• Musonda of Matero Township in Lusaka showing off President Michael Sata’s portrait he drew and would
love to turn into a sticker in the near future. Picture by CHUSA SICHONE.

By CHUSA SICHONE –
IT is no longer a secret that the unemployment level amongst the youths in Zambia is high.
Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Robert Sichinga said when the United Bank for Africa (UBA) and Necor Zambia Limited announced their partnership in Lusaka recently that there were 955,150 people in formal employment in Zambia as at December 2013.
The 955,150 formal jobs as at the fourth quarter of 2013 represents an increase of 119,771 from the 835,379 people in formal employment recorded in the first quarter of 2012.
“The highest increase of 44,002 was observed between fourth quarter 2012 and first quarter 2012. This goes to demonstrate Government’s commitment to addressing this huge burden of youth unemployment and under employment,” Mr Sichinga said.
Government has this year imposed a two-year wage freeze, a move which has not been received well, especially by the labour movement and opposition political parties.
Much as Government is known to be the largest employer in the country,
it cannot absorb every youth in the formal sector.
It is equally practically impossible for the private sector to recruit the remainder of the unemployed youths in the country despite Government having created an enabling environment for them to operate.
With that said, many youths who graduate from tertiary institutions with a view of getting white collar jobs do not easily get the jobs they desire to have.
However, 25-year-old Luka Musonda, a grade 12 school leaver, has decided to secure a place in the informal sector as he is aware that not everyone can be employed in the formal sector.
Since early this year, Luka has been “squatting” on the island opposite National Milling Company on Lusaka’s Cairo Road from about 06:45 to 17:30, Monday to Saturday and at times on Sunday.
Luka caught the attention of this author in October, this year, when he spotted him painting a picture of late President Michael Sata,
which he unfortunately was unable to handover to the former Head of State as Mr Sata died later that same month.
Luka then produced more of his brilliant artistic works, but unfortunately some which were recently stolen from him, including other valuables, while attending to a customer on the opposite side of Cairo Road.
Luka started his Grade One in 1995 at Nalituwe Basic School in Livingstone before being transferred to Nyumba Yanga Primary School for his Grade Three to Seven and completed his secondary education at Luanshya Boys Secondary School in 2006.
It was while at Nyumba Yanga Primary School that he cultivated interest in art and joined the art and drama group, the passion he continued at secondary school level.
Luka says he went commercial with his art in 2005 on the Copperbelt by doing away with pencils and pens, replacing them with paint brushes.
Luka embarked on sign writing and portraits.
“I then left the Copperbelt to come and visit my parents in Matero this year. While in Lusaka, I decided to visit Henry Tayali and my fellow artist friends found at Sunday Market at Arcades.
“When I realised that people in Lusaka were appreciating my art works and contracting me to do certain jobs for them, that is how I resolved to remain in Lusaka to pursue my chosen career further, especially that there is adequate exposure to different people here in Lusaka,” he says.
Luka says he has been receiving overwhelming response in Lusaka and is happy that residents are appreciating art.
Luka intends to enroll at the Evelyn Hone College to take his inborn talent to another level by studying art there but is struggling to raise money to enable him do so.
Alternatively, Luka requires adequate capital injection to boost his sign writing business by acquiring more arts equipment and to open up an office.
Apart from art, Luka discloses that he is also able to do carpentry as well as repair and polish shoes.
His multi-tasking skills ensure that he rarely goes home empty-handed as his clients request for any one of the services he renders.
Luckily enough, the Lusaka City Council (LCC) does not harass him for operating on the streets and attributed that to maintaining cleanliness as he conducts his business.
Luka urges youths in the country to emulate his spirit of not sorely waiting for Government to do everything for them.
“Young people need to be creative and discover what they can do to employ themselves to earn a living at the end of the day because laziness won’t take them anywhere. You need to sweat for sweet.
“They should not sit back and say the only work they can do is that of wearing a tie while seated on a chair, no. They can do any job so that they also supplement Government’s efforts in creating employment,” he says.
With the introduction of the Arts in the Ministry of Tourism, Luka is appealing to Government through the National Arts Council, to look into the plight of artists in the country.
“My appeal to Government is that it should look into the plight of us artists because art is also a job in its own right just like your job as a Journalist, a doctor or a teacher. We are also human as artists.
Being found on the streets doesn’t imply that you are a failure or what, no.
“I would, therefore, love Government to add value to us artists.
The National Arts Council should add value to artist and recognise us,” he said.
Luka is just one of the many examples that have proven that even young people can earn a living in the informal sector.
There is need for such innovative and creative youngsters to be motivated and encouraged in their respective areas of expertise through incentives such as the Youth Development Fund and indeed by the private sector coming on board.