Youth involvement in political violence during the 2015 and 2016 elections in Munali constituency.
This research investigated youth involvement in political violence during the 2015 and 2016 elections in Munali constituency. The objectives of the study were to; (1) to establish the factors that prompt youth‟s involvement in political violence; (2) to examine the nature of violence perpetrated by the youths during elections; (3) to establish how youths can be helped to stop or avoid involving themselves in political violence. The study employed a case study design to collect qualitative data from a total sample of 47 participants using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. The findings show that all the participants had an understanding of what constitutes political violence. The assumption of the research was that if the participants were able to differentiate political violence with other forms of violence perpetrated by the youths. In this study, political violence was understood to be the kind of violence that is politically motivated and that it is a common occurrence during elections. According to the findings, many youths get involved in political violence because they are unemployed and lack educational opportunities. The findings also show that political leaders were to be blamed for making youths support them during elections by means of violence. The findings established that youths get involved in political violence due to influence of alcohol and drugs. The findings also show that youths get involved in political violence because of peer pressure and patronage related issues. The findings established that there were several violent clashes during the 2015-2016 campaign period between the ruling party cadres (PF) and those from the main opposition party (UPND), and the youths were at the center of this violence. The findings also revealed that youths were involved in beating, brutalizing, verbally assaulting and extremely victimizing people thus creating an environment that was unconducive to hold a free and fair election. Furthermore, the study established that riots broke out in Munali constituency instigated by the youths as there was a delay to in the opening of polling stations and that police had to fire tear gas and warning shots to disperse the rioters, these riots were being perpetrated by the youths. Furthermore, a number of strategies were outlined and suggested as those that can help stop or avoid the involvement of youths in political violence. One of the strategies is to make funds
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