UPND pledge to address youth unemployment through business management programmes

By Staff Reporter, LUSAKA 

The opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) says during the campaign season the party will talk a lot more about its plans for Zambia and solutions to the challenges Zambians face. 

In a statement released to WM Media UPND president, Hakainde Hichilema says his party manifesto is captured in a 10 Point Plan for Zambia. 

“We will be launching the plan officially in the coming days and we believe it contains much for Zambians to be excited about, particularly our youths,” he says. 

Mr Hichilema states that UPND plan starts with job creation. 

“We are going to both create demand for workers by breathing new life into the economy and we are going to invest in our people so that we educate and empower young Zambians to find work or start out in business,” he says. 

He further states that value-addition efforts are going to be central to UPND plan for job creation. 

“Why import cereal when we produce maize? Why import tomato paste when we grow tomatoes? Why import canned fish when we farm fish at home? Can we not make these things in Zambia and then create jobs for our people in the process, as well as keeping prices lower? To make this happen requires vision, a business friendly Government and hard work. The UPND believes it offers this combination. Employing only through Government is not sustainable. It just increases the wage bill further without growing the national cake. That is why our approach will be to support local business by reducing the number of processes and permits required for key activities and opening up access to finance because current interest rates are far too high,” says Mr Hichilema. 

In terms of youth empowerment Mr Hichilema states that UPND is proposing vocational training schemes to equip young Zambians with practical skills, as well as on-the-job training schemes and programmes in business management for start-ups. 

Meanwhile, Mr Hichilema has stated that it’s going to take energy, determination and shared strength to deliver on the party plan but the opportunity is there and UPND is ready to seize it.