YOUTH TAKE CHARGE

TODAY marks the last day of voter registration, and I hope you have registered to vote.

A vote carries a lot of power in shaping the direction of economic policy. I have, in previous articles, articulated the role of the vote in determining public policy and the direction of the economy as a whole. Today I am going to make a case why it is important for one to vote and also what the costs of not voting are. I will end by making a plea to civil society to continually educate the public on how to hold elected officials accountable throughout their term in office.

Cost of relinquishing vote

Abstaining from voting means that the minority who register and vote get to determine and choose the candidates to hold public office. If the majority decides not to vote, the minority will still form a government and they will make policy decisions for the majority. I do believe it is imperative that we all register to vote so you have a choice on who gets to represent you in the house of Parliament. It is also important to align yourself with a member of Parliament who holds similar values and aspirations as those of the electorate. Relinquishing the vote is a very costly decision, in essence by not voting one abdicates the power and control over the public purse, fiscal policy, public policy, social policy, service provision inter-alia to those who will vote. In economics we call this the opportunity cost, being the best alternative that one gives up by virtue of taking one decision instead of the other. Recent studies show that the youth, across the globe, is becoming more active in the political and social dispensation and I implore our youth to become active too.

Youth policy

I have pleaded, several times, through this article for deliberate actions from government to solve issues of the youth. I have pleaded time and again for a mere E100 million towards financing youth development and skills programmes so that we get our youth into the mainstream while also reducing the scourge of youth unemployment in the country. I put it to the youth that this is now the time to work towards establishing a government that will be responsive to their plight. The population structure of the country is such that a majority of the population are the youth. It is unfathomable then why we should have a government that seeks to always mainstream issues of the youth and their needs. While it is true that most government programmes will benefit the youth, we cannot underscore the need for explicit youth focused programmes so that we avoid problems going forward. The youth has the numbers and this election presents an opportunity for them to waltz in and take charge of policy making decisions, the youth owns the future and it is only fair that they get to make decisions about how the future should look like.

Beauty of Tinkhundla system

The electoral system is based on meritocracy, all that one needs to occupy a seat in the House of Assembly is the numbers. I implore the youth to take advantage of this system, one does not need to rise through party ranks so they can be appointed a seat in the houses of Parliament, all that one needs is the vote. Statistically if all young people registered to vote and they all voted in unison, they could unseat all the geriatrics currently occupying seats in the House of Assembly. However, if young people choose not to vote, the older generation will vote each other into office and they will continue making decisions about a future they might not even see. I implore the youth to take charge and grab this opportunity, we need a government that will be empathetic to the needs of the youth and they can actually form the legislative arm of that government. Young people can shape the future and we need to use the vote effectively; the cost of abdicating the vote is dire and we cannot afford to let it go as young people. It is a numbers game and the odds are stacked in favour of the youth. The time is now to spark a vigorous youth movement in the country.

It’s a cycle

Every system of governance has inbuilt checks and balances to ensure accountability. It is imperative that we take it upon ourselves to learn of the accountability mechanisms that one can use to hold a member of Parliament accountable. The power to recall a member of Parliament who is not delivering according to the will of the electorate lies with the people, however, one needs to be a registered voter to be able to participate in that process. The power to participate in by-elections requires one to be a registered voter. We need to learn, as emaSwati, that politics are an ongoing process not just a process of elections, it is a cycle.

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