The Grand Coalition on the People Driven Constitution has said that there was need to seriously reflect on why African countries remain economically and politically underdeveloped.
In a statement made available to the media to mark the African Freedom day, Grand Coalition Chairperson Fr Leonard Chiti said that Africa Freedom Day was a time for Zambians to reflect on how they can collectively work hard to restore the civil and political liberties which successive governments have tried hard to curtail using archaic laws.
Father Chiti further called on all Zambians to unite in the demand for a people driven constitution that will guarantee proper separation of powers, reduced presidential powers, expanded bill of rights and establishment of a democratic legal framework.
Below is the full statement
Press Statement
Grand Coalition on the People Driven Constitution Celebrates Africa Freedom Day.
Lusaka, 24 May 2014: As we remember the liberation of Africa from colonialism, and the energies that our fallen heroes invested in liberating the continent from the evils of political servitude, there is need to seriously reflect on why African countries remain economically and politically underdeveloped.
The Grand Coalition believes Africa Freedom Day is an opportunity for us as Zambians to reflect on the sacrifices of our fathers who fought for the liberation of this country and a number of other Southern African countries. Africa Freedom Day is a time for us to reflect on how we can collectively work hard to restore the civil and political liberties which successive governments have tried hard to curtail using archaic laws.
For Zambians, this day is special because it comes at a time when we are demanding for the enactment of a people driven constitution that could spur economic, political and social freedoms for all citizens, a constitution that will strengthen the Zambian democracy, promote the observance of good governance, human rights and the rule of law.
The spirit of unity of purpose shown by the fallen heroes in the liberation struggle should be a driving force for all Zambians to unite in our demand for a people driven constitution that will guarantee proper separation of powers, reduced presidential powers, expanded bill of rights and establishment of a democratic legal framework.
The enactment of a people-driven constitution will enable all citizens of this country to fully enjoy the freedoms that our fathers fought for.
The Grand Coalition calls on all well-meaning Zambians to promote love, unity and strong desire for the new constitution.
Issued by: Fr Leonard Chiti – Grand Coalition Chairperson.
bachumbu munshololwa mwe bantu. it enters in one ear and comes out the other the same instance
Tell you what if african counties didn’t get indepence they would be some of the richest countries in the world. All those resources and still poverty on a grand scale, why? It’s those greedy people at the top, as long as they are ok they don’t give a damn about anyone else. Look at Zimbabwe and South Africa so developed, great infrustucture etc.. but as soon as independce is gain it’s a downward spiral..
I thought the Chairman was Gen. Masheke?
@Nostradamus
bo Gen. Masheke is still in mourning,,,, he was forced to take up the role of the commander in cheif ,,, so he cant invovlve himself in politics at the moment,,,, since charlie is afraid of funuerals and death
It appears simple and plain why Africa is a failure with a few exceptions of course, Botswana and Namibia, etc for example. Zambia for instance is chronically afflicted with lots of mental illnesses that work hard and militates against any effort to develop, such as envy, PHD, jealousies, loving foreigners at the expense of fellow countryman, surrounded by vast wealth but having no idea how to convert these resources into vast wealth, electing into power social outcasts and expecting them to deliver. If we can erase these mental maladies we just might be on the road to success.
the poblem is poverty and stu.pidity,,,, how can you have a minister of finance be busying tying an already poor nation to kaloba??,,,USA, German, china etc were once poor,, but never used kaloba to become rich,,,,
those problems you list, PHD, Jealous etc are generally present in all people of different races but people still develop,,,, stu.pidity is the biggest problem in Zambia,,,people vote for leaders who they known cant deliver…. in short poverty plus stu.pidity equals NO freedom
@ndobo
I agree completely. To have elected officials such as we have confirms what you said and says lots about the nation and its people. Depressing isn’t it?
With such president’s how do you expect to develop? Blame yourselves.
My humble opinion has become my rallying cry. I believe we, like countries in our state of civil and social condition have failed to use the instruments available to foster change. We refuse to address fundamental matters, we ignore our MPs and think NGO militancy is a substitute for legislation. We have neglected town hall civility and think the only time we meet is when a political leader is holding a rally. We have also neglected duty to care by resorting to mix emotion with legislation resulting in half measured justice dispensation. We also think that government, tax, and social justice is the preserve of the elected Executive; small wonder we only think of General Elections!
That’s good,I have no doubt that u live in USA and keen interest in politics,I did explain the political set up to former Lusaka mayor last year when he visited USA but he said the old guards resist change,the other thing he said was most of the current politicians are eyeing the presidency,so they would rather make noise on radios just to stay relevant.
Even with the best constitution in the world and the weakest president, we shall even be poorer if we cant use our Engineers to design and make things.
Don’t just comment research bwana. what is the the connection btn a people driven Constitution and development? if you can answer this question right then we are taking.Good luck.
africa will get poorer and poorer because who ever is in power thinks about themselves and relatives only, not the country but their own pockets:
us international investors are taking your resources and developing our countries and companies. zambia shall forever remain poor because we white men will only leave when we have plundered your resources vacamba
black people dont know how to do business
You mean you yellow people (chinese)
Actually, Milola, you are now staggering on your continent precisely because the loopholes you preyed upon are surely but slowly closing. You no longer have free lunch. As surely as the East is becoming the new West, South shall soon be the new North. Watch and behold… perpetuity has never been a very good catch-phrase.
you can reflect all you want, from dawn to dusk or vice verse, nothing will be yeilded cause at the moment, all the people we intrust to do thing are just interested in making statements nama speach like, THERE IS NEED TO REFLECT, SPIRIT OF UNITY, FALLEN HEREOS,LIBERATION STRUGGLE, DRIVING FORCE, CONSTITUTION, WORK HARD, WHAT AND WHAT AND WHAT AAANNNND WHAT………THE LIST IS ENDLES. all same stories we have been hearing about year in year out, just changing the words but the meaning is still the same.
Spot on,I hope everyone will read ur comments
shaka metality is at play in most of our southern african Presidents (deserve a small “P”)
Ndobo is right,we the people are our own worst enemy, just like marrying ihule while denying to yourself you just signed up to be with a prostitute, you can take a man out of the ghetto but you can’t the ghettoness out of them.
” There is need today to reflect on why African countries remain underdeveloped-Constitution Grand Coalition ”
They ask a question and don’t provide an answer?
You want to know where the money is going – follow the money.
Who owns most shares in KCM? Who owns most shares in LCM?
The question is – how did this situation come into being.
It came into being, because no one knows an answer to the machinations of the IMF and World Bank, and their employees in government.
Look at Dambisa Moyo – she is a lifelong careerist at Goldman Sachs, and yet she is supposed to be an expert on how the economy works?
Then, anyone who tries to peculiarize this to Zambians or Africans doesn’t know what they are talking about, or they are ex-colonials who want to get back their estates like in Zimbabwe.
This is a global phenomenon. Look at Greece, the Ukraine, Ireland, Spain, Portugal – their economies are all being taken apart by the same banks.
What ‘we’ need to reflect on, is why we keep taking the advice of the IMF/World Bank, when they have no success to point at for 40 years, and were instrumental in the genocide in Rwanda, the famines of Somalia, and even the collapse of land reform in Zimbabwe.
Where are the public statements of Minister Chikwanda? President Sata? Will they change course away from neoliberal economics. Can they even do so without retaliation from the IMF?
My Brother when the mines were being privatised tell me how many indigenous Zambians bidded for them? How many indigenous Zambians are successfull commercial farmers? What is the most predominant business run by indigenous Zambians? Today Dangote a Nigerian is setting up a cement factory in Zambia. How many Indigenous Zambians are thinking of such big investments? The only one I have seen is Costain Chilala. Let us not waste time blaming the leadership who are actually a reflection of us and the predominant thoughts we habour. It is time for personnal action, personnal contribution. If you do not have any stop theorising and shut up.
” My Brother when the mines were being privatised tell me how many indigenous Zambians bidded for them? ”
First, why were they privatized at all? Because the World Bank demanded it – no one thought this was absolutely necessary, or could explain how this would be positive for the economy. There were lame justifications like ‘they will bring jobs’, even though mining is not a labour intensive industry, and the benefits are in the profits, not job creation (agriculture, manufacturing and infrastructure are much better for that).
Secondly, were they bid on at all? Or did the likes of Anil Agarwal just approach the government and make the nicest offer to them? We’ll never know, because the privatisation and the bidding process were shrouded in secrecy.
” Today Dangote a Nigerian is setting up a cement factory in Zambia. How many Indigenous Zambians are thinking of such big investments? ”
Do you really want a country that is run and whose policy is set by Aliko Dangote? (Or David Rockefeller in the United States?)
I’m too much of a democrat for that.
What we need is to make finance available for our local entrepreneurs. Right now, the economy is still rigged towards the mines, the big banks and exporting raw materials. Instead we need to create local demand and then produce to meet that demand. That’s how you solve unemployment and low wages.
That’s the basis of poverty.
We need to restructure the economy.
Think of what you can do for your country and not what your country can do for you.”
President JFK.
To solve a problem you must first understand what the problem is, and then study the case history to identify possible causes and recurring patterns which help you understand the characteristics of the problem. Ignorance and stupidity are not the same thing. An intelligent person with little information can not function. As such, I prefer to call it ignorance rather than stupidity. The majority are under-educated, and many of the educated suffer a different form of ignorance, a lack of exposure to the larger global picture. Most of those who are exposed live somewhere else. As such, most of the voters in the so-called majority rule phenomenon are ignorant people who will vote for a slogan rather than a policy statement, because they have no clue what the paper is saying.
Most of our politicians generally come from the same breed, so they can not be expected to think any higher. We have no academic limits to who holds office. We end up having academics working in institutions (including and especially government) where an ignoramus is in total control with unlimited powers. Naturally the academic is a threat and is therefore put in a situation where he has to conform with the ignorance around him or get humiliated. We live in a time when at least twelve years in school are necessary to just begin to understand the so-called modern world we live in and how it functions. What more making decisions and choices that should have long term interests.
For example, a national constitution is a legal document that takes lawyers (at least 5 years of university) to put in context. The majority of the voters have no clue how that stuff works, so one can see from this how it is easy for those in power to manipulate so-called public opinion, and any academics who argue with the powers that be are just labelled puppets of the opposition, and the ignorant majority is left without leaders. The significance of education can not be over-stated. Unfortunately, it takes time to educate a nation, so there is need for academics in the mean time to step up through research and publications that can easily be digested by the majority through popular media. He who controls the masses controls a nation and its wealth. Its time for an academic revolution.
It is vital to understand the playing field. Our leaders are known to be corrupt, but that is not all. This corruption does not start with our leaders. It starts with our former colonial masters. They are the ones who control and manipulate our leaders. If our leaders do not accept the bribes they are criminalized and often overthrown if not assassinated. The game is still about wealth. They say if things are not clear, follow the money. The colonialists came to mine. We got independence. Who is running the mines? The same Western powers. China is a new entrant in the game, and whatever we may say of China, the capital investment in China is coming from these same Western companies who have out-sourced for China’s cheap labour advantage. Coca-cola, Nokia, Ford Foundation…etc..
Poverty is not an accident or a bi-product of bad leaders. It is a deliberate strategy by the so-called world leaders, to keep us subservient and to keep us in a position where we can function as cheap labour for the mines and loading docks, as well as keep us desperate enough to sell cheap. Our politicians are not the architects of this game. They are just pawns. Whoever we vote for next will do a U-turn from their campaign promises because they will have to please the corporatocracy. The only thing that makes this corporatocracy pay attention is when their investments are threatened, e.g through sustained rioting and burning and looting. However, riots without an agenda and a follow-up plan lead no where but to just destruction and many steps backwards.
This is not an easy one. Two vitalthings, though, academic thinking and economic empowerment. The government and banks should find ways of providing loan facilities and training for Zambians to run big investments, not just this small scale industry stuff. There are many many qualified and capable Zambians who’s efforts are frustrated by a lack of incentive and support from the ignorant and envious. We have broguth in foreign lawyers to look at our constitution as if Zambia has no qualified lawyers, a country that has even had representation at the International Court of Justice, and has produced lawyers even working for the World Bank. I dont blame academics for these problems, but I see that without their input we self-determination is almost zero.
Territorial-Ape-Descendent I like your discourse and I am tempted to accept but my mind on reflection hesitates. Poverty is individually determined. An individual determines whether s/he will better their lives by working hard and taking advantage of the opportunities before them or just sit and wait for someone to do it for them which never happens. The thoughts you are expressing are the thoughts people like Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez, Robert Mugabe etal tried to espouse but ended up oppressing their own people. There is no better way out of this malaise except individual hard work and innovation.
What we need is to educate our people, without it there is no way forward no matter what. Training and development is key in order for Zambians to perform in this globalized world. Reason the government is failing is we have people making decisions based on the colonial error with minimal education. They still hire non-Zambians (backdoor) to run the affairs of our economy looking as if its them doing it. Strategic planning is key, if you hire a non-Zambian, pair them up with a Zambian to learn through hands on skills training. Non-Zambian’s contract ends after 3 years Zambian takes over. Zambia can buy university curriculum’s like Dubai does and have expatriates come teach professors and students. After we acquire the skills we are on our own and can then compete on the global market.