Youths have hailed the 43rd independence celebrations held last week, thanking President Mnangagwa for initiating the youth quota system in Parliament set to empower young people politically by bringing them into mainstream politics.
The youths said the introduction of the youth quota was “an icing on the independence cake” that will ensure young people continue to benefit from the gains of independence.
They attributed the move to the ingenuity of the Second Republicʼs policies that have ensured
developmental inclusivity as enunciated by President Mnangagwaʼs push for “leaving no place and no one behind”.
The push ensures that all sectors of Zimbabweʼs demographic divide are fairly represented, emancipated and developed in line with Vision 2030 of attaining an upper middle income economy and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Electoral Amendment Bill, which is before Parliament, that will enforce the youth quota, signifies President Mnangagwaʼs sincere will to align the country with its constitutional provisions and ensure that youths have a say and are active players in the governing and developing of the country, the youths said.
Speaking on Independence Day last week, Zanu PF Youth League national secretary for gender and culture Cde Naledi Maunganidze, who was recently uncontested as the partyʼs Masvingo Youth quota Member of Parliament candidate said: “Masvingo Province Youth League is profoundly grateful for the wise and able leadership of President Mnangagwa that has continued to make strides across government spectrum, including empowering young people.
“Youths are seeing first-hand the able leadership of the Second Republic and I will personally invest my energies to ensure that President Mnangagwaʼs success story is loudly told to youths who are
demographically the majority of our voters in the coming polls to ensure that our President and party win resoundingly in the upcoming harmonised elections.”
Cde Maunganidze said in their interaction with other youths and members of the Zanu PF Youth League, they all were praising President Mnangagwa for his focused leadership that aimed at uplifting young people, making them relevant to the development of the country.
“In fact, some civic society organisations dealing with issues concerning young people and youths from all walks of life are commending President Mnangagwaʼs Government for the deliberations of the Electoral Amendment Bill, especially the provision on the youth quota,” she said.
“They note that youth had faced structural barriers which prevented their meaningful participation in politics and governance processes of the country, but President Mnangagwa is correcting these
anomalies.”
The Community Youth Development Trust (CYDT) said the youth quota provision was in sync with their demands as enshrined in the Constitution.
“The Electoral Amendment Bill is in sync with the basis of our push that calls on the Government to
protect the constitutionally granted right for the youths to be fairly represented at all levels of governance from the district to national level platforms and ensure that youth empowerment comes with a legislative framework,” the organisation said in a statement.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, who is the Leader of the House, recently said the Electoral Amendment Bill will be given priority by Parliament so that it is passed on time as it has a bearing on the forthcoming harmonised elections.
The Bill will operationalise the latest constitutional amendments for election of the 10 youth members of the National Assembly, one from each province, as well as the continued election of 60 women, six from each province, to the National Assembly under a party-list system.
The Bill will extend the new constitutional provisions for the election of women on a party-list system to provincial councils and local authorities, and will prevent people from being nominated for election if they have been convicted of certain oences.
It also sets a time-limit for the withdrawal of constituency candidates.
The Bill seeks to stop the use of driverʼs licences as proof of identity by persons who register as voters and
those who obtain ballot papers at polling stations.

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