Zimbabwe Youth Council at it again?

The following post is from Youth Agenda, thanks to Francis for the update: youthagenda@gmail.com

VOTE RIGGING PLOT EXPOSED:

Youth Agenda Trust has received with shock news that the Zimbabwe
Youth Council is intending to hold elections for board members on the
29th of February 2012 after the previous board was dissolved
mysteriously late last year by Youth Minister, Hon Saviour Kasukuwere.
The ZYC has already nominated candidates for the elections and the
candidates have already been notified. Youth Agenda Trust is
privileged to be in possession of a copy of a letter that was send to
one of the nominated candidates which was written on the 16th of
February 2012. Youth Agenda Trust is saddened that attached to the
letter is a copy of invite for Youth Associations to participate in
elections for Council Membership - 2012. “The Council is inviting a
maximum of two (2) delegates from each registered national youth
association to participate in the election process. The elections will
be held on the 29th of February 2012 at a venue to be advised, reads
part of the invite.

Youth Agenda Trust is worried that Youth Associations must send the
names and identity details of the two delegates for accreditation not
later than the 24th of February 2012. However a survey that was
carried out by the Youth Agenda Trust has revealed that by the 22nd of
February the Youth Associations contacted by YAT had not received the
letters of invite for the two delegates and have been kept in the dark
for unknown reasons. We have a feeling that there is a deliberate ploy
to keep bona fide delegates in the dark because in the past the ZYC
used to send information through emails to all youth associations ,
surprisingly the same Council has seen it fit to withhold details
pertaining to this important election.

The fact that the electoral process is shrouded in secrecy and that
the venue has not been disclosed two days before the close of
accreditation of eligible voters speaks volumes about the nature of
the process. It is a matter of great concern that the ZYC is now being
privatized and taken away from the real owners of the council (the
Youth Associations) into the hands of political hawks and sharks who
do not have the interests of young people at heart. Youth Agenda Trust
thus views the purported election as nothing but a kangaroo gathering
which does not have the mandate of young people nor represent their
aspirations. It is in view of these developments that YAT would like
to disassociate itself from the current madness and take this
opportunity to call upon the ZYC Director Livingstone Dzikira to
immediately halt this window dressing exercise and start over again an
inclusive process that includes bona fide youth associations such as
YAT and others. We urge the ZYC to call for an all stakeholders
meeting that will pave way for free and fair elections, failure to do
so we urge Youth Associations to;

1.      Cease recognizing the board until it is properly constituted.
2.      Shun the activities of the council.
3.      Approach relevant stakeholders with a view to stop the illegal
board from running the activities of the council.

Having said all this, we are however afraid that all our efforts to
bring sanity to the Council may fail to see the light of the day given
the fact that the history of ZYC particularly its origins is not too
pleasing. But let us also hasten to mention that we have faith that
the Director of ZYC will not have difficulties sorting out the
anomalies.

Inserted by the Information and Publicity Department
In pursuit of a democratic Zimbabwe
_________________________
YOUTH AGENDA TRUST Zimbabwe
6 Sandford Crescent
Eastlea
Harare, Zimbabwe
+263 4 2936385
+263 912 429 093
+263 912 281 352
youthagenda@gmail.com
www.youthagendazim.org.zw