The Youth Vote as the Deciding Factor; A Turning Point in the Zimbabwe 2023 Harmonized
In the realm of Zimbabwean politics, the nation’s youth population has traditionally been ignored and disregarded. However, as the 2023 Harmonized Elections loom, there is mounting evidence suggesting a dramatic shift. It is undeniable that the youth vote has the potential to be the deciding factor in these crucial elections, finally giving the younger generation a long-awaited voice in shaping the future of their country. Zimbabwe has an adult population of 8,052,216 (ZimStat census report 2022) and registered voters amount to 6 619 690 which is 72% (ZEC Delimitation Report 2023). ERC AFRICA Youth Preparations to Vote in the 2023 Harmonised Elections Report notes that 71% of the youths are registered to Vote ZEC notes that 2765190 (41.7%) of the electorate are Youths. In 2008 only 8% of the youths voted, increment to 22% in 2013 and finally to 44% in 2018. Based on this data and historical trends, we can expect a projected increase in youth voter turnout of approximately 66% thus 1825