By Isaac Zulu
As national youth chairman I take the blame for what happened at PASME FM Radio, says Gilbert Liswaniso.
And Liswaniso has said that there is nothing sinister about encouraging UPND foot soldiers to form or join cooperatives so that they can benefit from government subsidised fertiliser.
Speaking when he featured on Radio Phoenix’s “Let the People Talk” programme on Tuesday, Liswaniso said that he takes responsibility for the incident that transpired in Petauke where suspected UPND youths stormed a radio station and beat up a journalist because he is the one leading the group of young people in the ruling party.
He explained that managing young people with different characters is a very difficult task.
Liswaniso reminded UPND youths that an election is not won through physical confrontation.
“I take the blame as national youth chairman for the incident that happened at PASME FM Radio. I take responsibility because I am the one leading these characters, which is not an easy task. As you know, managing young people is a very difficult thing to do,” Liswaniso said. “I have since issued instructions to all Provincial youth chairpersons across the country. Don’t beat any journalist, don’t storm any radio station. You don’t win an election using physical confrontation. PF was voted out of power because of political violence and cadreism. And we cannot risk taking that route.”
Liswaniso also distanced the UPND youths from violent acts that were witnessed during the Mwense and Mkushi mayoral by-elections.
“I interacted with Kelvin Kaunda (Socialist Party national youth chairman) who is my good friend during the Mwense by-election. There were no UPND cadres that attacked members of the Socialist Party. The Socialist Party is not being truthful on this matter,” Liswaniso said. “I challenge them to pinpoint the so called UPND thugs that were beating members of the Socialist Party. Equally, it is not true that UPND youths are collecting money in markets and bus stations. I have also been accused that Gilbert Liswaniso is collecting money in bus stations. I have never…! It’s not true that our youths are collecting money in markets and bus stations and harassing people in public places. President Hakainde Hichilema has advised us on several occasions not to engage in political violence.”
He implored both the PF and Socialist Party members to conceed defeat they suffered in the recently held by-elections across the country.
“The Socialist Party and PF should just accept that they lost badly in the recently held by-elections. I know loss ibaba. We have been through that during the 23 years that we were in opposition,” he said.
And Liswaniso said that there is nothing sinister about encouraging UPND foot soldiers to form or join cooperatives so that they can benefit from the government subsidised fertiliser.
He said that every citizen has a right to benefit from the government’s economic opportunities regardless of their political affiliations.
“These are people that sacrificed and suffered for the party while in opposition. And I think it would be unfair to deny them an opportunity to benefit from some of these government programmes. As national youth chairman, I understand and appreciate what the young people are going through. Every person in this country has a right to economic opportunities regardless of political affiliation,” Liswaniso.
He also acknowledged that the UPND administration still has a challenge of addressing the high unemployment levels among young people in the country.
“Yes indeed, even the youths in our party structures are complaining about unemployment levels. And that is why the UPND leadership is encouraging young people to form cooperatives and companies so that they can be empowered using the Constituency Development Fund. The UPND wants to empower the youths with sustainable programmes instead of giving them handouts,” said Liswaniso.
