By Francis Chipalo National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP) Youth MP Harry Simuntala has pledged to use his seat in Parliament to push for youth economic emancipation, jobs, and greater Zambian ownership of mineral wealth. Delivering his maiden speech in the National Assembly, Simuntala said young people sent him to Parliament not because […]

By Francis Chipalo

National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP) Youth MP Harry Simuntala has pledged to use his seat in Parliament to push for youth economic emancipation, jobs, and greater Zambian ownership of mineral wealth.

Delivering his maiden speech in the National Assembly, Simuntala said young people sent him to Parliament not because of his age, but to fight for their material interests.
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“Young people have told me: Remember us,” he said.

He outlined six priorities: unemployment, economic emancipation, the digital economy, education, Pan-African solidarity, and unity.

Simuntala said youth unemployment remains critical, citing the 2024 Labour Force Survey by ZamStats which puts youth unemployment at 29.1 percent, with only 38 percent of nearly 12 million Zambians of working age in the labour force.

“Behind these figures are graduates whose qualifications have failed to secure them employment and small business operators struggling with the rising cost of doing business,” he said.

On mining, Simuntala questioned why poverty remains at 60 percent when mining contributes over 70 percent of exports but employs only 2.3 percent of working Zambians. He called for more local ownership, control and management of mineral resources.

On the digital economy, the NRPUP MP said Zambians are creating value on Facebook and TikTok but earning little.

“We may fail at many things, but let us not fail to monetize our presence on digital platforms,” he said, calling for a legal framework to enable young creators to earn and for AI to be harnessed for industrial development, not just content writing.

Simuntala also raised student debt, asking Parliament to consider debt relief or forgiveness for former students following the country’s debt restructuring, while commending free education for returning over 2.5 million children to school. He said focus must now shift to quality and skills.

He pledged to support Government where it serves the people and to speak out where it fails.

“Where Government serves the people I shall be the first to applaud. Where it fails, I shall speak firmly and remind it of its duty to the people of Zambia,” he said.

“I am your servant, not your master,” he told youths.
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