As Zimbabwe gears for the forthcoming parliamentary by-elections Wednesday, it still remains to be seen whether young people will play a direct role in Zimbabwean politics.
Most young people in the country have long called for an inclusive role in politics, as they are often used as agents of violence.
With factionalism ravaging some opposition parties like the splinter group of the newly formed Movement for Democratic Change Renewal Team, forming another new political party – Renewal Democrats of Zimbabwe - it seems opposition are no longer formidable.
But other emerging opposition parties fielding candidates in the by -election, say they are creating a new culture of politics, which includes youths.
Ignatius Goto, youth secretary for legal affairs of Transform Zimbabwe, told VOA Studio 7 his party is fighting for a change in the country’s politics.
“Politicians should stand for matters of principle not matters of personality, so we are trying to indoctrinate those principles to our youth to say that they are not leaders of tomorrow they are leaders of today,” said Goto.
Goto said the youth in Zimbabwe should not be used to promote violence but to collaborate and deal with pressing national issues.
There are some 10 opposition parties in Zimbabwe, including Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe First, Transform Zimbabwe, and Zimbabweans United for Democracy, among others.
