Activist wants MYP bases revived for Malawi youth development
Youth Empowerment and Civic Education (YECE) executive director Lucky Mbewe has called on government to revive the bases of disbanded para-military wing of the former ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and turn them into vocational skills training centres as one way of engaging the youths in meaningful vocations.
The MYP Training centres which were the source of vocational skills for the youths in the country were shelled by Malawi Army during the famous ‘Operation Bwezani’ in 1993.
During the fracas, all MYP institutions were destroyed and property worth millions of kwachas was looted in broad daylight while hundreds of highly productive young pioneers were rendered jobless.
In an exclusive interview with Nyasa Times, Mbewe said the bases can be used for agricultural activities and vocational training.
“We are very glad that our president Professor Peter Mutharika has been saying that he wants to initiate the national youth development and our wish is to see into it that all areas are explored.
“We look forward for this government to mobilize young people and give them responsibilities for them to stand on their own other than waiting for handouts,” he said.
Mbewe said with the opening of the bases, the youth sector will be opened up to accommodate those graduating for job creation and they in turn can train those who have nothing to do through vocation training there closing the unemployment gap between the two groups.
“In every program we need to productively involve the youths, these are the wheels of development and it is our wish to see that we are all benefiting from all the programs,” he said.
Government is in a process to review the MYP concept with the aim of adapting it to a youth programme that will promote skills development in traditional sectors such as agriculture.
