UPND YOUTHS TO SHUN YOUTH DAY

UPND youths will again this year shun today’s Youth Day celebrations claiming that there is nothing much to celebrate about, party youth national chairman Gilbert Liswaniso said yesterday.

Mr Liswaniso said Youth Day was recognised in Africa as an important occasion because of the many sacrifices and contributions youths had made towards the uplifting of the continents’ economy as well as social status.

And Patriotic Front deputy media director Antonio Mwanza said youths from various political parties would hold an interparty rally at the Freedom Statue in Lusaka aimed at combating political violence and promote coexistence.

Mr Mwanza said youths had realised that it would only take unity in diversity and unity of purpose to foster peace and development.

However, Mr Liswaniso said many promises had been towards the uplifting of youths status which had not yet been fulfilled.

He said UPND youths would not participate in the marchi past but would carry out community work among other activities.

He insisted that the opposition political party had not been shunning Youth Day celebrations but that they would not be paraded before any government official to symbolise their participation.

“We will not be paraded before President Edgar Lungu, a mayor or any government official to symbolise our participation in the commemoration of this important day.

“We will celebrate this day in our own way such as community work, this is an important day in the midst of many challenges such as unemployment,” he said.

Youths from all walks of life irrespective of political divide or religious beliefs will today commemorate Youth Day which falls on March 12 every year.