FORMER Hurungwe West MP Temba Mliswa said youths in Zimbabwe should find a respectable position in the governance of this country through principled leadership totally divorced from violent behaviour.
BY OBEY MANAYITI
Mliswa made the remarks during the launch of a new youth organisation, Youth Advocacy for Reform and Democracy (Yard) where he is the founding national coordinator.
The organisation has members from diverse political backgrounds, political parties, as well as student representative boards.
“The days of being violent as young people are long gone and we would like to warn the politicians who thought youths could always fight that Yard has changed that today,” he said.
“In this room we have different political parties and those from different SRCs. That has never happened before. This must be a clear message to the leaders in Zimbabwe that youths cannot be used anymore. They want their piece of the cake to start having positions.”
The former Zanu PF Mashonaland West provincial chairperson said Yard was charged with promoting active participation of youths in national building, lobbying and advocating for youth participation and representation in national policy formulation and decision making.
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Mliswa said the youth organisation will also be mandated to actively promote the observance of human rights, democracy and the security of people in Zimbabwe, promoting peace and security and capacitating potential youth leaders with leadership, grooming, etiquette and diplomatic skills.
He said he was funding the project by himself from farming proceeds.
He said it was unpleasant to note that Zimbabwe was a highly literate country with, however, low levels of tolerance among the citizens.
Former student leader Zachariah Mushawatu said youths should have 40% representation in Parliament and the age of voting should also be the age at which one can qualify to be a candidate to be voted for.
“As Yard, we are demanding at least 40% of seats in Parliament in the next election that is going to be held in Zimbabwe,” Mushawatu said.
Yard has national and provincial structures.
Patson Dzamara, brother to the missing activist Itai who was abducted in March, is the administrator of Yard. He said the youth organisation should not be seen as a political party, but a group of young people determined to get success.
“This is not a political party, but a movement of young people who are just keen to grab their destination into their own hands,” Dzamara said.
