Nkana Independent MP Binwell Mpundu is spot on: Zambia can’t keep bringing back the same old politicians and expect things to change.
For 61 years, we’ve seen the same faces, the same names, and the same failures in our political scene. The country really needs new ideas, fresh energy, and a bold vision. So, it makes sense to turn to the younger generation for a change.
However, just being young doesn’t mean someone is fit for leadership. Being youthful doesn’t automatically make anyone skilled, visionary, or worthy of national power.
Leadership should be earned through maturity, discipline, and serving the people. And here’s the hard truth: the record of Zambia’s young leaders so far is not something to brag about. In fact, it’s been quite embarrassing for the nation.
The 2021 elections brought in a record number of young leaders to Parliament, some from political parties and others as independents. Many of us were excited about this change.
Finally, we thought, the youth would have a say in shaping the country’s policies. We hoped they would tackle issues that matter to their generation, like unemployment, education, access to funding, and updating governance. We even dared to dream that the next great Zambian leader could come from this group of young parliamentarians.
But that dream quickly turned into a nightmare. Instead of the fresh perspective Zambia needed, we saw shocking immaturity and careless actions from too many of these so-called young leaders.
Rather than bringing a new approach to leadership, they fell into the same political mess that citizens are tired of. Instead of showing a new style, they copied the arrogance, bad language, and corruption of their older counterparts.
