President Banda has castigated opposition parties and some individuals criticising the World Bank’s reclassification of Zambia as a lower middle-income country.
Mr Banda said he is disappointed with people who have continued to criticise the World Bank decision which shows that Zambia’s economy is growing.
“We have received the news from the World Bank and the country’s B+ rating from international rating organisations Standard and Poors and Fitch with honour and joy but it is surprising that my colleagues in the opposition have continued to criticise such recognitions,” President Banda said.
“They are saying there is still poverty in the country but there is no country in the world which is free of poverty. It is through these ratings that our country will manage to eradicate poverty,” he said.
President Banda said this when he officiated at the ground-breaking ceremony of the Kafue Gorge Lower Hydro-electric project in Kafue yesterday.
He said the continued positive ratings mean that Zambia’s economy is growing at a fast rate and benefits will trickle down to citizens and improve their lives.
Mr Banda said Zambia can now attract more investors to the country’s critical sectors and investors will help Zambia to develop economically, socially and politically.
“These ratings do not mean that our people will wake up tomorrow and start driving their own vehicles, live a posh life or that the country will suddenly eradicate poverty. But in the long run, people will live more comfortable lives. So, I wonder what my colleagues criticise. One day we will get there,” President Banda assured.
He said the ratings are not political because they were conducted by credible international institutions, based on the country’s economic achievements.
[pullquote]”These ratings do not mean that our people will wake up tomorrow and start driving their own vehicles, live a posh life or that the country will suddenly eradicate poverty. But in the long run, people will live more comfortable lives. So, I wonder what my colleagues criticise. One day we will get there,” President Banda assured.[/pullquote]
Mr Banda said he is happy that Zambia has been reclassified as a lower middle-income country and assigned positive ratings under his administration.
Meanwhile, Mr Banda has announced that over 200 housing units in Camp Three of Namalundu Gorge residential area in Kafue will be sold to sitting tenants.
And President Banda is disappointed with people who are criticising the World Bank’s ranking of Zambia as a lower middle-income country.
Mr Banda made the announcement in Kafue yesterday when he officiated at the ground-breaking ceremony of Kafue Gorge Lower Hydro-electric Project.
“Let me take this opportunity to announce that over 200 houses in Camp Three of Namalundu will be given to sitting tenants to benefit our people,” he said.
The institutional houses are occupied by Zambia Police Service officers, health workers and some employees of Zesco. Mr Banda said Zesco under the Kafue Gorge Lower Hydro-electric Project will build houses for its employees working under the project.
He said the project will also construct a classroom block at Chibola Basic School in Namalundu.
“Zesco will build new houses for its workers who will be employed under this new project. In the same vein, this project will construct a classroom block at Chibola Basic School which you had requested me to build for you,” Mr Banda told the crowd which had gathered to witness the ground-breaking ceremony.
Before making the announcement at the project site, Mr Banda toured the Namalundu houses and some schools.
He also held private talks with Zesco management and some members of the board of directors.
Recently, the President instructed Maamba Collieries to offer over 800 houses to former sitting tenants as part of the home empowerment scheme
” “These ratings do not mean that our people will wake up tomorrow and start driving their own vehicles, live a posh life ”
Or food on the table…
” or that the country will suddenly eradicate poverty. But in the long run, people will live more comfortable lives. So, I wonder what my colleagues criticise. One day we will get there,” President Banda assured. ”
Wow.
Monkey’s target, please stop destructing people and announce the election date.
You want election date your party has not even adopted aspiring candidates.Not logical
Ichi chimuntu ichi, aawe mwe!!!! Its almost august but the chimp is still mute on election date. Marubbish yeka yeka-
You’re out Rubbish Bin. Just annouce the election date and we forget you ever existed in Zambia. Moving forward the Election date will be enshrigned in the Constitution and not leave such a huge task to a monkey like him.
I think th World Bank was given a guided tour to Kabulonga for them to give us this absurd rank. Sorry sir we reject you paper-based rating. Let’s get real. We are wallowing in abject poverty except for HH and Dora’s friends
It’s July 21, No election date has been announced yet. It is time for Zambians to get Angry.
yes @ 1 thats right! ignorant fools will just because of the upgrading start claiming that this is the end of poverty… how shallow minded! look even here in the west where they have an aaa credit rating such as the US, you will be surprised to see how endemic poverty is in a significant proportion of the population. as for the working middle class, they are not better off that you bangwele! these people have to work 2 – 3 jobs to make ends meet… and as for their so called buying power, its just a myth because it appears so because of the access they have to credit and that is why they got into this so called financial collapse in the first place. don’t you wonder how you have been spares from it? its because you have no personal credit silly! so people know how to do without things
they cannot afford. do you know what will happen when government and institutions upgrade your personal credit rating from the F where you currently are to a C? then you will have easy access to credit and only then will your ‘ buying ‘ power ‘ go up. but remember not because of what you actually have but what you can actually borrow and this will catch up with you sometime down the road just as it has with folk here!!
What a BUFFOON.. I detest this F00L.
My freind Pounds and Pence #8. If you detest this guys, comapred to me the word detest were RB this Scum bag is means Love. There is no way to describe my feelings towards him. I would rather befreind a murdered who has just raped all females in my family that even hear his voice.
I hope I can go and vist home after his out. Not that I cant go now but its this thing.
Thanks
When I first heard that Zambia had become a middle income country I could not believe it because of the abject poverty prevailing in the country. It later transpired that Zambia had actually become a LOWER middle income country which is a lot of difference. It is like an Associate or Assistant Professor who prefers to be called Professor or a Lieutenant- Colonel who prefers be called Colonel.
On ““Let me take this opportunity to announce that over 200 houses in Camp Three of Namalundu will be given to sitting tenants to benefit our people,” he said” this behaviour by the President RB Banda is not good but I hope it will yield him positive results in the next 3 months.
I also hope the Real Change UPND Team will upgrade their manifesto to deal with this housing confusion thatcPresident RB Banda and his MMD GRZ Administeation is causing.
B blest all.
_
Matt 6:33
“There is poverty in every country”but at what level?the poverty that is in this country one cannot even discribe it.Its something more than poverty.We will say there is poverty if atleast everyone can afford Nshima with Kapenta (Chisense).Now can everyone afford that twicwein a day?How do we trust that thing will be ok when we have been living like these for year?Too many questions to ask.
Awe ba Banda chiwelewele. Eba Economist baba Capitalist aba. This man does not know that everything has levels? How can an economist as preached by MMD cadres fail to understand that their are measurements to arrive at any conclusion? Please, God’s people to teach this man very percentages and how to simple statistics.
Zambia cold have been classified az an upper-income country or even lowest-income, but that would not change anything to the ordinary citizenz.
thank you mr president and dont worry only educated people know what this means
The classification remains hollow for as long as it does not translate into tangible benefits for the majority of the people.
If rupiah finds comfort in this and now sleeps so soundly like there is nothing more to do for the country, then we have the wrong man at the helm that needs to be uprooted pronto.
MMD recently admitted that for the 20years they have been in power, they only managed to create a paltry 250,000 jobs in the formal sector.
Is this the record to be proud of as govt?
# 9, where ever you are, if you are zambian lets give credit where it’s due even if it’s not your yama who is in power cause this is the first time for zambia to gratuate to such levels, it never happened even in the times of your super yamas when they were holding instruments of power(from independence to 2001) without anyone saying anything. when they could even burn the same post offices cause of reporting against them, when they could even insunuate to start taxing the same catholic church cause they were speaking a lot against their directionless leadrership and refusing donations(brown evelops) at catholic churches
Why is Rupiah Banda bothered about these losers who criticise everything? Rupiah should know that the reason they are criticising the classification is because they are not educated enough to understand what’s going on, which is the reason why they are not in government. I would not lkose sleep over people who suffer from mouths that are constantly open and so they have to say something to keep flies from going inside. They are empty calabashes…
U quacks that believe being rated is a hoax or is not relevant are just a bunch of ignorant chaps…what exactly do u think the PF or UPND will do for Zambia..its a plus for Zambia to improve on its credit ratings as we will experience further growth with regard to FDI..we can not grow as a country if we think we are an island..
Announce election date please. Malawi is on ifre due to stupid presidents, like your friend Mutarika*********
Malawi is demonstrating. everbody is on the street. So RB dont think that you can take zambians for a ride.
zambians will have to work very hard to achieve that status.good luck my zambians brothers and sisters.
zamabians have oredy worked hard! now they are getting the benefits….. new roads, hospitals, school etc that are evedently seen!
its a pity people want to politicise this issue,i feel we should be happy as zambians because our nation is taking a positive direction,its a fact the economy is booming and like the old man puts it results will not be seen in a day,it will not be in 90 days! but with time things are changing
Chilombo and other enlightened contributors,
Thank you for shedding some light. It dawns on one that many in our beloved country will remain mired in poverty in the midst of plenty because, let’s cut to the chase, of laziness. Laziness to think. Laziness to slog. A deadly cocktail.
As you travel Africa you see this. I do not what it is, but education staring at Kindergarten level might be the answer.
RB should be congratulated on his positive message, but I just wish he also addressed the Zambian people by asking them to work hard so together we can develop the country. The 90 days nonsense has never and will never work.
RB YOU STILL BE A PRESIDENT UNTIL NEXT SWEARING IN. ANNOUNCE THE ELECTION DATE..YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE. YOU ARE A WINNER AFTER ALL.
Did the common citizen benefit from the HIPC initiative? How many years has it been since we reached the yardstick of HIPC? These are some of the issues we so forget very quickly, I wonder why. MMD is abusing resources at unprecedented levels and we citizens are doing nothing about it. What a curse to be born African sometimes. Everywhere you turn to in Africa it’s the same story of greedy leaders raping the coffers of their central banks for their owner benefits.
People dont want to hear what will happen after this or that because we have heard of this for so many years now.We just want actions now………We surely know that “Rome was not built in a day” as the saying goes but we have gone danm down for so many years and you guys want to us for granted???We need to try others and see what they can also offer.
# 27 “Zambian British” i really like your contribution.Those are some of the questions we need to ask.What benefits did a common zambian benefit from HIPC?We had to tighten our belts for sometime but nothing came up.We surely forget so fast……Lets be realistic Guys.
Give us the election date and we will show you where to go.
It is nonsensical to say that the world bank are wrong in reclassifying Zambia a middle income nation. They are an elite, credible, global and prestigious financial organisation who have nothing to gain or lose from this. Let us celebrate the great works of the MMD instead of always looking for faults. We need to continue the progress with RB!!
The brain will match whatever we perceive! If we see an event or a person as a stressor, the brain releases stress hormones. If we see the same event or person as agreeable, the brain releases “happy hormones”: dopamine, serotonin and endorphin.
While driving, did you ever want to switch lanes, but were prevented from doing so by the heavy traffic? How did you feel when someone recognizing your problem slowed down, waved to you, and let you in? Your mounting frustration was instantly transformed into relief and thankfulness, wasn’t it? Later, when you saw someone else in a similar jam, didn’t you also slow down and let them in? You were sharing and spreading the kindness you received from another. How do you suppose the driver you just helped will act? Most likely, they will do likewise. Look at the power we have to sweeten the lives of others!
Is the high copper price or the high rainfall controlled by RB? What nonsense
NO 10 AND 11 – TONE IT DOWN A BIT.
WE ALL DISAGREE WITH HOW HE IS RUNNING THINGS BUT TONE IT DOWN ESPECIALLY YOU NO. 11
According to Musokotwane’s explanation Zambia is a LOWER middle income country and that this means the average income for those in gainful employment is between $ 1600 and $3000 per individual. The question is what is the real value of this money to a Zambian. Can they obtain loans from Banks to buy houses, brand new cars, pay rent and still remain with a little somehing for a rainy day?
APOLOGIES TO NO. 11. I ACTUALLY MEANT 9 AND 10 RESPECTIVELY NOT 11.
All these houses this fart is handing out, we are the ones who are going to pay for it in the future as there will be housing shortages, how do you hand houses and not build replacements even in West some City Councils would rather rent out a £200million stadium than sell it outright as they understand the value of a consistent revenue stream.
This buffoon is the dullest President Zambia has ever had, he is so short-sighted, doesn’t see the bigger picture and our children, great children are going to pay BIG time.
He makes it sound as if World Bank is some Co-operative bank, Banda we are not fools, so what are you going to do differently that you failed to in the past 20 years if you are lent a billion dollars more??
Sorry boss that classification is for those who are benefiting like the IMF ETC
@18 CountryBoy; You definitely dont know the history of your Zambia. You must be a Boy indeed; a country one for that matter. For your own information Zambia was born or attained independence as a middle income country in 1964. In sub saharan Africa there were only two middle income countries. These were Zambia and South Africa. Zambia was even far much advanced than South Africa in certain aspects. For example Zambia had Television whereas South Africa had none. Kaunda’s group which included RB mismanaged the economy and turned Zambia into a low income country. We are just back to were we started in 1964. And from now anything is possible we may go upwards or downwards. One thing I know is that Zambians are full of cork-ups! We havent danced the last of this merry go round!
I even remember the days when the Kwacha was 1-1 with the pound and when it dropped for the first time to K5 to a pound, it was very big news, Headline in the Times of Zambia.
Here we go again. There are those who are perpetually looking for faults so that they can perpetually complain and those who are always looking for opportunities so that they can exploit them and prosper. Which one are you? The choice is yours.
The truth is there is abject poverty in Zambia period.
@18, countryboy:
I slightly disagree with your statement. Zambia was doing very well after Independence, and well into the 1970s. Please check your history on this one. I remember a time when education was free in Zambia, a time when one British Pound was equivalent to 2 Zambian Kwachas (we actually used to call K2.00, “pound” ), a time when ambulances used to go into villages to pick up patients, and a time when 50 Ngwe can afford you a decent meal, etc. And I am was born after Independence. I also remember what it meat to live a middle-class life style in Zambia (a middle-class which is currently a shell of itself). The little I have described for you should be the benchmarks of a middle-income country. Not statistics on a piece of paper fashioned by WB in New York or London!
#44 continue:
The biggest question is: what does all the classifications and statistics do for my aging parents at the village and my younger brothers and sisters about to graduate from college/university? The answer is, very little or nothing at all! The only time I saw my folks happy was when they could afford clothes for their children and, once in a while, afford a decent Christmas celebration even at the Village—-which is a distant dream in the MMD’s lower-middle income country of Zambia today.
#45 continue:
Nonetheless, if this is the road we have to travel to get Zambia on track, so be it! But our leaders should project a sense of agency. Not “WAKO NI WAKO” sort of attitude that seems to have engulfed our political leadership in Zambia today. I think ordinary Zambians have been asked to sacrifice and tighten their belts for far too long. And now they have reached a point where they are simply too emaciated to wait or tighten their belts even further. Also the growing population the unemployed youth should be a very big source of worry to our govt. This is a ticking time-bomb to wait for RB’s trickle-down economics to take its course. Remember, it was mostly the unemployed youth who brought down the Tunisian and Egyptian regimes down. Be careful bwana President!!
The MMD govt under president RB has try and are still working on creating a midle income class that has not been in zambia for so long,it is even evident by the number of cars that are coming in the country daily,people are buying cars,zambians,people are not starving,people we are moving foward and like the president put it” we will get there” this economic development will not happen overnight or in 90 days but with the constant growth of our economy we will get there
If I may politely ask those in PF especially. Which developed countries are you going to model Zambia after? Is it Japan, USA, Germany, France, China, Taiwan (if at all), Russia, UK or Canada? All these economies have worked through the same economic indicators that you are despising to day. None of them had the 90-day development plan. They value the credit ratings and their income levels which help attract investment and ability to borrow for their development. You should see how they panic when threatened with downgrading their ratings. What we need to do as people is respond with hard work. Let’s not be cheated that we can drink tujilijili all day and get our pockets full of money. Government is only there to create the right environment. Investment then creates employment, simple.
But some of Banda’s lies are to say the least very shameful. If you recall the BRE only a month ago complained that since they met him early this year, all they have received from him in terms of feed back is a deafening silence! Now, this i what he claims, this Malawan: “Let me conclude by saying that our DIALOGUE with the Barotse Royal Establishment HAS CONTINUED even after the presentation of the resolutions for purposes of seeking clarity on various issues so that this matter is concluded in a manner that is realistic and satisfactory to all concerned parties”. This issue is not complex at all, all one needs is a pen and paper to re-honour it. Banda is a f.o.o.l.
I don’t think even the President himself understands what the implications of this are, if pressed you will be able to see straight through him…he is rejoicing like some teenager who has just had his credit card limit doubled and is envisioning more trips to the shopping mall.
If the president said; ‘Right we have been awarded this rating now let’s concentrate on good governance, transparency, accountability and implement policies that encourage the production of non-tradition exports to consolidate or improve our standing.’..oh no that’s Greek to the President Banda, let’s face the facts people, this President is and was a caretaker President and has outlived his usefulness.
#48 well said ba wise pliz allow me to copy this article lol but for real where has the 90 day theory ever worked in this world,the truth is we are headed somewhere as a nation
You are very welcome, my friend.
Please twapapata when did we reach such a rank we have even failed to meet the free education for primary MDG world bank must be kidding.
No body said poverty in Zambia can be eradicated. Even the level of reduction is pathetic. One per month! Kuya bebele!
Ba MMD, sure you mean people in your village will eat cars? Its narrow minded people like you who give MMD a bad name! If you have nothing to say, keep quiet!
Argue with the World Bank and not MMD government.The fact is Zambia and Ghana are now Lower Middle Income Countries.Is this so different to accept or atleast understand?????
These ratings are based on a country’s GDP and Zambia has surpassed the $1,005 to graduate from a Least Developed Country to a middle income country. I believe this is good for us as we now need to be more self reliant and strive to even be better than middle income in the near future. Let’s kick poverty out of our minds.
It is strange to note the levels of ignorance in our midst, or is it that we have become so much of pretenders? Do people expect development to come without indicators? These indicators are what every level minded person looks forward to when they are told of development. Alas today’s Zambian mind is full of hate! my heart bleeds. Whats the benefit? In certain countries I know, a hate message/speech is a punishable offence because it breeds dispondence and judgement failure. Zambians love each other speak with kindness and compassion.
Step in the right direction! We need to create a middle class in order for our country to prosper. Let Indigenous Zambian own and run business such as mines, manufacturing concerns and so forth. For anyone to benefit from whatever economic growth people are talking about, one must participate in the economy in one way or another be it in farming, buying and selling or indeed as an employee. Govt has tried its level best to empower the rural folk through Farmer Input Support Programme. Being armchair critics wont help us reduce (not eradicate) poverty levels in this great nation.
The Late Levy Mwanawasa said that one of the objectives of the Vision 2030 is to make Zambia a prosperous middle income country by 2030 in which all people will be provided with opportunities to improve their well being. Why am i thinking this is a meaningless re-classification, is the everyday Zambian street vendor going to see an improvement in his/her life?
This lower middle-income has comes 20 years to quick, we must be very careful because we do not know the true meaning of this re-classification. I strongly disagree with you Mr President because this scale is based on international trade figures not on the average Zambian who will not wake up to celebrate his/her middle-income-status.
Article 3.of the Patriotic Front Constitution
PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS
The Party shall ensure that all the public institutions, State-owned enterprises and popular mass
and similar organizations are led by persons who are members of the Party and who are
uncompromisingly committed to achievements of the Party.
the advisor # 59,it is true it has come way to early simply becoz the economy has perfomed so well you might atribute it to the good copper prices which is true but als dont forget that good governance is key to such results,but on the issue of the results being seen by the common zambian,its a matter of time and am glad my president is truthful on this issue he is not lying to us by saying it will be done in 2 days or 90 days but the actual results will be seen soon,by 2030 am sure our nation will be far much better,for now lets mantain this govt lets not change aimlesly but lets vote for RB so that this economic growth should continue
31 Progress- MMD,
” It is nonsensical to say that the world bank are wrong in reclassifying Zambia a middle income nation. They are an elite, credible, global and prestigious financial organisation who have nothing to gain or lose from this. ”
Really? Who owns the World Bank? Or the IMF, US Federal Reserve, Bank of England… Who is the majority shareholder in Anglo-American De Beers nowadays?
They’re ‘elite’ alright, they’re the richest people on the planet, and all they care about is dragging diamonds and copper out of the soil. They don’t care one cent about how many people die in the process, sometimes I think they are actually genocidal.
Anyway, the trillionaires are too rich already, it is the Zambian people’s time now.
44 Yambayamba,
” @18, countryboy: I slightly disagree with your statement. Zambia was doing very well after Independence, and well into the 1970s. … I remember a time when education was free in Zambia, a time when one British Pound was equivalent to 2 Zambian Kwachas … , a time when ambulances used to go into villages to pick up patients,… when 50 Ngwe can afford you a decent meal, etc. … I also remember what it meat to live a middle-class life style in Zambia (a middle-class which is currently a shell of itself). ”
I completely agree. In fact at independence K1 was $2. And it can be again – as long as we maximize the returns from the mining industry. $3 billion a year in profits, and $1.3 billion a year in taxes to the ZRA and dividends to ZCCM-IH that are uncollected.
@60 the observer haven’t you got anything better to do than tell lies? anyone can download the PF manifesto and see that you are full of S H I T. Article 3 is agricultural policy
ba Moze what wrong have i done bigge,all am saying is even in big economis there are poor people but the MMD govt under RB is working tirelesly to bridge this gap thereby creating a midle class and its not now that these results will be seen probable another 20 years look at china some good 30 years ago,there economy was growing at a very fast rate yet economic development was not like it is now,zambia is on course
@64
Where can i download PF Party manifesto??
@66 Trigger it is at www dot patriotic-front dot com
@66 Trigger it is at patriotic-front dot com
Cheers!!
“Zambia to debone”: My heart bleeds with yours. The hatred being exposed by Zambians is frightening!
Is Zambia better off than Greece? Useless ratings devised to confuse people by the world Bank and IMF institutions. We should not rely on these institutions for directions, if they are so good the world baking system would not be so shake as it is now.
Put another way.
Suppose the ranking was worse and the World Bank had downgraded us to the Least Developed country again, would people be saying the ranking is meaningless?
We have been in this before. In the 1990s and a decade before we were up to the neck in debt. We were ALL poor, so we didn’t notice any difference. Now there are distinctions. Those who are lazy have been left behind, and they are the ones crying.
the policies of the world bank has never worked in africa. infact the work to the contrarly. countries are now realizing this. look what works for them will not work for us. i wish you all guys to take a look at countries like namibia, botswana, south africa etc were the world bank is not even known and head of. its a shame for the president to be proud of such statements. infact they are just saying come and borrow more again and put your country in debts. this is a shame from our president.
No African country will ever develop because people do not understand where wealth comes from. IT IS INDIVIDUALS WHO CREATE THE WEALTH. NOT GOVERNMENTS. The conditions in Zambia are now condusive enough to allow businesses to flourish. But the people do not have the ability to improve their lives. When are we going to see MADE IN ZAMBIA on any items? This is not a government problem. We should start making things that other people want to buy. Until that happens we shall NEVER eradicate poverty. Grow up.
I agree with you, in fact prosperity comes from the Lord for every individual
#70 If the world bank had downgraded the country, then suddenly these figures would have been very credible. PF supporters are very picky on what they believe – basically if it is bad or negative news about the country then they will celebrate and dance in the streets if it is anything positive such as the issue we are debating here or a bumper harvest, then somehow the figures are wrong or somebody has been given brown envelopes. Ironic really, to see that those who call themselves ‘patriotic’ only wish ill on their country.
@73
The reason will are talking about it; is that our there President his excellency Buffoon RB is trying gain political points out and milking this issue big time. He doesn’t even know how the attained that rating, its only going to take a dip in the price of copper on the market.
The World Bank is a bank its in the business of lending at a profit of course, and would even rate you higher if you discovered Diamonds and let either a company from their biggest shareholders US and the EU run the company. This chaps are crook and they have the own agenda WAKE UP!!!!
These chaps are crooks and they have their own agenda
#59 Adviser – I am the only Adviser on this Forum, and I have not relinguished that name.
72 Voice Of Reason,
” When are we going to see MADE IN ZAMBIA on any items? ”
Actually, the problem is neoliberal (supply side) economics – free trade, deregulation, privatisation and corruption. Free Trade has destroyed local markets, flooded by cheap imported goods (from China) and foreign transnational corporations (Shoprite). Deregulation globally has given us this financial crisis. Privatisation has ensured that the growth in GDP from the mining sector now goes into the corporate accounts of foreign mining companies like Anglo-American De Beers, Vedanta, Equinox, First Quantum, etc.
I for one didn’t think this would be a political issue, I’m thinking this is the very basis of our economic development debate and so our learned Economists should be interpreting to the less educated what low middle income status means, if this is left to the politicians to explain it will be aligned to one political party when in fact a lot of other factors have been considered, if Zambians have worked hard and brought about this change then we should all be proud of this and continue to work even harder, after all its our Country. Stop this negative poverty attitude and work hard like our friends in Asia.
For all of you who have good reasons to discredit the World Bank, can you write to them and tell them you want Zambia to remain perpetually poor. Is Ghana complaining as well?
I think we need to do some serious thinking, are we now promoting laziness over productivity? People lets work for what we need, Zambia is richly endowed with natural resources, rainfall, favourable climate and good agricultural land, we can produce plenty of food even to feed our neighbours if we stopped folding our hands and sending children to sell utujilijili and like Mule @58 has said, we can all do something to push our economy forward, this is not about one person.
People do not complain unnecessarily. We are not per se complaining about the LOWER income status that Zambia has attained but because we have not seen its benefits . According to ZCTU the mining sector is only contributing 2% of domestic revenue. Admittedly this is better than when the mining sector was not contributing anything. I agree with those people who are saying that the country has seen better times. This was the time when post offices were full of goods ordered from such order firms as Oxindales (sp) using the Kwacha. This was the time when the white mine owners introduced copper bonus to their employees because of high copper prices resulting fro the Vietnamese war. The idea of “windfall” is therefore not new to Zambia. The Easterners cannot know this because they we
Cont’d They were mostly garden boys and house boys based mostly in Lusaka. Now they are presidents.