BY SIPHOSETHU MABUZA
MANZINI– Young people in Manzini have been given a new platform to participate in local governance following the establishment and swearing-in of the city’s Youth Council.
The new structure was formally introduced at the Municipal Council chambers, where young leaders took their oaths of office and began their roles within the youth leadership structure.
Awande Zulu of Manzini Nazarene High School was sworn in as Youth Mayor, with Manzini Central High School learner Sibusiso Dlamini taking the position of Deputy Youth Mayor. The development creates a space for young people to engage with issues affecting their city while gaining direct exposure to local governance.
Rather than limiting youth involvement to community activities and school structures, the Youth Council places young people within a formal platform connected to the Municipal Council. The significance of the initiative lies not only in the ceremony itself but in the opportunity it creates for young people to develop their leadership abilities and contribute their perspectives to conversations about the city.
Zulu and Dlamini now become some of the visible faces of the new structure, representing a generation that will eventually take on wider leadership responsibilities. The presence of learners from Manzini Nazarene High School and Manzini Central High School also highlights the role schools can play in developing young leaders and preparing them for responsibilities beyond the classroom.
The swearing-in comes with questions about what the new Youth Council will prioritise and how it will translate young people’s concerns into meaningful engagement with the city. For Manzini, however, the creation of the structure marks a step towards bringing younger voices closer to local government.
As the new youth leadership begins its term, its impact will ultimately be measured not by the ceremony, but by the conversations it starts, the issues it raises and the extent to which young people see themselves reflected in the future of their city.
#Manzini #YouthCouncil #YouthLeadership #YouthParticipation #ManziniMunicipality #EswatiniYouth #LocalGovernance #YoungLeaders #Manzini
(Courtesy Pic)
