OYV calls for the boycott of Youth Day celebrations

Operation Young Vote (OYV) has urged youths to boycott this year’s Youth Celebrations. This is contained in a statement released to media houses and signed by executive director, Guess Nyirenda.

OYV has given many reasons as to why youths should not attend the celebrations slated for Wednesday March 12.
The statement castigates the governing Patriotic Front (PF) for abusing the youth. It says that in certain circumstances the youth are sent by the PF to kill each other for political reasons.
Below is the full statement.

5th March, 2014
STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WHY IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE YOUTH DAY COMMEMORATIONS OF 2014
For a very long time the youth of Zambia have been paraded by those that hold power while nothing tangible is done to dignify their lives and helped to graduate from the shackles of destitution and poverty.

Operation Young Vote (OYV) is convinced that while we appreciate that on this day, we remember those that fought for this country in history, it is also and most important to be mindful that without making efforts to making life better for today’s youth, we are killing their very vision they fought for and laid their lives.

The youth who did it in style using the comparative advantage of numbers to change governments from the MMD to the PF in 2011 are now deleted from the national agenda and programmes only to be remembered when there is a “PANGA FESTIVAL” for them to cause anarchy, violence and kill each other while those that send them toast whisky.

It is very clear that matters of youth development are not anywhere close to the hearts of the current government and leadership. There are many examples OYV can point to justify this. Among them are:

Failure by the Minister of Youth and Sport, Hon. Chishimba Kambwili to deliver a Comprehensive Youth Employment and Empowerment Strategic Document as directed by the President Mr Michael Chilufya Sata on the 12th March 2012. This document was to be delivered in six (6) months’ time. It is now two (2) years later. The question is: Is there any seriousness attached to youth development by the PF regime, or is it the minister;
The abuse of the youth development fund by irregularly issuing it to 41 youth associations as was reported by the Auditor General’s Report.

Operation Young Vote and many other progressive youth organisations and individuals are appalled at this revelation and would like to challenge the minister of youth and sport to come out clean especially that records have it that it was he himself distributing the cheques to Youth Associations across the country coupled with allegations from within the ranks and files of his party the PF that he was issuing the youth funds to those close to him including girlfriends. It must be put categorical that this money is meant for youth development and must be accounted for;

Procrastinating in reviewing the National Youth Development Council (NYDC) Act, the Youth Policy among other critical youth documents; and
Dillydallying by the PF regime in delivering the People’s Driven Constitution which empowers the Youth of Zambia in all spheres of life as contained in the whole document and particularly Article 56 of the First Draft Constitution which was enhanced by the young people that participated in the consultations by the Technical Committee.

The above are just but few reasons why the young people should refuse to be paraded through the Youth Day Commemoration.

Perhaps the Minister of Youth and Sport, Hon. Chishimba Kambwili and the PF Government as a whole should take the 2014 Youth Day Commemoration as an opportunity to respond to the issues noted above through the PF cadres who are not happy with the governance under their party this far and others who still have little faith in the PF.

As OYV, knowing that it will be the usual DONCHIE KUBEBA, it is pointless to celebrate this year’s Youth Day
Guess Nyirenda (Mr.)
Executive Director