Thursday, March 28, 2024

Dealing with social and economic fundamentals key to curbing political violence-FDD

Share

Forum for Democracy and Development spokesperson Antonio Mwanza stresses a point during the meeting to demand for the release of the draft Zambian constitution
File:Forum for Democracy and Development spokesperson Antonio Mwanza stresses a point during the meeting to demand for the release of the draft Zambian constitution

The opposition FDD says there is need to deal with key fundamental issues which cause political violence among youths in the country if the scourge is to be fought successfully.

Speaking in an interview Party Spokesperson Antonio Mwanza said the key issues that has lead to young people being used as tools of political violence are both social and economical hence the need to deal with the two key fundamental issues.

He explained that the youths who are used in political violence are those with nothing productive to do in society hence the need to invest in the two sectors.

“To end political violence in a long term there are fundamental things that we need to do. Let us invest in education, let us invest in job creation, let us invest in giving entrepreneurial opportunities to young people because it is clear that the young people that are involved in political violence are ignorant, poor and uneducated illiterate youths who are destitutes, these are the youths that we use so as long as issues of unemployment, issues of education, issues of health, issues of access to capital to start business are not dealt with youths will continue to be vulnerable. We need to deal with the fundamental issues and the fundamental issues that cause political violence are social and economical and we need to deal with them if we are to end the scourge,” Mr Mwanza said.

Mr Mwanza further noted that the continued political violence being perpetrated by the PF is a sign of failed leadership.

“It is important to note that political violence is a symptomatic to failed leadership, when you see political violence you have to know that there is a failed leadership and if we continue to have a leadership that cannot provide opportunities for young people then it simply means that we will continue to have this political violence,” he said.

He also reiterated that his Party will only attend the indaba called by the Catholic Bishops on political violence so that Party leader Edith Nawakwi can have an opportunity to educate President Lungu on how to curb political violence in the country.

He said President Lungu had the powers at his disposal to end political violence as he is not only the leader of the ruling Party but is in charge of necessary institutions that can curb the violence by him making clear pronouncements that he will not protect perpetrators of the scourge.

1 COMMENT

  1. Actually the answer is in the last nine words of the statement “he will not protect the perpetrators of the scourge”. The perpetrators are not your everyday lazing about youths. Those can’t afford to buy pangas, can’t afford to hire minibuses & trucks, those can’t afford the military fatigues. The people who wear those dark shades don’t drink chibuku. They patronise high end pubs & clubs. Its people like Kamba & Lusambo who have everything to gain who sponsor the violence. If these people are not exposed & rejected the meeting will be an exercise in futility.

Comments are closed.

Read more

Local News

Discover more from Lusaka Times-Zambia's Leading Online News Site - LusakaTimes.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading