By Evance Chisiano

Blantyre June 11, Mana: Young people from the southern region of the country met in Blantyre on Monday during National Youth Council of Malawi (NYCOM) organized National Youth Conversation said they have not given up in participating in electoral processes but they only get frustrated and fed up with adults that exploit them to gain their political mileage.

NYCOM in collaboration with Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) called for a youth meeting at Amaryllis Hotel in Blantyre under the topic; ‘Have the Youth Given Up?: Unleashing the Power of Youth Participation and Leadership in Electoral Processes’

According to the NYCOM the meeting was meant to allow young people to voice up their concern, discuss matters that matter and ask question that should provide answers for them to open up to start participating in electoral processes and in some cases start preparing to contest for various elective positions ahead of 2025 general election.

NYCOM, Executive Director, Rex Chapota said that, “We are to strengthen how the youth can participate in matter of national importance in these regards elections,”

He observed and was sure that the youth have power to transform the nation if they fully and actively participate in the electoral processes other than being passive on matters to do with politics and elections. 

At a public lecture at the University of Malawi (UNIMA in Zomba, MEC Chairperson, Justice Dr. Chifundo Kachale disclosed that research findings in the Sub-Saharan Africa revealed that youth’s participation in electoral processes (mainly during voting) was very minimal compared to adults in the same region.

The NYCOM and MEC jointly organized the Amaryllis meeting to encourage youth representatives drawn from district level youth networks, youth led organizations, university colleges political youth wings and youth’s aspirants for elective positions to mobilize their fellow youths to get registered and vote in the 2025 general election.

Foundation for Civic Education and Social Empowerment (FOCESE), Christie Banda said young people have not in any way given up their participation in matters of national importance such as elections.

“Young people are only frustrated with how they are being exploited by politicians who only need us during elections campaigns so that they should gain their political gains,” she added.

Banda noted that once voted into elected positions, politicians only make policies that directly benefit them while ignoring issues that affects young people whose population was in majority.

During discussions at the Blantyre, National Youth Conversation (Second series), the young people expressed concerns over politicians that only need young people to patronize their campaign meetings, dance and paint their faces to decorate their meetings and further observed that in some instances politicians use the young people to disrupt opponents’ meetings.

MEC Deputy Chief Elections Officer, Harris Potani called on the young people to start regaining their position in the society by being responsible and strong against all factors that’s can tarnish their image.

He said young people are in majority and can fully and meaningfully participate in electoral processes, adding that this was the reason why MEC decided to collaborate with the NYCOM to call the National Youth Conversation to interact with the young people. 

“This is why we are meeting you here. Our approach should depart from one size fits all. MEC has arranged a series of meeting to reach out to young people through various approaches and means,” Potani added.

Several speakers that included Prof. Boniface Dulani of the Afrobarometer, Prof, Happy Kayuni from UNIMA School of Law and Action Aid Malawi, Executive Director, Yandura Chipeta made their inspirational remarks to the young people to see them participating in the electoral processes.