ElectionsZW: You don’t have to attend a political rally to be a voter
Leopold Chakanyuka, one of the youths who participated in a Twitter Spaces that was organised by Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET) said being a voter does not require one to attend political meetings.
A lot of young people in Zimbabwe say they are afraid to participate in elections because of violence.
Elections in Zimbabwe since 2000 when the main opposition MDC was formed, have been characterised by political violence.
So severe has been the violence to the extent that some have lost their lives and others got injured. Property worth millions were also destroyed in the process, among other things.
As the country is slowly moving towards the 2023 general elections, violence has already started in some parts of the country.
There have been both inter and intra party violence.
Speaking during the Twitter Spaces, Chakanyuka said young people do not need to trouble themselves attending political rallies as it is not a requirement for one to be a voter.
‘’You don’t have to attend a rally for you to be a voter. You can go and vote on your own without necessarily going to a rally or participating directly in politics that is one of the things that young people need to understand,’’ he said.
Violence discouraging youth participation
According to Chakanyuka, political violence is one of the main reasons that discourage young people from participating in political activities.
‘’The level of political violence can also discourage people. There was a time when we were doing student politics. We had a meeting that we were supposed to go and the place was away from Harare.
‘’We had girls with us. But one girl received a call from her boyfriend saying the moment you are going for that meeting with those guys our relationship is over.
‘’This is because to the guy politics was violent. It was not for girls, they say you die if you join politics. This is one of the things that have discouraged a lot of young people from getting involved in politics.’’
ElectionsZW: You don’t have to attend a political rally to be a voter
