Youth groups challenge President Hichilema to put a young person in Cabinet

Eight youth-led organisations have urged President Hakainde Hichilema to appoint a young Member of Parliament to Cabinet, specifically calling for the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts to be led by a young person.

In an open letter dated October 21, 2026, the organisations argued that young people should have a direct role in decisions affecting their employment prospects, education, access to finance and opportunities in sport and the creative industries.

The letter, addressed to the President at State House, was signed by Global Platform Zambia Network, Youth4Parliament, Youth Ignite Zambia, Activista, Youth Life, Dzuka Cholinga, WeCode Zambia and Muchinga Corridors.

The groups said young people had demonstrated their readiness for leadership through the 2026 General Elections, which they said produced 26 young MPs.

They argued that youth representation should extend beyond Parliament into the Executive, where Cabinet decisions shape national policies and the allocation of public resources.

“The question is no longer whether young people are capable, but whether they will be trusted with real authority,” the groups said.

The organisations said a young Minister of Youth, Sport and Arts would bring first-hand experience of challenges facing young people, including unemployment, limited access to finance and the high cost of higher education.

They also argued that a minister with direct connections to youth networks could improve engagement between government and young people and help mobilise support for government programmes.

The groups said the appointment would give practical meaning to Zambia's National Youth Policy and its commitments under the African Youth Charter, which promotes youth participation in decision-making.

They further argued that Zambia could follow the example of other African countries that have appointed young people to lead youth ministries.

The organisations described their request as a call for meaningful representation rather than a symbolic appointment.

“Young people have been asked to participate, to vote and to be patient. It is now time to trust young people with real authority,” they said.

The letter comes against the backdrop of constitutional changes that introduced proportional representation seats reserved for women, young people and persons with disabilities in the National Assembly. The amended Constitution provides for 15 youth seats under this system.

The groups said their demand was not limited to the youth ministry, urging the President to bring more young people into Cabinet.

They also pledged to monitor the President's decision and hold the country's leadership accountable on behalf of young people.