Selection of ZNS voluntary training candidates must be transparent
IT IS important for the New Dawn government to be transparent in the selection of youths to undertake voluntary skills training under the Zambia National Service (ZNS).
In a nation like ours where unemployment is prevalent, the ZNS voluntary skills training programme is important to provide young people with opportunities. The significance of the programme demands that the selection process be transparent and free from political interference.
We are concerned about reports of lack of transparency in the selection of youths to participate in the scheme. It is our hope that this lack of transparency will not result in the exclusion and unfairness where eligible and deserving youth are overlooked, and opportunities are monopolised by a select few or those with connections.
This situation has the potential to foster discontent and mistrust which could undermine the programme’s legitimacy and hinder overall national development. It can also result in wasted resources and a failure to address the actual skills needs of the country, as the most vulnerable and marginalised youth are unable to access the support they need.
Three members of Parliament from the Patriotic Front (PF) – Steven Kampyongo (Shiwang’andu), Sydney Mshanga (Bwacha) and Francis Kapyanga (Mpika) – have expressed concerns about the platform and selection criteria for the voluntary skills programme. We share their concerns.
“Maybe MPs from the ruling party (UPND) were consulted and engaged in the ZNS skills training selection process …otherwise none of us from the former ruling PF were involved,” Kampyongo complained in an interview with The Mast.
“As Bwacha MP, I beg to know who these youths are, which wards they are coming from and how they were identified and selected because there was no Constituency Development Fund [CDF] meeting convened for this particular purpose,” Mshanga said.
Kapyanga also wondered how the selection for candidates for the national voluntary skills training programme was conducted without involving sitting MPs.
Minister of Defence Ambrose Lufuma must ensure the selection process is transparent. Since youth skills development is essential for reducing levels of unemployment by matching skills to market demands, promoting economic growth through a trained workforce and enabling young people to launch prosperous careers and make valuable contributions to their communities, transparency is important.
Government transparency in this programme is of paramount importance because it also has a component of military training. Transparency in the recruitment is vital to build public trust, ensure accountability, prevent corruption and resource waste, uphold democratic principles and strengthening national security by creating a well-balanced and legitimately supported military.
In contrast, without clear and communicated selection criteria, opportunities can be unfairly distributed, leaving out deserving individuals who lack the right connections or information. When the selection process lacks transparency, it breeds suspicion that opportunities are based on favoritism and political patronage instead of merit. This could result in a loss of confidence in the programme and ZNS, the institution behind it.
It is important to note that President Hakainde Hichilema means well in empowering the youths through the ZNS voluntary skills training programme. It would be unfortunate if this programme failed to reach the youth who need it most or those who could contribute most effectively to national development. This can result in a monopolisation of opportunities by a small group, preventing broader participation
Without transparency in the selection criteria, government risks wasting taxpayers’ money by investing in a programme that does not engage a broad and representative group of the youths as the potential for positive social and economic impact is diminished. Enlistment or enrolment should not be based on political or ethnic connections, nepotism and cronyism.
