YPU, NICE CAMPAIGN FOR MORE YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN TRIPARTITE ELECTIONS

By Blessings Kumwenda

Young Politicians Union (YPU) and National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) have horned efforts to encourage more youth participation in the fourth coming general elections through registrations campaigns conducted in some parts of the country. 

One of the campaign's posters

The partnership seeks to distribute motivation messages to youth who are in majority of the country’s population by taking a leading role in voter’s registration and voting activity. The campaign is also heartening more youth to contest in various government positions.

Speaking Saturday during one of the campaigns in Mzuzu YPU Director for Mzuzu Tega Mwaruwasa explained that through past experience it has been established that there is lack of seriousness amongst youth in elections participation. 

Mwaruwasa described the act as being very dangerous as young people makes approximately 65% of the country’s population.

“Indeed young people have to take a leading role in the elections activities and from the activity that we have had here in Mzuzu the response has been so over whelming. We promise to extend these campaigns to rural areas shortly,” he said.

YPU Director further stresses a need for more youth in decision making positions in government.

“Youth being in majority of Malawi’s population should primarily be involved in decision making activities,” he said.

In his remarks NICE District Civic Education Officer for Mzuzu Wallace Kudzala encouraged youth to register and vote in next year’s general elections. Kudzala however asked youth to refrain from violence.

“My message to all youth in the country ahead of the tripartite elections in May next year is that they should not be involved in any sort of violence activities. Youth are at all times in fore front of such promiscuous acts but later they turn out to be major victims also, so we do not want this to happen," he said.

According to NICE District Civic Education Officer they have collaborated with YPU as a way of reaching out to many young people.

People in Malawi are in the registration process ahead of May, 20 general elections scheduled for next year.