Isoka Town Council has urged youths in the area to take an active role in national development by utilizing government-supported skills training programmes to create employment and contribute to community growth.
Council Chairperson, Bright Siame, said the call is in line with Zambia’s 62nd Independence Anniversary theme; which highlights the country’s development journey and the importance of building a sustainable future through the participation of all citizens.
Mr Siame said youths have a critical role to play in shaping the country’s future and should take advantage of government initiatives, particularly skills bursaries, to acquire practical skills and venture into entrepreneurship.
Mr Siame said it was concerning that some beneficiaries abandoned their training before completion, resulting in the wastage of public resources invested in their education.
“It is actually disheartening that some youths are running away from skills. When somebody is enrolled at an institution, you find that maybe up to half of the training period of youth disappears, and the government will continue pumping in money for the same youth,” Mr Siame said.
He urged young people to apply the knowledge and skills acquired through training to productive activities that would benefit their communities and contribute to the country’s development.
Mr Siame said the Independence Anniversary theme should inspire youths to recognize their responsibility in sustaining Zambia’s progress by becoming proactive citizens who identify opportunities to improve their communities.
He said young people should move away from unproductive activities and instead focus on initiatives that promote self-reliance, entrepreneurship and national development.
Mr Siame further encouraged youths to take advantage of opportunities for representation in decision-making structures, including Parliament and local councils, to articulate issues affecting their peers.
He said the inclusion of youths through proportional representation provided an opportunity for young people to participate in governance and influence decisions that shape their future.
Mr Siame said Zambia’s future depended on a generation of responsible, innovative and development-oriented youths who would sustain the gains made since independence.
He appealed to young people in Isoka, in particular, to take ownership of the district’s development by making productive use of available government support and actively participating in community initiatives.
The 2026 Independence Anniversary will be held under the theme: “Zambia @62: Our Journey, Our Growth, Our Future,”
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