Youth and Society (YAS) has drilled councillors and Karonga District Council officials in youth development instruments to enhance implementation of the National Youth Policy and National Youth Manifesto in the district.
Speaking on Saturday during the training, YAS project officer Dalitso Magelegele reminded the council’s elected leaders and duty-bearers how to engage and respond to issues affecting the youth in the district.
He said: “Duty-bearers should be accountable and should implement youth development instruments through the National Youth Manifesto that was developed by the Youth Decide Campaign towards the 2019 Tripartite Elections.
“They should also adopt the National Youth Policy [2013] which is a government document when implementing various activities at ward or district level.”
Magelegele has since urged the youth in the district to use their demographic dividend to demand political accountability and responsiveness from duty-bearers.
On his part, Karonga District Youth Caucus chairperson Shallen Nyasulu said the training will enhance understanding between his office and the offices of the district’s elected leaders and duty-bearers in implementing youth programmes.
On his part, Karonga District Council chairperson Steven Simsokwe commended YAS for the training.
“As a youthful chairperson myself, I will ensure that sectors incorporate the youth in their activities,” he said.
In a separate interview, Karonga district youth officer Lapken Liwago described the training as timely.
“The district has lined up a number of activities to implement the National Youth Policy and National Youth Manifesto to ensure that youth programmes are tailored in accordance with thematic pillars of the two legal instruments,” he said.
YAS,with funding from Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa, is implementing Democracy in Young Hands programme in Karonga and Mzuzu councils to the tune of K25.9 million.
