UPPZ President Charles Chanda says the levels of unemployment and poverty in this country are alarming.

And Chanda says it is shocking that some political parties want to win the Katuba seat at all cost.

Speaking to journalists in Katuba this afternoon, Chanda said it was sad that the PF was using young people in campaigns, instead of providing employment for them.

“Here in Katuba, there is something that has struck my mind. When you look at the people PF has brought, the majority are youths and that shows you the picture of the country; unemployment and poverty. These youths have nothing to do in life and this is why they have to come in such numbers. It doesn’t make sense,” Chanda said.

“On a day like this, this also shows that education wise, we have killed our youths, they don’t go to school, they don’t sell in markets, they are not working but we can bring them to come and support a candidate. Zambia needs change. It’s high time we begun to care for the young people in this country and create opportunities so that they can be productive and add to the GDP. They are subtracting to the GDP.”

And Chanda said it was shocking that some political parties wanted to win the Katuba seat at all cost.

“The Katuba seat as it stands for some [political] parties, they want it at all costs. It is a do or die. The question comes in; why should we be so desperate to win this seat as if we have no seats in Parliament? As if we have no MPs in Parliament? It means there is something that we are not fully aware of. That is why people want to put in everything. This is a situation where we can even be tempted as a political party to go and destroy your own Constitution to get a headman to stand…it happens in other countries but I don’t know if it happens in Zambia,” Chanda said.

“There is a lot of desperation among political parties but for us a UPPZ, we are participating…of course people will say if you don’t want to win, why are you participating? We are preparing for 2021. For us, it is not a do or die. We are not going to be in the Intensive care Unit if we lose. For us, even one vote is a win because last elections, we had zero. We are testing the waters, we are mobilising. The fact that we have a youthful female candidate, it shows how much confidence I have in the young people. I will not use them as commanders at bus stations. I want to use them as MPs in Parliament so that they can add value to the management of this country.”