Politicians told to stop abusing youths

As the 2019 elections draw closer, politicians in the country have been urged to stop hiring young people to incite political violence.

Activista Malawi Youth Network national coordinator Wales Chigwenembe made the call on Friday at Dedza golf course during commemoration of International Youth Day in the district.

The International Youth Day which was established by the United Nations in 2000 with an aim of bringing together youths in order to share what they do in their areas, falls on 12 August every year but in Dedza it was commemorated last week under the theme Youth Building Peace.

Speaking during the ceremony, Chigwenembe noted that some politicians have been giving money to young people in order to attack their political rivals.

He said such malpractices only benefit the politicians while the young people gain nothing.

“During election campaign, politicians misuse young people, what usually happens is that they give them (youths) money to cause violence instead of listening to their problems. What we want to see is that politicians should stop misusing the youth for personal gains, the conduct destroys the youth from being productive citizens,” he said.

Chigwenembe then urged youths to take part in providing solutions to the country’s problems.

Commenting on the issue, Mary Nyasulu who is Dedza Action Aid programme coordinator urged youths to refrain from acts of violence in order for them to actively participate in national development.

“Youths should refrain from inciting violence, as Action Aid here in Dedza what we want is to see changes in their lives, young people should participate in development projects,” Nyasulu said.

Reacting to the concerns raised by Chigwenembe, Malawi Congress Party (MCP) deputy general secretary Eisenhower Mkaka said his party already uses young people productively.

“We give political space to our youths to exercise their political skills, knowledge and abilities. We believe our youths can be productive citizens,” he said.

Mkaka expressed concern that there are some political parties that allows youth to be painted party colours something which he said can affect the health of the young people.

“Of course we do not know the kind of paint they use on their bodies.”

Mkaka added that the MCP has a good manifesto that articulates the aspirations of the youth.

Said Mkaka: “On reflecting the youth aspirations in our manifestos again I would say as a party we try as much as possible to capture young people’s aspiration in our manifesto.”

Activista Malawi Youth Network is part of Action Aid’s global youth network involving more than 50 Action Aid partners and thousands of volunteers in more than 25 countries.

The network opened its doors in Malawi in 2006 and aims at working in solidarity with poor and excluded people to eradicate poverty and injustice.