By Wesley Ngwenya
Over the Easter holiday I have been reflecting on the role of the youths in this country. I have heard the term “youths are the leaders of tomorrow” way too many times. Honestly I am getting sick of this.
Friday afternoon I decided to check out a few drinking places in town. I saw youths drinking their heads off. Some looked hopeless, others looked lost while others looked confused. In one drinking place, there was a television in the far corner and a politician is busy talking about “youths are the leaders of tomorrow” wow!
How can youths be leaders of tomorrow when the politician making such statements has been in politics for almost 50 years? How can youths be leaders of tomorrow when they have no jobs? How can youths be leaders of tomorrow when they are unable to go to college or learn a skill? How can youths be leaders of tomorrow when they have no access to finance? How can youths be leaders of tomorrow when they do not participate in the decision-making process in the country? How can youths be leaders of tomorrow when they are not given opportunities to leadership positions? How can they be leaders of tomorrow when the Chinese have more rights in Zambia than they do?
Zambian youths have been left to figure out things on their own. They have been disappointed by the politicians, business leaders and even their pastors. There is no clear roadmap to address issues on the youths in Zambia. Instead youths are used for political expediency by the politicians.
It is the youths who sing and dance for the politicians. It is the youths who fight during political rallies. It is the youths who get shot at and killed by cops. It is the youths who are used day in and day out. What then is the youths’ role in all this? What options do the youths have in Zambia? Here are a few suggestions.
As Zambian youths we have an obligation to participate positively in things that affect us and that will affect our children. We need to speak out against vices such as corruption. As youths, we need to hold our leaders accountable by voting for only those who can do the work and not who belong to this or that political party. We also need to participate in various forums such as the Youth Indabas that are organized by the Ministry of Sport Youth and Child Development. Through these forums you can make your voices heard.
One thing that I personally encourage youths to do is work on developing ourselves. No matter what your situation, is it is important to keep your head up. Be positive about the present and hopeful about the future. Participate in programs that are going to benefit you. We have been encouraging youths to participate in the advocacy for the forth coming (African Growth and Opportunity Act) AGOA meeting that will be held right here in Lusaka.
Youths are encouraged to join facebook pages like AFRICAN YOUTHS SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS so that we can let the leaders in Lusaka and in Washington DC know what we are going through. Let us know what is happening in your neighborhoods. Let us know what is going on in your families.
We are demanding that youths be given the necessary attention they deserve during the forth coming AGOA meeting. We want Hillary Clinton to read this page. So post your messages. We may just ask you to come and participate during this important meeting.
MOST YOUNG PEOPLE IN ZAMBIA ARE FRUSTRATED DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY ARE NOT GIVEN ANY CHANCES BY THEIR FATHERS WHO ARE GREEDY AND BRAINLESS
THE VERY REASON WHY THEY DRINK SO MUCH
It takes time to be a leader. All have the potential but it has to be proved. Go to school, pass the exams. go to college/university. sky is the limit. Jobs are available but competitive. Youths have more money as seen on the picture and not utilising their opportunities well. You cant drink if you have no money. Promote self employment and creativity. No president will employ anybody. Believe in yourself.
1# I hope your father is dead. If you are a failure blame yourself you were naught, rude and irresponsible and have continued to do so. God even made a decree. Honor your parents so that your days may be long on earth. I leave judgement to God but note that blessing is a source of success. We all owe our success to God and parents. God forgive you. writting for other offended parents.
Avoid leaving dangerously old people wont remain forever dont rush for inheritence you may park earlier than your father.
am very much disapointed with your # 3 are you among the politicians that steel money for the zambians? do you know how many youths with degrees,lincese,diplomas and qualifications in zambian? youths who have been neglected by theese thiefs. do you know how old was david to be anointed as king? i can see some mmd sindroms in you who are bring unip formation in the country “ubututu!!” you are inclined and hipponotized with ignorance my friend.
No, judging by the current trend, its the youth from congo, malawi, zimbabwe and tanzania who will be Zambias future leaders.
Why are those 2 guys wearing same shirts, are they twins? Or are they the MMD’s untouchables, people you call homos?
very old and selfish brainless leaders who want to lead despite their past failures to rule!we need to change..we are tired of being told we are future leaders!!
No# 6 Twist please do elaborate, that is a very interesting observation. I have an idea of what you are saying but please share more insight.
STOP BLAMING OTHER PEOPLE, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE AS A YOUTH TO BE RECOGNIZED? YOUTHS IN ZAMBIA ARE BUSY DRINKING THEIR LIVES AWAY , SORRY, BUT NOTHING INSPIRES THERE. A YOUNG LIKE HH AND CHIPIMO JNR SHOULD BE SUPPORTED BY THE YOUTH, BUT WHAT HAPPENS THEY FIGHT OF SATA AND RB. CAN THE YOUTH IN ZAMBIA PLEEEEEEEEEASE STAND UP!!!!!
tukaalabunwa kaeli esho tubombela we are starting this Friday till Monday
Ba LT, is it Zambian youths or just youth. No wonder this site is ever under repair.
Sata has been a future leader all his life…………….. Future leader is very relative,
so you went to see zambia’s “future” leaders in drinking holes? LOL why didnt you look into the universities, secondary schools, small businesses, etc…im 27 and our “elders” have been talking about the youth since I was a toddler!
Sorry guys i need to guided. Is the writer talking about youths being irresponsible that we spend too much time in bars drinking our heads off as a result cannot think properly or that our fathers who have obviously seen that we are not capable to lead because we lack direction to put guns to our heads so that we grow up. We all know that its up to us youths to chun out our on destinies and be leaders we want to be. We shall cry all day about the old guys but if we do not stand up and leaders we should be, writers like the one above will abound.
More jilijili, twanwa again!! lobe inga taukololwe lelo, bis montag jungs!!
all these vices are because we have overstayed in power. koswe ngakokola alya nakasuba
SHAMELESS OLD MADALAS THAT DO NOT WANT TO PAVE WAY FOR YOUTHS WHEN THEMSELVES HAD THE CHANCE AS YOUTHS….BA HOMO….KABIMBA aka JOHN PHIRI I DONT KNOW WHICH STYLE YOU USE WITH YOUR PARTNER…..INCLUDING MMEMBE
WHEN SEASON COMES ALL TREES REGARDLES OF WHAT TYPE (Masuku, Mangos, Guavas, Mubanga etc) SHED OFF OLD LEAVES TO PAVE WAY FOR NEW ONES THEN GOOD FRUITS ARE SEEN. EQUALLY WHEN ELECTION TIME COMES ALL OLD POLITICIANS MUST VOTED OUT TO PAVE WAY FOR YOUNG AND VIBRANT GENERATION THEN THE ECONOMY WILL TICK TO DESIRED LEVELS. 2011 NO RECYCLING JUST AS THE LEADERS OF CIVILISATION (EGYPT) DID IT WHY CANT WE DO IT? VIVA YOUTHS REGARDLESS OF YOUR POLITICAL AFFILIATION ITS YOUR TIME.
The Zambian youths face is “fear” to take bold stance on critical and fundamental issues and allow ourselves to be used in mediocre positions. President Rooservelt said “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself”.
We are naïve to take a step in political leadership. If we are indeed the future leaders,its time we became bold and courageous enough and take a principled stance on critical issue. For example, why is it that the youths still think Sata is their best option? How come we are so quick to forget his background or is it that we have not forgotten rather just don’t have faith ourselves? Are we sure out of 13million people there is no one to lead us other than these old folks? A look at the chicks, we will note that the mother hen just provide warmth for incubation but…
the actual hatching is done by the chick using the very fragile beak. Our old politicians have given us incubation for the past 47 years its upto us to take up that responsibility. Our lack of experience is neither here nor there. Dr Kaunda was only 40yrs when he took up presidence so why cant we? The same politicians with the so called experience have let us down and keep jumping from one political part and regrouping purely for personal preservation. What is it that they want to do which they failed to do in the last 47years? A boy who was just days old in 1964 is today 47years old. Why in all honest should people in their sanity believe that, that boy is still inexperienced to lead?
Let us not look at our political part affiliation rather be objective. The fact is that no…
The fact is that no POLITICIAN in this country can do WITHOUT us but we are the list considered when it comes to development. WHY?
If we are the future leaders, let us be courageous to say enough with old guys and demand our voice to be heard to lead this our beautiful nation. It is said “the future does not belong to those who are fearful and timid of bold projects. The future belongs to those who can blend passion, reason and courage into a personal commitment to the great ideal…”
Let us show those that tell us that we cant that we able to do it.
YOUTH CANT BE LEADERS OF TOMORROW AS THE ONES LEADING DO NOT WANT TO RETIRE…..POWER IS GLORY TO THEM DICTATORS.
imwe amore stella tomorrow sorts itself out
#14 thats funny and indeed true. I could imagine youths trying but still frustrated by anti hill policies. Even politicians that should be inspiring them buy them for chibuku and tujilijili for stupid votes.
I personally don’t hold much hope for our generation unless something changes…we have no accountability because as much as we talk about fighting corruption we ourselves are in the forefront of taking part in corrupt activities…take for example students who have studied hard for their exams while others just have to acquire leakage to pass and then when it is time for uni entry those who can afford to pay a ‘small fee’ are given prefernce over those who have actually earned and others still get jobs becoz they knw some1. On top of all this we have abandoned our culture…children just know mum,dad,bro and sis and we expect them to take care of the nation when they don’t even care about their family…the foundation we are setting now is the one we will stand on in future.
Do you mean RB’s son is the leader of 2omorrow, and you think these youths are more RB and his sons. Don’t be ababufi be real bane eh ya shani???how about the pub in show grounds which you know? are you going to tell us about it? how about the partying at state house, i belive this shoud start from our leaders for they say ” isabi litampila ukubola kumutwe”
why look into bars,why didnt you go in churches and businesses to see the youth.but uli dull iwe
youths lets us arise its times to bring in that change in our country. Its a shame how some leaders behave today when given the power. We can be tomorrow leader by taking a step of faith: by getting educated, having a good character and making wise choices.
To those leaders learn to creating room for the youth not were by a youth wants a jobs, he or she pay or sleep with you to get the jobs.
In this remember that you reap what you sow. Today how leaders behave will be what the tomorrow leaders are the youths, they will do.