matobo told MYDI on the day of the candidates nomination that the resources needed for one to compete with other candidates was beyond the reach of many youth.
“After a number of civic education workshops and initiatives, a number of youth have been gradually gaining interest in taking part in the electoral process as candidates. However, the expenses needed for me to contest make it difficult for a young person especial in rural areas to contest like other older candidates with resources,” the youth said.
“But we’re optimistic that with more capacity building, it will give us resilience and motivation to show our communities that we are young people that are more than capable to take leadership positions. I am contesting because I am passionate as a young person to represent my peers in my ward, I want to see development that is sensitive to the needs of young people”the youth added.
The increase of youth participation as candidates in this upcoming 2023 elections is a testimony that the activities conducted by CYDT and MYDI such as the Civic and Voter Education activities were fruitful in teaching young people the importance of their involvement throughout the electoral cycle.
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