Maravi

MMD to boycott Youth Day celebrations

MMD to boycott Youth Day celebrations
By Bright Mukwasa
Sun 11 Mar. 2012, 11:58 CAT

MMD youth will boycott tomorrow's Youth Day celebrations because of the PF's harassment of its members, according to a Lusaka youth leader. MMD Lusaka district youth chairperson Watson Mtonga yesterday said that party leaders including its youths had suffered at the hands of violent PF cadres and no government official had condemned the acts.

He told the press that since the MMD lost last September's elections, their properties had been looted, members beaten but the government had done nothing to restrain its cadres.

"Our youth are being harassed every day and some of them are in hiding because even police are knocking on their doors every day. We can't attend the Youth Day because we have seen that we are not protected by the police," Mtonga said.

"We cannot celebrate when our leaders are being persecuted. Every day you read the papers you're being told this one and that one has been arrested and giving them fake charges."

He said allegations of corruption against former leaders were an act of intimidation.

Mtonga said the defeat of the party did not mean that it must be obliterated.
He appealed to the Inspector General of Police Stella Libongani to be fair in the manner the police handled MMD and the violence it suffered from the ruling party.

Mtonga also said his party would support the youth of Mazabuka who intend to protest over the realignment of districts.

He said his party would send busloads of youth to Southern Province to go and give solidarity to the UPND youth who were expected to protest.

Mtonga also said his party would fight "nail and tooth" over the removal of Rupiah Banda's immunity.

He challenged President Michael Sata to deliver the jobs and 'more money' that he promised the youth prior to the elections.

Mtonga also said his party supported the demands civil servants were making and President Sata must deliver as he had promised to increase their salaries and conditions of service once voted for.

He said the President's threats against public workers were unjustified.

He said President Sata's failure to deliver on the many promises he made to the youth would be tantamount to duping his way to State House.

Labels: AFRICAN YOUTH DAY, MMD, MMD YOUTH LEAGUE, YOUTHS

posted by MrK @ 5:28 PM