Hakainde Hichilema’s Youth Day message
Hakainde Hichilema
We are a nation of young people. In fact, half of Zambians are under 15 years and 74% of our population are under the age of 30. Today we come together to celebrate Youth Day with the millions of bright young people that bless Zambia. Today is the day to join hands and acknowledge their great contribution to Zambia’s development. As the UPND has said time and time again – they are our future!
We recognise that the weight of our future rests on the shoulders of our youth, and we in the UPND have worked tirelessly to create a plan of action that empowers youths. Under the PF we have seen too many people become frustrated and disillusioned following broken promises and empty rhetoric. Today the unemployment rate for those aged 20-24 years old is 5 times higher than that of older Zambians and youths are facing extremely hard times when looking to get a job. Before they even reach the job market the education sector has let them down and the on-going closures of CBU and UNZA have become symbolic of the PF’s wider failure to invest in the next generation. Now they have even gone a step further in frustrating youth by cutting meal allowances much to the amazement of right thinking Zambians and bewildered youth
Educating our youths may not come cheap, but if the PF thinks education is expensive then they should try ignorance. As we say in the UPND, education is the best investment, the best inheritance and the best equaliser. It is no secret that there is the money for investing in both traditional education and vocational and business skills training for youths, but that in recent years it has been spent on endless trips abroad, an unprecedented number of by-elections and the continued expansion of Cabinet, even while the economy struggles. These are the areas of spending that should be cut, not education.In addition, today Zambia is facing a crisis with 30% of all children under the age of 15 orphaned mainly due to HIV. It is in situations like this that young people need a government that cares about them and their voice, not one that has seen child labour rates remain at 40.6% or child marriage rates at 60% in some provinces.
So today the UPND are taking a stand and re-affirming their commitment to Zambia’s youth. We will support you to succeed. We will make your lives happier, healthier and more prosperous through our threefold plan. Firstly, we will invest in education so that it works for you; improve access rates, raise standards of education and help university graduates find work. Secondly we will boost job creation, every young Zambian has something valuable to contribute so the UPND will work so that their voices are heard and their work is recognised. Finally, we will invest in skills training and mentorship in emerging and priority growth sectors, such as technology and tourism so as to create the business leaders of tomorrow.
UPND President
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