By Isaac Zulu
Young people should form cooperatives so that they can start benefiting from the empowerment programmes that will be rolled out soon by the UPND government, Hastings Mulimba urges youths.
In an interview, Mulimba, who is UPND Central Province youth secretary, said that young people should take advantage of the conducive environment being created by the UPND government like the creation of the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises Development, as well as the Ministry of Technology and Science – and form cooperatives in order for them to start engaging in income generating activities and, subsequently, create job opportunities for their fellow youths.
Mulimba noted that government cannot create employment for all the young people in the country; hence the UPND administration’s decision to create ministries that will benefit both women and youths.
“The President means well for the young people. You know government cannot create employment for everyone. So as youths, we need to help the President [Hakainde Hichilema] to create jobs, and those jobs can only be created if every youth is empowered by encouraging them to go into farming, others go into small scale mining, others go into metal fabrication, others go into bricklaying and so on. Previously, youth empowerment programmes only used to benefit PF youths or cadres,” explained Mulimba. “But the current President has a different vision and approach of empowering youths and women. And that is why he has created that ministry of SMEs so that at least the youths can be applying for loans and other empowerment programmes.”
He implored young people to seize the opportunity, get organised and form cooperatives in order to facilitate their acquisition of loans as well as accessing other empowerment programmes.
“So, the youths must come on board and apply for these empowerment programmes. They should not shy away in any way. And that is why the President is encouraging establishment of cooperatives by youths and register as limited companies. Therefore, young people should get organised and form cooperatives so that they can start benefiting from the empowerment programmes that will soon be rolled out by the UPND government,” said Mulimba.
Mulimba pointed that there is need to diversify the economy if the country’s economy is to grow.
“We have to diversify. Others have to go into metal fabrication, woodwork and others sectors. You cannot grow the economy as a government by depending entirely on (one) sector,” added Mulimba.
