YOUR VOICE MATTERS: Employment Freeze Not The Solution

By Bertha Kalongelwa 

To my fellow Youth and Comrades, this opinion is not about PF, FDD, UPND, NAREP or any Party, its not about those employed or those unemployed. It’s about We the Youth Speaking for each other.

I was privileged to be educated at UNZA and believe me I have more to offer the economy than selling tomatoes. I was not the brightest in class but my heart is saddened when I look at the many brains I sat with at UNZA with so much to offer stuck because Zambia has an employment freeze. Past experience has shown clearly that indiscriminate freezing of all civil service positions has the debilitating effect on the overall performance of the government machinery. 

By God’s grace working at the African Union has exposed me to many interventions other governments are doing to enhance the lives of the Youth in their countries. Yes, unemployment is a global challenge but that should never be a comfort for us to continue the cycle of poverty by denying our youth opportunities to use our God given intelligence and talent to progress Zambia. From schools Kenya’s Government has heavily invested in Science and Technology and created a conducive environment for doing business, as such the youth are contributing significantly through technology in billions to Kenya’s GDP.

The cost of doing business in Zambia is very high, we can’t borrow capital from the banks because the interest rates are still too high. Ethiopia has a deliberate policy that allows citizens to borrow at very low interest rates as such each morning when am coming for work all around me I see construction of infrastructure because the economy is growing in Ethiopia. Rwanda has heavily invested in gender equality at all levels including employment and they are one of Africa’s fastest growing economies (Not just on Paper). We say we are making savings but were are those saving from fuel subsidies, wage and employment freeze, what we see is more borrowing not saving what we see are deeper budget deficits. 

This is nothing political all we are saying to our Leaders is please put our affairs in order we entrusted you with a responsibility to manage our resources and distribute equitably and as your employers we ask that you improve and not take us down. 

We the youth have more to offer than selling clothes and being people’s cadres. We are not interested in micro business we want to engage in million dollar businesses. Government you have the money we have the brains. Use us don’t keep us away. We don’t enjoy poverty we want to contribute to Zambias GDP. We are what Zambia has been waiting for. 

Am Resolved to Coming Back Home and Making a Difference, Ride with me!!