Opinion | Youth Are No Longer Waiting Their Turn
In just a few weeks, young people from every corner of Malawi will gather at the Bingu International Convention Centre for what could become the most pivotal youth event in our democratic history—the 2025 Youth Summit for Democracy and Human Rights.
As Chairperson of the National Youth Summit and coordinator of the Youth Decide Campaign, I say this without hesitation: we are ready.
This is not another symbolic gathering filled with speeches and selfies. It’s a strategic, unapologetically bold platform. Here, youth will sit face-to-face with policymakers, judges, members of Parliament, civil society, and development partners to answer pressing questions:
- Are we truly prepared for the September 2025 elections?
- How can we ensure youth voices are not only heard—but acted upon?
- How do we move from the margins of power to the centre of national transformation?
We call it a summit. But let’s be clear: this is a civic uprising.
For far too long, young people in Malawi have been told, “Your time will come.” We’ve been applauded for our energy but excluded from decisions. Counted as voters but dismissed as leaders. That ends now.
We’re done waiting to be invited to the table—we are building our own.
That’s why this year’s theme, “Reimagining the Power of Young People,” isn’t a tagline. It’s a declaration of intent. We are not props in political campaigns. We are co-authors of Malawi’s future.
Central to this summit is the launch of the new National Youth Manifesto (2025–2030)—a bold document shaped by young voices from across the country, refined alongside the National Planning Commission, and deeply rooted in the Malawi 2063 vision. It spells out our non-negotiables:
- Job creation
- Entrepreneurship
- Education reform
- Health access
- Political inclusion
- Digital transformation
These aren’t lofty wishes—they are policy-ready demands aligned with Malawi’s national development blueprint.
And that alignment matters. We cannot afford for Malawi 2063 to become just another shelf document. Every meaningful strategy—this Manifesto included—must live, breathe, and be implemented with urgency. That’s why we’re working hand in hand with the National Planning Commission, making youth priorities not an appendix, but a pillar.
But this summit isn’t just about where we’re going—it’s also about where we’ve been. We’ll interrogate the previous National Youth Manifesto (2019–2024). What progress was made? What was ignored? What hard truths must we face as we step into a new democratic cycle?
We must also tackle one of the harshest realities youth face in Malawi: political exclusion.
Many young people want to contest in elections—but few make it past party primaries. Barriers like limited resources, entrenched hierarchies, and toxic internal politics continue to silence fresh voices.
Still, we press on. Under the Youth Decide Campaign, led by Youth and Society (YAS), we’ve started training aspiring youth candidates nationwide. They are ready to lead. But they can’t do it alone. We call on political parties to stop treating youth participation as charity—and start seeing it as democratic necessity.
This is also a call to the media: tell the full story. Go beyond the headlines. Spotlight the young change-makers, innovators, artists, farmers, and activists who are already leading in their communities. Help us shift the narrative from passive youth to powerful agents of change.
And to every young person in Malawi: this is your moment. Whether you’re a student, vendor, nurse, DJ, or aspiring MP—your voice belongs in this conversation. Your future cannot be negotiated without you.
Democracy is not a spectator sport. Get in the game.
Come to the summit with your questions, your passion, your frustration, and your ambition. Come ready to speak truth. Come ready to lead.
Because this time, we’re not just asking for a seat at the table—
We’re building the whole damn table. And your name is on it.
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By Mwandida Theu, Chairperson, National Youth Summit
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