Should the voting age in Africa be lowered to 16?

I am totally in agreement of the lowering of the voting age to 16 in Africa and especially in my Country, Sierra Leone. Africa has a very youthful population and I am sure at age 16, one will be able to make the right choices.

I do not think voting age should be lowered to 16. Instead I think Productive age should be lowered to 16. When we are doing GDP per capital countries in Africa where youth are in boarding High school and universities start to be counted when the secure jobs. Mostly at their 20's in countries like the US where a young 16 year old can get a job bagging groceries in the supermarket part time they can make $16,000. When the African 16 year old has an income of Zero and is not considered a part of the labor force in the US this alone increases productivity.

No, voting age should remain at 18 years. Maturity is a virtue in leadership and democracy. Demography has its chance after maturity

I think 16 year old should not be allowed to take part in "active" politics (voting rights) in Africa due to my simple reason that Africa is not yet ripe to come into terms with huge numbers when it comes to organizations for registration through to vote counting, considering the fact that even the age limit being say 18 years the credibility of these elections in terms of numbers from certain areas are always disputed or perceived to be blotted. Yes, I agree that young people took active part in both the Tunisian and Egyptian revolutions, because their lives are affected by every decision that the politician takes like in these above case, thus the restrictions imposed by ousted leaders affected both young and old. The young had every right to take part in any activity that seeks to re-instate their dignity.
Dunkwa Jabpotin, Ghana.

I do not think it would be a big problem if citizens of 16years are allowed to vote if resources are readily available to cater for the increase in the number of people who would go and register as a voter and also travel to the polling stations to vote.

@caesarbbc: "I think Productive age should be lowered to 16"
You make an important point regarding lowering the employment age. But if you think they should be employed and by extension pay taxes, why should they not vote? Your point would lead to the conclusion reached by Bosnia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia. In these countries people between 16 and 18 who have a job are also allowed vote. So your important point would point in the direction of lowering the voting age to 16 rather than pegging it at 18 as most African countries have done.

@gabrielokumu "Maturity is virtue in leadership and democracry".
The point of voting is about having your say in decisions that affect your life and shaping the future in ways that it represents your interests. Africa's population is now made up largely of young people and it would appear to me that more of them should be involved in determining their future. In your statement you have conflated two different issues: "leadership" and "democracy". Leadership takes a certain level of experience that is gained through practice, preparation and training. But this is different from able to vote and have your chance to influence your own future.

@Dunkwa Jabpotin "Organizational challenges"
Your argument that lowering the voting age would overburden the system is an important point. The response is to work to improve the system. But your logic could lead to the false conclusion that if we raised the voting age the system will improve. In fact, electronic voting that is already in practice in parts of Africa will significantly improve the system. Your argument is like saying you should grow more bananas if monkeys will steal them. You just need a better system to keep the money away. You might even do better if you have more farmers involved rather than less.

Hey BBC Africa Have Your Say team. Its great to be back and be part of a great team of great thinkers. The subject at hand is what lots of young people especially from the age of 16 years would say is "long overdue". Lowering the voting age to 16 years... Take a look around the globe see who influences change from one type of political rule to another;mostly democracy. It's the youth in the forefront. The youth league in South Africa pioneered the recalling of Thabo Mbeki after all the allegations levelled against him. The movement to multi-partism in Zambia had youths heading the cause, most war-torn countries have youth militias, child soldiers and what not. Zimbabwe's soldiers and so-called green bombas are youths. From the business side there lots of young people taking lead in entrepreneurship. Lots of young people are connected to each other and the rest of the world through digital social networking i.e. facebook, twiter, myspace,hi5, etc. Youths in schools learn civic and gain basic understanding of political issues. Youths in high schools are engaged in vigorous debates about which country is doing what in the political sense. Most of these youth are average 16. Isn't that enough reasons to use the energy of young people to decide their future through a ballot box? Why is it that when politicians want to advance their interests, they use youths to, unfortunately cause violence? Therefore, I think lowering thr voting age will give young people some sense of involement and responsibility in their countries' affairs. It will also provoke them to study systems further in order to understand political responsibility. Perhaps another campaign should be about introducing political science at high school so that the age group in question could be prepared to make an informed decision.

Chanda Mubanga
Lusaka, Zambia.

@16? pupils will vote based on their parents' instructions.

@johnsky2010 "Parent's instructions"
Some of them will do. I think many adults vote based on instructions from their tribal leaders or politicians. This is a reason to provide voter education and not to disenfranchise the youth. We heard on the program from a Brazian youth on how he consulted his teachers and parents but made up his own mind on who to vote for. We also heard from an Austrian voter who did not have much education to go but was empowered enough to use the internet to get information needed to enable him to make up his mind. But do remember instructing someone on what to do is one thing. But what they do with their secret ballot is a different matter. Many politicians who have tried buying loyalty have had their political ambitions end badly because they cannot control people's aspirations.

Yes. I agree that voting age should be lowered to 16. Especially in countries where majority of the population are 16 year-olds.
These 16 year-olds are the future of such countries and they should have say-so in matters afftecting their lives and future.If democracy is government of the people by the people and for the people, how can any society exclude 16 year-olds, especially if they constitute the majority or a sizeable portion of its population?

Now here is a question: should there be an upper age limit for voting? Cardinals who are over 80 cannot vote for a new Pope in the Vatican! I am not advocating but just seeking to hear what others think.

What Africa needs is a change. If that means voting at the age of 16 then let's go for it. I absolutely agree with any change that the nations will benefit from. I cannot see what is all wrong about it and even though their parents would influence them, it is the psychology that is more important. These young teenagers develop an awareness of responsibility and know that their vote counts. Let's give it a shot!!!

Just because youths take up arms or are active in political unrest does not warrant the changing of set norms. Youths in Africa have been misused and abused by brutal dictatorship and used as fodder for political ambitions of others. The world should for once be mature enough to get involved to stop active genocide and put an end to corrupt governments. Voting requires the foresight and belief in leadership that is available. Its a pity that most governments in Africa do not regard the needs of the majority but lets be clear that children voting is not the answer!

The younger cadres within the ANCYL our future political leaders in Mzansi (South Africa), have no interest in the history of the ANC. They want access to jobs and personal enrichment. (Wikileaks)

With avaricious populists purporting to be role models, mired in corruption, reverse racism, flagrant disregard for institutions and scant respect for the recent legacy of democracy...

...what 16 year old is going to aspire to the distinctive excellence he or she should be seeing modelled in the corridors of power to make them even want to vote let alone demand access at a younger age?

Unless of course they too seek a fast track to an unwarranted gravy train while the rest of the country withers through apathy and economic attrition?

This comment of course ignores the reality on the ground too that the educational travesty currently unfolding in SA suggests political autism that probably precludes any teenager from being engaged in the first instance.

Am a student living in Africa and the literature level is not,at a level that is not high.So education also helps in maturity,i would rather have voting age to be put at an age of 18,when people are more matured and are ready to live alone and not dependent on their parents and have completed education

No this will not solve anything. it's the voting concept that needs rethinking.

lowering the voting age in Africa even to ten will make no difference. whether we vote or not, the leaders have never changed. I think the voting strategies need a reform, especially in my country, Cameroon.

Even if age may lowered further without attaching some weight on certain votes in African setting, voting will lose meaning! Above all there is no criteria for determining who under age to be registered as a genuine voter! This has caused a lot of conflict in African politics and a measure of backwardness of African democracy!