SMART POLITICS

WE wish all the country’s political parties could be open in the manner they handle their youth wings and stress upon them that they are not above the law.

If this was done, we are sure a lot of the political violence that is seen in the country would not be there because the so-called perpetrators would be engaged in more constructive activities.

It is against this backdrop that we welcome and support the statement issued by an official of the Patriotic Front’s security committee urging the party’s youths to promote peace.

PF Lusaka Province security committee chairman, Eddie Gowa has warned youths that their existence in the party’s security structure is not intended to harass or beat people.

Mr Gowa urged the youth to instead be instrumental in party mobilisation.

Mr Gowa said youths should not misrepresent being referred to as foot soldiers of the party as a clearance to beat people.

It is a fact that many youths think their membership, and incorporation into the PF security wing gives them power to harass and beat people – especially those from rival parties.

It is this unbecoming behaviour that has brought a bad name to the ruling party, that it embraces violence.

We agree with Mr Gowa that the youth should be instrumental in party mobiisation – peaceful. They ought to realise that brow-beating people will not grow their party.

They need to persuade people why they should support the PF.

The same goes for other political parties. There should be no-go areas in any part of the country for any Zambian on account of one’s political affiliation.

Mr Gowa is right that youths should not misrepresent being referred to as foot soldiers of the party as a clearance to beat people.

When a party has a disciplined youth wing, incidences of violence would greatly reduce.

The country’s two main political parties, the PF and United Party for National Development (UPND) have in the past been accused of being the main perpetrators of political violence.

This has especially been seen during by-elections as gangs of youths dressed in their party’s regalia crisscross constituencies canvassing for votes.

This violent behaviour actually works against their parties because it puts off potential voters from exercising their right to vote freely – they stay away thereby denying them valuable votes.

What Mr Gowa is impressing upon the PF’s youth wing is to adopt a new approach to politics that would win them more members and ultimately victory at the polls.

He told youths in Lusaka that the security wing should instead of harassing others, encourage those without voters’ cards to register as well as attract those that left the party to rejoin.

Mr Gowa said it was his desire to have all members that ditched the PF for other political parties to rejoin and as such, the youth would work towards bringing back those that left the party.

All political players must realise that even as they differ on ideologies, they all want to be in government so as to serve the nation to the best of their ability. But they can only succeed through peaceful persuasion.

We therefore implore all political parties to impress among their youth wings not to think politics is about being violent so as to prove a point.

It is about promoting peace in the country as they engage in mobilising membership in their political organisations.

That is smart politics.