Media Statement by Operation Young Vote on the Launch of the Project/Campaign to Enhance the Civic and Voter Participation among the Youth of Matero and Chilanga Constituencies

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Delivered at a Media Briefing by

Guess Nyirenda (Mr.)

On Behalf of Operation Young Vote (OYV)

@ Kizito Community School – George Compound

Lusaka

14:30 hours

Sunday 6^th December, 2020:

OPERATION YOUNG VOTE (OYV)

Lotti House, 6^th Floor, Suite 21, Cairo Road P.O. Box 30153

Email: oyvleader2000@gmail.com Cell: 0955/77-769 688

LUSAKA

 

 

6^thDecember, 2020: Media Statement by Operation Young Vote on the Launch of the Project/Campaign to Enhance the Civic and Voter Participation among the Youth of Matero and Chilanga Constituencies

All protocol observed.

Fellow Citizens and the Media:

Introduction

Operation Young Vote (OYV) is very delighted that more than 20 years/2 decades of its existence the organidsation stands strong as a platform to advocate for the plight of the young people especially with regards to their involvement and participation in governance and the electoral process.

I note on behalf of OYV and the young people of Zambia and indeed on my own behalf the great works that OYV has done on the Zambian and beyond governance trajectory. OYV has indeed contributed to the change towards positive attitudes regarding the way young people are looked. Indeed over the years OYV working with other like-minded organisations and individuals have endeavored to push the wheels of justices and equity even in the face of life threatening hurdles. OYV has stood the storm even when the stand the organization took was unpopular.

Young People, Citizens and the Media:

It is also worth noting that OYV has always stood with and on the side of the people especially the young people.

Apart from participating in many national matters and endevours (such as Constitution making process, Electoral Reforms, Policy formulation (National Youth Policies, NGO Policy and many other policies, serving on Conflict and Voter Education Committee of the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) just to mention but a few, OYV has represented its constituency diligently and in an efficacy way, and this has all along been to the delight of the young people and other members of society.

OYV also prides of successfully running projects/campaigns around the electoral process and elections since 2001. Among these campaigns are the “Get Your NRC – Register to Vote”, “Cast Vote”, “My Vote is My Right, I shall Protect it”, “Follow Your Vote”, Meet Your Candidates Forum” “Tripple ‘V’ My, Vote, My Voice, My Victory”, “Violence Must Fall”, “Young People Drivers of Dialogue, Reconciliation and Peace (DDRP)” and many others. Through these campaigns OYV has raise the bar of Young People’s involvement and participation in National matters general and the Electoral Process particularly.

Young People, Citizens and the Media:

Please note that these campaigns have been sponsored by Cooperating Partners too numerous to itemize. The support of Young People across the country to OYV’s programmes has been overwhelming over the years. Recently OYV participated in the National sensitization against the spread of COVID 19 Pandemic. A huge number of Youth volunteered to be frontline personnel in sensitizing the members of the Communities on the dangers of the COVID 19 Pandemic. I am compelled to mention this due to the fact that yesterday was the International Volunteer Day and that our volunteers need to be commended.

 

THIS PROJECT/CAMPAIGN: THE ENHANCEMENT OF THE CIVIC AND VOTER PARTICIPATION AMONG THE YOUTH OF MATERO AND CHILANGA CONSTITUENCIES

 

Young People, Citizens and the Media:

This project/campaign on enhancing the civic and voter participation of among the youth in Matero and Chilanga Constituencies is yet another milestone.

Young People, Citizens and the Media:

The purpose of this project as the name suggests is about cultivating and developing the civic and voter responsibility of the Youth of Matero and Chilanga Constituencies (Target Communities), through the proposed and outlined strategies. The project also seeks to enhance the civic and voter awareness regarding the 2020 Mobile Issuance of National Registration Card (NRC), the ongoing ordinary process of acquisition of the NRCs including the 2020 Registration of Voters by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) with the view of luring the Young People and Members of the target communities to be prepared and engage in the processes with their ultimate goal of participating in the 2021 National Elections. Further this initiative and undertaking aims at not only cultivating a sense of ownership of the political system by the Youth, but also to instill confidence in the targeted Young People, citizens and other stakeholders to use and demand of the political system to be responsive of their needs regardless of their political affiliation and status in Society.

We note in the project/campaign document that whereas the numbers of citizens that attain the eligible age of voting grows by the year according to the Central Statistical Office, those that acquire NRCs, register to vote let alone cast their vote drop in numbers. A number of Young People have been disenfranchised due to failure to acquire NRCs as a result of various factors. The statistics released by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) over the years further confirm that the country has been witnessing a countrywide decline in voter turnout in the last 15 years. The number of people that turn up to vote has been declining in each election year. In the Presidential election held in January 2015, the country witnessed a merger 33% voter turnout the lowest ever recorded. The 2016 Presidential, General and Local Government Elections and Referendum on the Bill of Rights followed the trend.

Young People, Citizens and the Media:

In order to abate and mitigate these unprecedented dwindling participation levels and low voter turnout in elections in Zambia, Operation Young Vote (OYV) made this proposal to the American Embassy in Zambia, who also welcomed it knowing that the initiative would motivate and lure the citizenry, especially the youth who are the majority of the Zambian population and voters, to turn out enmasse and acquire NRCs, register to and cast their vote in 2021.  OYV is confident through this innovation of addressing the challenges of lack of political participation in democratic elections (voting) by the young people and citizens generally. The project will be for a period of seven (7) months and will be implemented in two constituencies of Matero in Lusaka District and Chilanga in Chilanga District for maximum impact. The two areas have been carefully selected in the one is urban while the other is pre-urban respectively. The two Constituencies have not been spared by the low voter turnout trajectory being experienced on the Zambian Political and Electoral scene. For instance in Matero Constituency the turnout dropped by about 18.5 % between 2006 and 2011 from about 70.77% to 52.26%. Between 2011 and 2016 there was a slight improvement those not significant for a constituency of Matero’s position in the country especially taking into account factors such as population and its cosmopolitan nature. The increase was just by a merger 6% from about 52.26% to 58.34% in 2016. Further Chilanga has shown a diving decline 55.26% in 2016 to a whopping 28.46% in the 2018 Parliamentary by election that was called to replace the incarcerated Member of Parliament. Out of the total 49,614 Registered Voters only 14,121 turned out to cast their ballot. The campaign in the two areas is aimed at raising awareness amongst Young People and citizens on the importance of their vote.

Young People, Citizens and the Media:

The project will use innovative and both conventional and unconventional methods of implementation to capture big numbers and maximise on the impact under the COVID 19 new normal.

PROJECT/CAMPIAGN GOAL: To rekindle and enhance the civic responsibility of Young People in participation in national affairs by acquiring NRCs and registering as voters and participate in the 2021 Elections through greater public awareness of processes with a further view of abating the voter apathy that has rocked Zambia’s Electoral Process and Election.

PROJECT/CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVES: To attain the overall objective are the following specific objectives:

• To sensitise and raise awareness among the Youth, in the target areas, of the commencement of the mobile and ongoing ordinary issuance of NRCs and voter registration exercises by the DNRPC and the ECZ respectively;
• To urge Young People and other members of the communities in the target areas to acquire National Registration Cards (NRCs), register as voters and eventually cast their ballot;
• To capacity build the Young People to take responsibility and ownership of the political and electoral systems while rejecting patronage;
• To broaden, enhance and inspire the participation of young people (men and women) including the First Time Voters (FTV) and the general public in the electoral process;

 

Conclusion:

OYV through this project/campaign shall ensure that all corners of the targeted areas and beyond are reached and that no eligible young people in the targeted areas are disadvantaged and disenfranchised. We appeal to the Young People in the said targeted areas and generally across the country.

OYV would like to pay tribute to the US Embassy in Zambia in particular and to the Donor Community in general for the sponsorship in enhancing democracy and good governance in Zambia through their support to many projects by various Civil Society Organisations.

OYV however still want to appeal to the Cooperating Partners to do even more. Our appeal to the stakeholders including the Government, ECZ, Political Parties, the Media and indeed the Young People themselves is that all of us should work at ensuring that NO eligible Zambian especially the Young People should be disenfranchised.

May God bless us all. Have a pleasant week ahead of you, I thank you all.

Guess Nyirenda

Executive Director

OPERATION YOUNG VOTE