A University of Zambia (UNZA) professor says there is need for the government to realize that despite Zambia making economic strides in the past decade, the country remains one of the poorest nations in the world.
Professor Vankentesh Seshamani who is a lecturer in the school of Economics says it is important not to lose sight of the country’s poor status when analyzing public policies especially at a time when the country wants to attain the middle income status.
Professor Seshamani says according to the United Nations, Zambia is classified among the least developed nations whose economies are vulnerable in the world.
He says it is not easy for the country to shrug off characteristics of vulnerability adding that this needs concerted efforts and political will from the leadership in graduating Zambia into more than a middle income status nation.
The professor has further said that in the past 15 years, Botswana and Kenya have graduated from least developed countries status adding that Zambia has to aim at achieving genuine development rather than the middle income status.
QFM
This is only for te benefit of the elite few. Wonder why MMD still goes on bragging bout uns
The last HDI report said our ranking fell along with countries at war like DRC.This “economic progress” is only explainable in that all the glory that GRZ makes of foreign investment the fruits of it are mostly enjoyed by the foreigners and the profits earned gone abroad.No trickle down economics here.Zambia is not ours anymore.
MMD only speak from the monies in their personal bank accounts, and not the true desperation that one sees in our people’s eyes.
As usual circular comments from an academic and basically saying nothing new. I guess our dear prof is a true academic. I wish he could have articulated on what practical things we need to do as Zambians than state the obvious that even people from Matero University know. We all know Zambia is not a wealthy country and that is why the MMD government is working its butt off to move this country into a middle income country with the development you are talking about. All the numbers show that we are doing the right thing and if we keep at it , as the morning follows night, we shall have development.
We need learned people like you professor to come on board and offer suggestion than just state the obvious. No need to play it safe.
We also need to adopt a tight fisted approach to monetary management, get rid off corruption, inept management practices, build more universities and schools, diversify into other industries than mining, invest heavily in infrastructure, focus more on economic management and less on political rhetoric and self praise, get rid off unnecessary ministries that were created to solely to employ cadres and friends. Perhaps we just might move from least developed to developing country. It is seems stupid and embarrassing that with all this wealth we are still ranked among the poorest of this planet, some of whom have been at war all their independent lives. This is a clear testimony to the incompetence and lack of direction of the people trusted with the country’s economic destiny.
#4 Don’t bring politics here. Just learn something from prof. We all know truth hates sometimes.
Well put professor. whats the point of counting and boasting over your riches when you stay in a dirty dump place with your family in total poverty
#4When we say Mutati is being academic and theoretical, you defend him. Today one says Zambians are poor you say he is being academic. Let me educate you a bit since you have put your brains in the MMD freezer. The French Revolution was caused by people like you who dont see that people are suffering.The ruling Class were enjoying just like you MMD are doing and as such the Queen was surprised when she was told that there was suffering in the country. And like you she measured the situation by her living standards and no wonder when she was told that people had no bread she said THEN GIVE THE CAKE. That is your mentality.If MMD can accept the suffering we are going through then, I can sympathise with them. But your arrogance makes me angry so much that sometimes I want to resign from Zambi
#meant GIVE THEM CAKE
#8…Deja Vu ……Resign from Zambia just like some known Britons have resigned from Britain.
In America, the economy tanked, to boost it the government of GW Bush gave people money to spend.Literally they put money in our hands to spend.In Canada, a town’s economy boomed over the discovery of oil.What did the town leaders do?They shared the good fortune with the people.I think I heard that they gave $500 to each resident.Now back to Zambia,the economy is improving, copper prices are sky high,do you think our leaders can share this good fortune with the woman on the street? Noooooooo.And that’s why we are poor.
this con lecturer is old and geriatric just like sata. even in USA, UK, my dear with those good economies if you dont work hard you starve. govt wont feed you but will provide atmosphere to work or do business
#10 Real Shange – YOU CAN TALK LIKE THAT FROM A DISTANCE
The prof is telling us the truth which I’ve been saying all along. Zambia is still a least developed nation. Zimbabwe is better than Zambia. We used to go and teach the Twanans and now we need the Twanans to come and teach us to develop. We are a cursed nation and we need radical leaders to turn the situation around. Lupiya is always in the air but he does not know how terrible Lusaka international airport is. He goes to other countries and doesn’t know how dirty Lusaka is. Cholera is the order of the day. True, we’re least developed.
Nobody has ever said Zambia is not a poor country. In fact it is PF kaponyas who are always complaining about this and that who lose sight that the country is still poor. For example they will complain about roads and then hospitals and then schools and then the pay of civil service workers without realising that the money for all these things has to come from somewhere. Which means that you spend more on roads then you will have to spend less somewhere else. We have been through a thirty year economic decline, is it realistic to expect everything to change overnight or 90 days? The professor gives an example of Kenya as doing better than Zambia when their economy is contracting and the country has been suffering food shortages. If you think Zim is better, then feel free to move there.
PF Jealousy@12. When will you nutters learn that zambia belongs to the citizenry? Like Botswana’s Karma put it over the disputed elections in ICost. Yes elsewhere, we shall ve poor people amongest us but to say that we should work hard then then we shall succeed, lucks reasoning. You ve put it right that govt must creat an enabling environment to do business or employment, but if taxpayers money is being pocketed by the powers that be, even simple contracts in govt ministries are a target for those entrusted to manage them. Money donated to rid us of those depraved is being mismanaged, investors are bringing in their chines and indian prisoners to come and do artisan jobs? when we have loads of graduates who are suited to perform the same. Well, zambians will never cease to amaze me!
@15. Manyando Mwale. In the light of all your allegations & MMD patritism, let your govt stop stealing taxpayers money,donor money and investing on roads like one “kalabo” worth 1.25Tr for whatever purpose when Western province is so unproductive. Now,these are concessional loans which means at one point if future our children will ve to undergo wage freezes to offset them. Now,thats not a good thing to do, we must make our future better for our children.Whether its PF who says zambia is poor or not, globally, it is categorised as such. Why spend billions or Manda manda or trips for one RB, when we have sick people who need medicine in hospitals? Why Kafupi still claims the $8m in zamtrop still DEC pursues $100k on Sata? Brother,you may be confortable but visit zambia & you will be…
Actually, in the next 10yrs, if nothing changes,zambia is going down the zim way. I think the two leaders are friends.
#15 MANYANDO MWALE IGNORE THIS INSANE GEORGEWBUSH NOT USA FORMER PRESIDENT BUT A SICKO WHO APES HIM. BCOS HE IN LUNNY THATS WHY HE CANT SEE ANYTHING BUT ILLUSIONS. THESE ARE ARMCHAIR CRITICS JUST LIKE SATA AND IT WORKS TO OUR ADVANTAGE WHILE THEY MAKE NOISE THESE EMPTY TINS WE DO WONDERS
Chief MMD Bootlicker is no mind to argue with. He lacks the intellectual propensity to analyze issues within his social domain. He is suffering from an intellectual collapse disease. Like many others he has been blinded by political prestige, loyalty privileges, name them.He is sacred of losing these benefits if the status quo was to change. Anyway, where one stands depends (to a large extent) on where he is sitting.Or like the Nsenga proverb says; Mphofu ikati nikuteme na mwala, utuka. Translated as;When a blind man says i will stone u, start running; because he is definitely standing on a stone.
I do not know why a rational person as the Chief MMD Bootlicker claims to be would refuse to appreciate professional advice on issues of great economic and public policy importance such as this. While it is clear that our economy has been growing at an average rate of 5.0% of GDP/annum, it does not necessarily translate into a reduction in poverty among the Zambians by the same rate.That growth is simply the volume of the value of our total production of goods and services in a particular year. The possibility is always undeniable that people can either remain at the same level of poverty or can even become worse-off. The bright side of the economic can actually favor the rich and the owners of capital and not the poor. It can be a facade impression. The Bootlicker is not helpful at all.
Prof. Chief MMD Bootlicker challenged the learned professor to give his view on what should be done in order to reduce poverty. I feel equally challenged. Bootlicker we can invest in rural infrastructure; roads, electricity, telecommunication etc. This can stimulate local economic activities. It is very possible to have a reliable and effective rural road network criss-crossing the nation. This would reduce the cost of doing agribusiness in the rural areas. The cost of inputs would reduce automatically increasing the income of the farmer/producer. Secondly, Rural economy diversification. Invest in programs that enhance multiple sources of income. For example promotion of irrigation for vegetable and fruit production. Do we need to import oranges? Bootlicker, u can reduce poverty like this.
Zambia is a sorry site and my heart bleeds for my country. Any sane person fails to understand why we are not among the richest countries in Africa.
Cheif Bootlicker you are quite right. The learned professor has rightly pointed out that we are a poor country, nothing new. However, i feel we need to learn from the Asian Tigers and use the exact same policies of investing in education, technology and infrustructure in order to make real economic strides. However, does the current government have the political will to sacrfice their current luxuries for the good of the entire nation in the long run?