EPP apologizes for missing Youth Day celebrations

Economic and Equity Party (EEP) would like to tender a public apology to the President of the Republic of Zambia, H.E. President Edgar Chagwa Lungu his entire government, the Zambian people and indeed our own members, especially the youths for failure to participate the national-wide youth day commemoration activities.

We would like to put it on record that, this is in no way, a boycott or disregard of this important national event which requires the participation of all well meaning Zambians.
Our failure has been due to the fact that, EEP is a new party which is trying to establish itself on various fronts including resources. We hope to join other national event over time.However, we would like to endorse the theme of this year’s Youth Day commemoration dubbed “Unity and Innovation for a smart Zambia”.

The theme addresses the current problem of disunity that is permeating our social and political divides, which usually derail youth development. Many youths are negatively affected by the disunity that exists, especially among political leaders.
EEP, would like to urge all political parties and leaders, to reduce on the tension that hovers around the political divides, so that we can address the youth challenges as a unitary force. We encourage political leaders to seek positive engagement on any issues affecting the nation.Name calling and confrontations will not help the youths, if anything; the youths may take it the wrong way and engage in violence.  As a party we are ever ready to work with any other political party especially the Patriotic Front (PF) who are currently administering the resources of this Country.The theme also addresses the issue of being innovative and smart as we look at the youth, who are the future of our nation.

EEP, would like to see coordinated and integrated strategies that focus to the current developmental agenda so that they youth can easily fit in and contribute. At the most it is difficult to clearly see deliberate strategies integrating youth in developmental agenda and addressing their challenges.We believe that, our youths have immerse potentials which is not being developed. The winning of the Under-20 Africa cup can be taken as an example. The Under-20 were supported in the preparations at high level which saw them camping in favorable places to motivate and inspire the players and technical bench.

Unfortunately, most of our youths are being underutilized and mostly abused in malevolent political activities instead of being at the centre of development.  We believe that involving the youth in the major developmental agenda, the future of this nation will be secured.To address youth challenges in a smart way, we have to employs initiatives and tools that can discretely identify and categorize youth challenges so that we can directly find specific solutions.It is a fact that unemployment is a challenge among youths, but who and how many, specifically, are not employed, why are they not employed, what can be done for them to be employed, what time frame can we allocate in addressing youth unemployment. This is the smart way of approaching youth challenges.Therefore, EEP, would like to implore Government to take a youth census so that, we can know exactly the magnitude and specific problems, the youth are facing and how many they are. This is the only sure way, we can specifically address their problems.

We also urge Government to be more consultative in addressing challenges of the nation. Currently, there are many researches which have been done by the academia, civil societies and other stakeholders which can help a great deal in addressing problems of the youths.EEP believes that, if only there is commitment, consultation and selflessness by those in power, our youths would not be going through most of the challenges prevalent in our society.

May God bless the Republic of Zambia

CHILUFYA TAYALI

PRESIDENT