Caritas has indicated that United Party for […]

Caritas has indicated that United Party for National Development (UPND)-nominated parliamentarians under the Proportional Representation system will struggle to say no to their party, raising doubts about whether young people will have independent voices in Parliament.

Speaking in an interview with Zambian Business Times – ZBT, Caritas Zambia Executive Director, Fr Gabriel Mapulanga said the nominated youth representatives risk putting party interests ahead of the needs of young people.

Fr Mapulanga added that the broad nature of their constituency makes it difficult for the nominated MPs to know exactly whom they represent and which concerns should guide their decisions in Parliament.

 “They will find it difficult to be effective because the constituency is just too vague, and it is also connected to the party, meaning that representing youths may basically mean representing youths of a certain party,” he said.

The clergy warned that the arrangement can weaken youth representation if nominated MPs feel more accountable to the political party that selected them than to young people facing challenges across the country.

“If those representing the youths are more of the party and they will not go against their party as such, then the representation of the youths will not be there, and we will just go back to the usual thing,” he said.

Fr Mapulanga explained that young people can remain misrepresented despite the increased number of youth representatives in Parliament, particularly if their concerns are ignored whenever they conflict with the party’s agenda.

 “Youths will still continue to be misrepresented, and people may say in general that the youths are represented, but in the actual sense, nothing may work for the better of the youths,” he said.

Fr Mapulanga questioned whether the nominated MPs will have the courage to oppose party-backed proposals that do not serve the interests of young people, even when they recognise the potential harm those proposals could cause.

 “The problem they will face is that if the party they represent comes up with something that is not useful for the youths, they will not go against the party,” he said.

 Fr Mapulanga argued that academic qualifications and exposure to higher learning institutions should not automatically be mistaken for the ability to provide independent and effective representation in Parliament.

“Even if they are academically agile and understand the issues, they may instead side with the party against what the needs of the youths will be, and in that case, they are not going to be very effective,” he said.

Fr Mapulanga cautioned that young people outside Parliament will ultimately bear the consequences if their nominated representatives fail to speak out on issues affecting their livelihoods, opportunities and future.

 He also questioned whether the increased youth representation was designed to deliver meaningful participation or to present Zambia internationally as a country that includes young people in decision-making.

“If you want to present to the world that you are including everyone, it will look like it is relevant, and everywhere we are talking to the international world, we will say that Zambia has included the youth,” said Fr Mapulanga.

Article b y Philip Sinkala

Related coverage from breakingnewszambia.com

• Youth Activist congratulates nominated Youth MPs
• 60 female MPs in Parliament so far
• Michelo Chizombe the youth who challenged former President Edgar Lungu's eligibility for a third term, has been nominated by the UPND to serve as a Member of Parliament.