Political analyst Ernest Thindwa has criticized political parties for sidelining the youth in key leadership positions.
Thindwa pointed out that, based on recent party conventions, only one party has a young Director of Youth, indicating that leadership roles are dominated by older individuals.
“According to the National Youth Policy, youth are those below the age of 35. However, most youth positions are not actually filled by young people,” Thindwa said.
He noted that in the 2019 general elections, only one Member of Parliament was under 35, despite youth making up 65% of the population.
“Party constitutions and manifestos fail to prioritize youth issues, and young people are not receiving adequate attention in political strategies,” he added.
Thindwa urged the government to enforce policies that ensure youth participation in leadership roles at both local and national levels. He also stressed the need for training programs to equip young people with the necessary knowledge and experience to take on leadership responsibilities.
Meanwhile, Youth and Society (YAS) Project Coordinator Mwandida Theu revealed plans to introduce a tracking system to monitor the implementation of the New National Youth Manifesto.
“Parties are good at making promises but fail to implement them, so we are setting up a tracking mechanism to hold them accountable,” Theu said.
Thindwa concluded by emphasizing that the lack of genuine youth participation extends beyond politics, affecting institutions like the church as well.
