PYD Director Claris Madhuku addressing the crowd at the Get Out and Vote Campaign Launch

Get Out and Vote campaign Launched in Chipinge

Chipinge District is a homogeneous community that believes in the promotion of sustainable social and economic development within the theoretical framework of social cohesion and peaceful co-existence. However, the convergence of pressing community development and political power provides opportunities for Platform for Youth Development to integrate peace and elections. On 7 July 2018, PYD launched the Get Out and Vote Campaign at Checheche growth point. The launch was configured around the message of peace and in the same vein committing local politicians to a peaceful campaign. The launch was graced by Zimdance Hall artists of note that included Lady Squanda, Tocky Vibes and Shinsoman. The main target of the Get Out and Vote Campaign were the registered young people in the District, hence the use of Zimdance Hall artists at the launch. This target group was in harmony with PYD’s earlier advocacy work where the organisation mobilised at least 295 000 young people between the age of 18 and 35 to register as voters in Manicaland Province.

Platform for Youth Development Trust functions in accord with the expectations and aspirations of the community. The success and subsequent endorsement of the launch bears testimony to the acceptability of the organisation in the district as a genuine community platform for engagement and advocacy. The political chaos that the community had experienced in the past resulted in dysfunctional relationships. This chaos was centred on the approach by politicians to reduce human conditions and social crises into mere power politics expressions. Peace and social cohesion within the community is so important that politicians ought to commit themselves to peaceful campaign. A peaceful environment enhances the sovereignty will of the people and is a pad for community development. Within this argument, the traditional leadership in the area graced the occasion as a sign of approval to the community’s need for peace. PYD provided protocol to the traditional leadership and they in turn duly acknowledged the importance work of the organisation in promoting peaceful co-existence and social cohesion.

The local security apparatus in the form of ZRP together with traditional leaders witnessed the signing of the peace pledge by contesting candidates in the district. The dynamics of the peace commitment by politicians opened up a new vista of possibilities in the district. It was a moment where a contemplative community bears witness to a realistic social cohesion not being disrupted by political differences. MDC Alliance, MDC T, NCA, CODE, PRC and Zanu PF were some of the political parties who appended their signatures to the peace pledge. Nowhere is the capacity for transformation more evident than the coming together of political adversary and pledge their commitment to a peaceful campaign.

PYD has managed to be an enabling platform for the community to be integrative. It has been recognised and acknowledged as inclusive of people of different viewpoints and political affiliations, as it integrates the community into a functioning mystical body.

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