Networks push for more youth in May polls
National Youth Council of Malawi (Nycom) and other youth organisations have intensified campaigns to ensure youth participation in the upcoming elections.
The Nycom executive director Aubrey Chibwana said in an interview yesterday that there is need for more youths to contest in the tripartite elections.
“We want all youths since they form the majority of Malawi’s population to participate in the elections by either contesting or presenting critical ideas which political parties should incorporate in their agenda,” he said.
Chibwana added that they will soon start scrutinising manifestos of political parties to find out which of them have put youth in their development agenda.
Chibwana said the council will conduct more activities to encourage the youths to vote for leaders who have the welfare of youths and not just use them.
Meanwhile, executive director for Youth Empowerment and Civic Education (Yece), Lucky Mbewe, said his organisation is conducting youth training on the elections with funding from the National Democratic Institute (NDI).
“We do not want the youth to be involved in the usual impertinent issues such as castigating people at political rallies. We are developing a youth manifesto to be presented to political leaders during campaigns.”
Mbewe said Yece will from next week engage in awareness campaigns to sensitise youths in Dedza and Lilongwe on the new youth manifesto.
