MATHEWS MALAZIKA
Lusaka
UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) says youth support to President Hakainde Hichilema is intact and steadily growing.
Out of 8.7 million certified voters for the August 13 general election, about four million are young people.
Party deputy spokesperson Elvis Nkandu said it is ‘day dreaming’ for the opposition to be under the impression that President Hichilema has lost a youthful vote.
“The young vote for President Hichilema is very intact. In fact, it is growing day by day,” he said.
In an interview yesterday, Mr Nkandu, who is former minister of Youth, Sport and Arts, said a number of young people in secondary schools who are receiving free education are voters, and will not let Mr Hichilema down.
He said those receiving survival skills through Constituency Development Fund (CDF), bursaries in public universities, among others, are supporters of the head of State.
Mr Nkandu said upon assuming office in 2021, the New Dawn administration found an ‘employment freeze’, which it unlocked so that the youth, who are the majority in population, can have a share of government jobs.
“Most of the things this administration has done are in favour of the young people and we are proud of that.”
He said President Hichilema has demonstrated that he is a friend of the young people by employing thousands of them in sectors like education, health, defence andagriculture.
And Acton Institute of Policy Analysis Centre (AIPAC) executive director Solomon Ngoma has urged citizens to scrutinise campaign promises being made by presidential candidates to avoid endorsing policies that cannot be delivered.
Mr Ngoma said paying attention to campaign messages is not optional, but a civic responsibility.
Southern African Centre for Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) executive director Arthur Muyunda said citizens have the responsibility to critically assess campaign messages and distinguish between realistic commitments and those that may be difficult or impossible to implement.
Mr Muyunda said citizens should not accept campaign pledges at face value but ask important questions.
“We encourage citizens to compare campaign promises with party manifestos,” he said….
