UDF grooms youths for 2019 polls

The opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) has embarked on an in-house training for its youths affiliates as one way of preparing them ahead of the 2019 general elections.

So far the party has started training the youths from its southern political region which comprises three districts of Blantyre, Mwanza and Neno.

Opening the training in Blantyre on Tuesday, UDF secretary general Kandi Padambo said the training sessions were meant to equip the party’s youths across the country with political leadership skills.

He also said the trainings were in line with the party’s strategy for future elections where the youths should not only be engaged during campaign period but also decision making within the party structures.

“The trainings are covering various areas such as elections monitoring, UDF party ideology, conflict management and the importance of scientific-based political campaigning strategies,” said Padambo.

UDF deputy director of youth, who is also member of Parliament for Machinga Central, Shaibu Kaliati, said the trainings will prepare the youths so that they play a rightful role during campaign period.

“We don’t want them to be reduced to objects of chanting, we want our youths to be different from other political parties by being responsible at various party levels,” he said.

On her part, one of the participating youths from Blantyre, Mbiri Mulamba, said the trainings were timely as they will change people’s mindsets that youths are for political violence.

She said: “The trainings will empower us and be in a position where we can effectively contribute towards policy formulation together with the party main structure.”

The trainings come amid concerns from the party’s youths that they were used in 2014 polls and then dumped by their president Atupele Muluzi when he decided to enter into a parliamentary alliance with the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).