Before I get down to my own view on why politicians keep our youth in abject scarcity, allow me to steal the words of a PF Die-hard Maxwell Chongo. My good brother complained bitterly, insinuating that our youth are living in abject poverty including himself. He alleged that even those in the PF are complaining and feeling the economic stress. It was as if he was reading my mind when drafting his submission.
What is disappointing in his rantings however is the sense of entitlement the PF members seem to have regarding awarding of contracts. In his comment, he surprisingly challenges the minister of housing to work with the National Youth Executive Committee of the Patriotic Front when implementing construction projects. His whinge partly explains why we have a challenge with young people in this country. We seem to be so happy with waiting for those with the instruments of power to give us the things we desire. We can’t think of how we can make it in life on our own. Maxwell cried bitterly that most contracts are given to the Chinese forgetting the PF youths who campaigned strongly for president Lungu. .
The sad news for Max and his friends is that the PF won’t give them true and sustainable empowerment. It is in the DNA of politicians in Africa to identify talents in young people and use it for their own gain. The PF leadership will ensure that Max and friends remains in the state of poverty unless they decide to learn something from Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo. This is the only way the PF can remain in control of their youths such as Maxwell. The fear from the PF is that if the youths are given proper empowerment then the party won’t have heavies to use in 2021.
In Zambia today, we have a lot of young people who have constantly remained subjects and have failed to graduate to the level of being citizens.
The difference between the two is that a subject acts according to what they are instructed by their pay master, it does not matter whether the action is legal or illegal. A subject never asks questions WHY, they just act.
A citizen on the other hand makes an informed decision. Citizens are empowered with knowledge and material things also. A citizen won’t do something because they are being given a K50, NOT AT ALL. Every decision a citizen makes is a conscious decision based on principle. Until we get to a time when we usher into government the kind of leadership that will believe in creating a conducive environment for the young people to thrive in business and careers, our youth will continue lurching in poverty.
The current PF leadership does not have the capacity and political will to ensure that the young people in this country are lifted off the poverty data line. It seems as though the PF carried over from where the MMD left in terms of subjecting our people to poverty and yet hoard wealth for themselves and their families.
As I conclude, I wish to remind us that until now over 60% of our people live below the poverty line with circa 42% classified as being extremely poor. This figure represents just about half of our population. Due to poor health care coupled with high poverty level, life expectancy in Zambia stands at only 37 years making our country the fourth-lowest in the world.
It is therefore important that moving forward we find a lasting solution to the many challenges our young men and women like Maxwell Chongu and others are faced with. Next week we shall look at some of the workable solutions the future government can implement in order to reduce poverty in our great nation. We need to lift our young generation from entirely depending on government and begin creating wealth at personal and community level.
Lastly I wish to thank our women for being such great inspiration in our lives. To the youth, I urge you to stand up, be counted and be the change you want to see. Dare to ‘Believe Again’.
God bless Zambia.
Whoever is author of this article is a time waster! Who is he blaming for poverty among the youth! Not PF of course! All former ruling parties have contributed yo this! Especially Chiluba and his MMD, whose interest was to undo whatever Kaunda had done! However, Kaunda, through his greedy, also contributed a lot to the economic quagmire we are in now
Who is in charge? Who is in power? Is it not the PF? You told us that we were going to put more money in our pockets. Where is it?
Rather that PF was going to put more money in our pockets. Today, our pockets are full of holes. How fair is that?
Should we ignore the billions of dollars PF borrowed, promising us jobs? Where are the jobs? Where are the finished projects? Can PF account for those billions of dollars it borrowed, under pretext it meant well? Why must we be so naive?
It’s our story, our empty stomachs and stolen ambitions. They tell us not even to complain about it, as long as they, themselves are full and well cared for.
Whoever is author of this article is a time waster! Who is he blaming for poverty among the youth! Not PF of course! All former ruling parties have contributed to this! Especially Chiluba and his MMD, whose interest was to undo whatever Kaunda had done, with one Hakainde Hichilema as one the main architects of the fake privatisation where the basic aim was to enrich themselves, and so they did! So can Hichilema claim to be fighting for the cause of the youth and common Zambian today? Never! However, Kaunda, through his greedy and selfishness, also contributed a lot to the economic quagmire we are in now, because he did away with those who opposed him, in the end created an empire for himself comprising “Yes Bwanas” only, who could not give him good advise! So PF is trying to correct…
BLAME IT ON ZAMBIAN YOUTHS THEMSELVES…………….YOU SHOULD START USING THAT MESH BETWEEN YOU TWO EARS PROPERLY….IT WILL MOVE YOU OUT OF POVERTY…GOVERNMENTS WILL COME AND GO YOU STILL BE WALLOWING IN POVERTY.,..
Since independence our continent has had 278 heads of state and government in 46 nations. Governments have come and gone; political systems have changed from civilian to military rule, single party to multi party or no party, one strong man to collegial governments, revolutionary armed struggle to popular insurrectionist governments. But these problems have remained.
Therefore, the problem must be much more than the character or competences of individual presidents, the nature of the political system or the way leaders come or leave power and the length they serve. If only 20% of our countries for 20% of the time were characterised by these ills, we would say our continent has a political problem. If 30-40% of our countries for 30-40% of the time suffered from these ills, we could say…
So sad to think that after 54 years of independence, still can’t afford basics despite the abundance resources at hand. The greediness of the few Zambians entrusted with management of our limited resources is scarcely. Hope our God sees all this and at the designated time will free us from this man made slavery. Time will tell.
From Colonial times to date, Youths in Zambia have not been equipped with tools to thrive, and no platform has been provided for their participation in National Affairs and Development.
The British Colonial masters, left behind Boy Scouts and Girl Guides Movements, as well as Welfare Centres for the Empowerment of Children, Students and Youths.
Kaunda’s UNIP government, with no vision to empower the youths, publicized the Movements and turned all Welfare Centres into Tarvens or Beer halls.In line with Hitler’s and Mao’s Exploited Youths, Kaunda’s Politicized Boys Brigades emerged, with no Direction. School Cadets Program also lost direction and went into extinction. Kaunda’s Malawian Dynasty did more harm than good to the Youths, Economy and well being of the Country.
Chiluba’s…