By KENNEDY MUPESENI –

THE Zambia Youth Federation (ZYF) has said the upward adjustment in the youth empowerment fund in the 2015 Budget will contribute to job creation among the youth.
The youth empowerment fund for 2015 has been increased from K19million to K30 million in an effort to accommodate more youth projects in the country.
ZYF Lusaka Province coordinator David Katungulu said the increase of Youth Empowerment Funds would result in job creation among the youth and reduce poverty.
“We are encouraged by the move to increase funding to the youth empowerment although we still feel that it was supposed to be increase further to cater for as many beneficiaries as possible,” he said.
Mr Katungulu said the formulation of the 2012 youth empowerment strategy was a positive move in as far as youth empowerment was concerned.
“The youth empowerment strategy has resulted in the continuous increment in the allocation of Youth Empowerment Funds in the last two years,” he said.
He said youths would remember the late President Michael Sata for responding to the youth’s needs in the country.
“He gave the directive to the Youth and Sport minister to come up with the youth empowerment strategy has culminated into upward adjustment in the funds to the youths,” he said.
Mr Katungulu appealed to political candidates vying for presidency to continue with the same vigour and desire to empower youths in the country.
This would give young people an opportunity to participate in the economic development of the country looking at the energy young people possessed.