Youth idleness fuelling early marriages, crime in Mzimba

Member of Parliament for Mzimba Luwerezi Deliwe Ngoma has bemoaned increased cases of early marriages and crime among the youth in the district which she said is as a result of idleness.

Ngoma, a member of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), made the sentiments over the weekend during a ceremony to award football teams who emerged winners in a K1 million (about $1 500) Honourable Deliwe Ngoma Trophy.

She said there are increased cases of early marriages and crime in her constituency which mostly result of idleness among the youths.

Said Ngoma: “Most youths in this constituency have nothing to do. As a result, there are a number of early pregnancies which lead to early marriages, while others engage in excessive beer drinking which leads to crime and other immoral behaviours.

“So, I thought to introduce the K1 million football trophy in which we had 24 teams competing as one way of talent identification, but also to help us come up with a team that would represent our constituency in a bid to make them refrain from intolerable behaviours,”

During the finals, Luwerezi United beat Orlando by four goals to two and went away with K200 000 (about $300) cash, while Orlando, went away with K150 000 (about $225). The third team, TTC from Kamilabanthu, got K130 000 prize (about $195). n