Ndaba Nhuku | 2018 elections are a brutal fight over youth partipation and their vote.

It would appear that Nelson Chamisa’s taking over the reigns at the MDCT and MDC Alliance has suddenly energised young people into politics. Even the Diaspora has begun to honestly engage in MDC T and MDC Alliance politics. Nonetheless, Chamisa’s taking over is without its ongoing drama.

Even though, the same drama has inevitably entrenched his popularity within the youth base without any shadow of doubt to any observer. On the other hand, it is also mostly young people especially those supporting Thoko Khuphe in the leadership wrangle, who are openly criticising Chamisa for taking over the party without going to Congress. This has highlighted how the youth have suddenly taken ownership of the party’s leadership debate. The wrangle is now spearheaded by young people in the two still uncompromising camps.

Not to be outdone, Zanu PF also unleashed its youths out into the social media battlefield not unexpectedly supporting Thoko Khuphe whilst attacking Chamisa. Zanu PF sees Khuphe as a weak candidate against Mnangagwa who has a wider tribal and establishment loyalty. While Chamisa challenges both the tribal loyalty whilst winning the youth appeal.

This Mnangagwa versus Chamisa contest is also inevitably a battle ferociously engaged in by youth. In his speech in the recently conducted Zanu PF Youth program, Mnangagwa was even compelled to acknowledge the power of social media which was in relation and recognition of how Zanu PF youths are fighting in his corner against a youthful and youth appealing Chamisa.

Mnangagwa seems to have even enlisted the help of people like Temba Mliswa whose rhetoric tends to appeal to young people to aid him counter the Chamisa appeal.

In agreement, someone noted, “The inaugural meeting of Mnangagwa and the Zanu youth is an indication that Mliswa is part and parcel of Zanu Pf as his advisor to put a gate in front of ED with the youth to protect him from Chamisa.”

Indeed that seems to be a strategy Zanu PF needs to cut off the youth from the MDC Alliance.

The unusual excitable involvement and participation of youths in the 2018 elections is therefore likely to be problematic with tempers rising as has already been noted in the few violent incidents that have so far taken place.

All parties seem to have suddenly realised the essential vote and campaign role of the youth vis-a-vis the now traditional habit of bribing of women with token food items. If the electoral battle is not fought in the streets by the excitable youth, the battle will be ugly in social media with fake news, misinformation and downright character assassinations.
It is highly commendable that young people seem at the forefront of the elections campaign. On that note let’s hope they themselves are registered and will indeed cast their votes to make a decision on the leadership they want to carry their aspirations and dreams to fruition.

One hopes it won’t come to what another cadre observed, “This election may be one of the most violent as the main parties go for the youth, in the process using the youth in violent clashes on the campaign trail”