HH announces Voluntary National Service Programme

By Masauso Mkwayaya

President HAKAINDE HICHILEMA has announced the introduction of a voluntary National Service Programme.

President HICHILEMA says the programme aims to instill discipline and resilience among young people to address challenges such as the proliferation of street children.

Speaking at State House during a meeting with 40 women groups under the Gender Machinery framework, President HICHILEMA said the programme will be rolled out based on resource availability.

He said this will also make it easy for interested youths to access training in other security and defence wings such as Zambia Army, Zambia Air Force –ZAF, Zambia National Service -ZNS, Zambia Police and Zambia Correctional Service.

The President said he has already taken the lead by ensuring his own children undergo military training.

And President HICHILEMA has proposed the establishment of a small working group to address gender-related issues.

Meanwhile President HICHILEMA said the impact of the drought has had devastating effects on the country’s energy sector which has slowed down economic activities.

And President HICHILEMA said inadequate infrastructure has made it difficult for Zambia to import more electricity.

He said the current infrastructure between Zambia and Mozambique can for instance only allow the importation of up to about 400 Mega Watts of electricity.

The President said the drought has exposed some of these inefficiencies which need to be addressed.

At the same meeting, JOHANS MTONGA, representing the Social Inclusion on gender cluster, called for the establishment of safe houses to allow victims of Gender-Based Violence to receive professional help.

And ANNE ANAMELA, who represented the Policy and Legal Framework, urged President HICHILEMA to operationalise the Gender Equality and Equity Commission to provide oversight on gender matters.

MAUREEN SUMBWE, representing the Economic Empowerment cluster, thanked President HICHILEMA for reducing political interference in markets, noting that women can now trade in a peaceful environment.

And CHALI HAMBAYI, representing the Access to Justice Cluster, called for the decentralisation of the National Prosecution Authority -NPA- to improve access to justice nationwide.

CHILESHE KATONGO who represented the Research and Data Systems for GBV, called for the tackling of GBV cases using data- and research-driven information.

And SETH BROEKMANA, who spoke on behalf of cooperating partners, thanked the President for the opportunity to meet the Gender Machinery, as it provided a platform to fast-track the implementation of various gender matters.