People’s Party (PP) presidential candidate Joyce Banda says time has come for political leaders to stop using youths to terrorise opponents.
Instead, said the former president, the youth should be positively empowered to effectively contribute to national development.
Speaking in Lilongwe yesterday when she endorsed the Youth Decide Campaign’s National Youth Manifesto as commitment to address youth challenges in the country, Banda pledged to fight for youth opportunities even if she does not get elected as president.
Banda said she will always fight for youth rights, job creation and other opportunities.
She called on politicians to stop arming youths with pangas to harm others and instead initiate programmes that will see them being empowered economically.
Said Banda: “I have always been committed to youth, girls and women empowerment. I have spent my life supporting youth, women and girls and the endorsement of the manifesto is not just about elections.
“So you can count on me. Whether I am in State House or not I will always be committed to this.”
Youth Decide Campaign coordinator Mwandida Theu said endorsement of the manifesto will help the youth to hold leaders accountable on their demands once they get in power.
She said political leaders should embrace the youth’s potential and take them as partners and not using them to cause havoc.
“Youth representation in Cabinet remains non-existent. Corruption continues to erode public trust. And unemployment, especially among the youth, remains a national crisis, with 23.1 percent of young people out of work,” said Theu.
However, she noted that manifestos of parties, including PP’s manifesto, are covering some of the things that youths are demanding.
Banda, who led the country from April 2012 to May 2014 after ascending to the presidency in line with constitutional order following the death of president Bingu wa Mutharika, is the second presidential hopeful to endorse the National Youth Manifesto. The first was President Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi Congress Party.
