By Pempho Nkhoma
Blantyre, August 18, Mana: Youths in the country have been encouraged to participate in active politics.
The call was made on Saturday during the just ended National Youth Conference organized by the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) which took place at Limbe Cathedral in the Archdiocese of Blantyre.
Making a presentation on the topic of promoting catholic youth’s understanding of and active participation in politics, Monsignor Henry Chinkanda of Dedza Diocese, said many youths do not understand what politics is all about and the role of the youth in politics.
“Because of lack of proper understanding many youths think that politics is a dirty game,” he said.
Chinkanda added that in the past the youth participation in politics has been bringing negative results saying that they were used as agents of violence.
“Unfortunately, in many parts of Africa including Malawi youths have been abused in the dirty game of politics, but for things to change it depends on you the young people,” he said.
He, therefore, advised the participants to the conference to practice democratic politics which looks at the good of all people in the country to bring the desirable change.
“Politics is about making policies and safeguarding the same, it is a competition of ideas because you believe that your idea is better placed to achieve the common good,” he said.
Chinkanda, therefore, urged the youth to consider taking leadership roles in active politics that will ensure human development and progression.
“The youth need to take part as agents of good politics,” he added.
Another facilitator, Boniface Chibwana, concurred with Monsignor Chinkanda, saying the youth have a role to play and should join politics to bring change and help in decision making.
“Let us bring positive politics, challenge the leaders by telling them that what they are doing is not good,” he said.
Chibwana advised the youth to register when voter registration starts so that they will be allowed to vote in next year’s general elections.
One of the youth representative, Steven Junior Chikwapula, from Holy Trinity (Matawale) Parish in Zomba Diocese, commended ECM for organizing the conference, describing it as an eye opener.
“We are learning a lot of things both spiritual and physical, like today, we have learnt that our role in politics is not to dance for political leaders but we can also take leadership positions,” he said.
Some of the topics that were discussed at the national gathering included; appreciating, promoting and defending the catholic faith and the church, the four principles of the church’s social teaching and tapping available opportunity in society.
The conference which involved youth delegates from all the eight Catholics dioceses in Malawi started on Wednesday August 14th and ended on Sunday August 18.
