By Happy Milanzie

Lilongwe, December 6, Mana: Dowa District Programs Officer for the National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE), Alinafe Chikakuda, has urged young people across the country to engage in politics.

Chikakuda made the remarks on Friday during a two-day training session at Mtsiliza in Lilongwe, where NICE encouraged young people to actively participate in all the country's initiatives at the grassroots level.

According to Chikakuda, nearly 50 percent of the country's population consists of young people, making it crucial to involve them in the nation's activities, saying this ensures that young people have a greater stake in the country's future.

He emphasized that the 2025 general elections are an important opportunity for the youth to participate and exercise their right to vote in choosing their leaders.

"Young people needs to express their interest in politics following that they occupy a large percentage of the country's population and they are also the leaders of today so they need to take part in everything that the country is doing including taking part in politics," she said.

Chikakuda added that it is very sad that young people are being utilized in unnecessary things like demonstrations instead of teaching them about good governance that can help to achieve the vision that this country has for Malawi 2063.

Meanwhile, chairperson for Chimbalame zone youth network, Samuel Michel Shumba, said a lot of young people fail to take part in politics just because of financial problems.

"It is very hard for young people to come into politics such that politics needs money so the non-governmental organizations including the government need to help the young people to get into politics," he said.

Shumba further urged young people to take initiative and not wait for the government or other stakeholders to help them. He emphasized that ambition must be developed individually, with each person taking responsibility for their own growth.