Economic experts have said the on going economic slow down in Zambia, which has seen the local currency depreciating against major convertible currencies, is a phenomenon induced by global market forces and will need economic strategising to mitigate.
Zambia Association of Manufacturers (ZAM) chairman, Dev Babbar and economic consultant Oliver Saasa in separate interviews pointed to the global economic developments as the main influences on the local economy currently.
Professor Saasa said that the depreciation of the Kwacha against major convertible currencies was as a result of low copper and other metal prices on the world metals market.
Prof Saasa said much of the Kwacha’s depreciation was as a result of the global financial crisis, which had deprived financiers money to invest in other economies.
He said what could be done for the Zambian economy was to maintain high production levels.
Prof Saasa urged the manufacturing sector to stabilise production costs because this was the only way that the sector could manage to keep afloat in the current difficult times.
He said there was need for all stakeholders to present a calm investment picture of Zambia through both speech and actions.
Prof Saasa projected that the economy may not manage to attain the targeted seven per cent growth rate under the current circumstances.
A slump in the price of copper arising from dampened demand saw foreign exchange inflows from the export of the metal dwindle in the last six months or so.
The mining sector had experienced a boom in the last seven years, largely because of soaring metal prices riding on a huge demand for metals by economies like China and India.
Since April how ever, metal prices have been in free fall on the LME, with the price of copper falling from the record high of US$8,900 then to below $3,500 as at the end of last week.
The slow down in the economy has seen prices of commodities including the staple maize meal rise in the last two months.
Mr Babbar retaliated that the Kwacha’s decline was a function of global economic issues whose effects on an economy like Zambia’s, which is still in its development stages, cannot be avoided.
Zambia had adopted an open market economy, which is susceptible to any development in the global economy.
Economics Association of Zambia(EAZ) president, Mwilola Imakando said the current fall in the value of the Kwacha was based purely on economic factors and had nothing to do with local politics or any other non economic factors.
“The local economy is responding to market forces following developments in the global economy, any other view on this is mistaken.” Dr Imakando said.
The EAZ president said that at the moment, Zambia was experiencing a low inflow of foreign currency owing to reduced copper earnings because of the metal price slump.
Consequently, this had exerted much pressure on the local currency as per the supply and demand rule.
He said it was likely that demand for metals would still be dampened in the near future meaning that the foreign exchange inflow would yet still be affected.
“Zambia has no control over the pricing of metals on the international market, the strategy should be to diversify the economy and promote high value crops including cotton and tobacco to enhance export earnings,” Dr Imakando said.
In this way, the fall in foreign exchange inflows would be compensated to a certain extent.
Adapted from Times of Zambia
RB deal with the job losses on the mines not your new salaries
I’m very worried with what’s happening to the worlds economy.The best hope Zambia has had for years is to support it’s agriculture sector…..this hasn’t happened…believe me we are in for it ni kalulete!
Nambala wanu. Yaba!!
We will see how our govt will respond to this economic challenge lets how they will continue with sugar distribution, we need it now more than during campaign
Ouch!! Missed it by a whisker. But come next year, my salary has already been reduced!!
‘The global economic developments as the main influences on the local economy current’ is this true ba LT?
This are lies, let us face the reality pa Zed, what has happened to Copper prices?
Viva H H man who understands Zed economy very well and could establish
This is the time for GRZ to vigorously pursue and support Agricultural based production, pursue regional market and seek to enter into bilateral agreements for the export of Agricultural products.
I Prpose that strategy should aim at:
1. Measures to support Budget revenues so that Govt expenditure on vital services can continue.
2.Maimtain at least nominal growth in GDP.
3.Manage money supply and inflation
4.Ensure attention to food security.
We could diversify, but what primary product is rising in commodity price and what will be our comparative advantage?
#8 Ba Nkole bushe kwisula economics manual when commenting
What product would you like to diversify into, be clear your comments are being edited here.
Viva H H man that want Zed to prosper for better future
#8 ba Nkole this is direct to you, What product would you like to diversify into, be clear your comments are being edited here.
Viva H H man that want Zed to prosper for better future
#9 Shi Ntweno
Ama setting bamu dala naimwe yaba. he he he
Why is everyone crying over copper prices? Many people believed that ZCCM was badly run and yet If ZCCM had had the current prices ( at $3200) the whole Country would have been smiling. ZCCM costs averaged $2000 per tonne. Remember that ZCCM used to provide a lot of services on the Copperbelt which these new guys do not. The question is, why are they mourning? And they ( New mine owners) are objecting to the windfall tax citing the Development agreements and yet when things seem like they are getting worse than stipulated in the development agreements they go to GRZ crying for handouts!!! SHAME on them!
They will just be saying its the global economical meltdown while others will stash our money away. We need the opposition to keep an open eye on these MMD guys otherwise this will be big excuse which will be used with no limits.
#8
blah blah blah!
No.8 may i first of all commend u for your attempts to propose possible measures to help the country mitigate the effects of the current economic woes that we and the rest of the world finds itslef in. firlestly with all due respect may say that your proposals at least 3 out of the four do not hold water and may be misleading from the economic stand point.
1. it is becuase the very basis for supporting the goverment revenue has been hit and is threatened that is why the economy is in trouble. i.e the fall in the metal prices (which are the bulk of goverment revenue through taxation). Also there is literary no manufacturing base to speak of from which employment and more revenue in form of
Our Economists are just too myopic like opposition leaders.Did they not foresee the prices of copper going to dogs?We are always seeing people here attaining Masters degrees.How are these higher degrees helping us?What so hard with us Zambians to divesify.44 years still relying on copper.Do we not realise that copper is non-renewable?
#9 Shi Ntweno, I think we diversify into breeding dogs and exporting them to China. Give me an echo
taxes. and as u may know, it is wen a country is producing and their is meaningful employment can u talk of real GDP, curren tly these two things are at their lowest in the word but more so for Zambia, there has not been investment in the manufacturing capacity such that we cant take the current shock. the west are now doing bail outs of all sorts of manner, we cant even beging to dream of that as we have no money nor the borrowing capacity. u know wat it means wen u talk of debt.
#14-15 Goli uli kuti apa so?
We had last week or week before last an analysis from our Chibamba on the fall Kwacha. Very good analysis which lacked research. What Mr Chibamba failed to point is what is happening in the economy. He very fast suggest that there are forces that are holding the dollar. But from his analysis you could tell that that was a cadre mentality of analyzing issues. As we watch the news listen to radio let us remember that What we get on the international scene will one time come to us. The mines are not paying they are broke, with that in mind where do you get your dollar. We should expect the unexpected.
#16 Artiful Dodger, please refer to the 2008 budget and see the revenue sources then comment.
Let me stand with Nkole.In Zambia engineering is dead and buried.Lets resurrect this field and see how we will do.Engineering is the cardinal rescipe for the countries development BANE.China is the best example.
for that reason we cant maintain nominal growth rate. that digs holes in ur points 1. and 2. As for point 3 that is the last thing any economist will recommend in such a time. what everyone needs to do is to encourage public spending to stimulate emplyment and growth, and i am not talking about sopending in form of salaries no,(but maybe the mmd had that idea wen increasing their perks..) am talking about real public expenditure in infrastructere and job inducing sectors such as roads, technology, agriculkture works e.t.c , there fore your proposal to manage money supply and inflation would do the reverse. inflation is the least of our worries now, infact, if you take care of production
The mining companies went on externalization spree towards the presidential elections. All the liquid assets they had went because of uncertainty. Now they can’t bring back what they have taken out. The price of copper has as a scapegoat for them. They have a real reason to cry about.
#11, seriously, the best we could do is direct our expenditures towards supporting agriculture and becoming the breadbasket for for Central and Southern Africa.
This argument is sound. Our comparative advantage is good. We have relatively plenty of land and abundant water and in the medium and long term food prices are likely to post an upward trend.
Besides we have a ready market in Congo with its chaotic government and 50 million population.
In my own opinion, investment in the agriculture sector is needed to bring about commercialization in this field. Financial assistance for long term projects ought to be made available to the farmers for carrying out different agricultural projects. These projects can work on improving agricultural activities in Zambia. Adopting preventive measures for livestock diseases can also be improved.
Zambia’s accessibility to technical know how, marketing strategies and rural finance can also be taken care of to minimize poverty to a certain extent.
I can see we are privelleged with a brilliant economist and analyst in the name of ‘The Artful Dodger’ well come sir and go on.
inflation does tend to take care of itself. That is what the Prof. Saasa (who i hold in high esteem was tryn to say, not what these wanna be econmists want to be misleading the country with baseless ilogical statements with no economic grounding). So in short the economic down turn is unavoidable, we just need coping mechanisms to mitiogate and God help us with our leaders who are supposed to be providing the vision to deal with this.
#14 GOLYATI
You are right to say these guys will be enriching themselves while giving the global crisis as an excuse. We may also see some guys like the new finace minister and nyama soya himself fail to perform giving the global economic crisis excuse.
What zednians want is for them to deliver and not start giving excuses.
The GRZ should immediately and deliberately target to increase food out put and target the export market. Angola, Zimbabwe, DRC are clearly in desperate need for food and other Agriculture Products.There is no time to waste.
Ba The Artful Dodger
I digs your ngeleshi.
Our problems will be solved when our government becomes bold enough to take the measures that they need to take concerning the size of government and its other sources of needless socialistic expenditures. The entire central government is able to operate with only minimal ministries and small departments representing functions that we might deem as absolutely necessary (these are very few).
Our good leaders disagree with this assessment even without attempting to analyse it, and so they are left with no choice but to regurgitate inferior strategies and promises that have already been used in the past and that did not work, with or without the IMF’s approval. Instead of appointing an inte
#29, Artiful Dodger, thanks for input and we all can clearly see that the direction should be agriculture and particularly food products and infrastructure and we ought to pursue this direction with single minded determination.
Both Rupia and Musokotwane are economists but I am using the term in its loose sense. But I have more respect for Situmbeko than for Prof Saasa but then I am an Engineer and you might be be on more solid groung here. The direction will show in the budget in 8 weeks time.
The government at the moment has lost direction. They are completely stuck.Investors are scared of losing their money and let us just prepare ourselves because the days ahead of us will be very challenging and that is the Nyama soya that you wanted so face him head on. we are watching
i knew zambia would not be left out in this,its a pitty really coz 80% of zambians are poor and the unemployment levels are just out of this world…shame man
Where is Fundanga anf Magande?
To The real GOLYATI wapa ZED
You can have your name back.
Next time I will ask.
Have a fab day.
Lord of the Flies
If I remember correctly, we were dancing about our “bumper harvest”. Which I doubt very much, Our leaders make pronouncements every now and then on issues that can’t debate about. We always want to talk and not do any other thing. Nyama soya has failed to address the nation on which direction he his taking this country. Maybe he is gone to rest. We seem to be stale. What is wrong with Nyama soya and his Finance arrangement?
#13 I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU, THESE NEW MINE OWNERS THINIK THEY CAN DICTATE US. LET US SIT ON THE ROUND TABLE WITH THEM, BUT THIS TIME WE SHOULD BE FIRM AS AT THE TIME COPPER WAS FETCHING HIGH, WHAT HAVE THEY PLOUGHED BACK IN THE COMMUNITY? BY THE WAY LET THE WINDFALL TAX ISSUE BE LAW SO THAT NO ONE PLAYS AROUND WITH THE MATTER.
enconomic diversification,depending heavily on copper or mining is one big mistake our goverment has made,there are many sectors that i belive zambia can gain a lot of money.what about agri products,livestock,we have alot of water and zambia can greatly benefit by exporting hydro power to most of southern african countries.
but it seems rupia banda is still celebrating his victory,by the time he wokes up,it will be to late
Saasa dont open your big mouth when it is too late. We were busy advising Fundanga and BOZ not offload all the dollars when the copper price was high. It was a distortion of the economy and it hurt non traditional exporters. Maybe some have already gone under.
#8 Nkole wakumwesu,i think walisambilila sana but remember theory ileta fye nsala we want practical solutions and we want them now! good day
BOZ mismanaged the forex from high copper prices by offloading everything on the open market. Boz should have kept excess USD in an offshore account for a rainy day like now. POOR PLANNING AND LACK OF FORESIGHT. You cannot leave everything to market forces.
WHY IS IT THAT THERE IS NO POLITICAL WILL TO DIVERSIFY THE ECONOMY? ALL THE PREVIOUS AND CURRENT LEADERS HAVE CHEATED US. ITS EITHER THEY DON’T HAVE THE SKILL TO RUN THE ECONOMY OR THEY ARE JUST SELFISH. IN FUTURE LET’S BE CAREFUL WHEN CHOSING LEADERS. 2011 IS JUST ROUND THE CORNER!
Last week, when speaking to farmers union, The Finance Minister beamoned our heavy dependency on copper and how the prices have failed us. He was also sorry that out put of cash crops have declined in the past few years. He said he is willing to work with farmers to boost growth thru agricultural exports. Read it for your selves. I was happy to hear it. It showed that he is aware of the need to diversify into agriculture etc. I want to see what incentives they will give the farming community.
I think we would do well to read around. Sometimes LT does not carry articles going round in other sections of the media.
Regarding shortage of forex. This is a global phenomenon. There are some seriously rich individuals and fund managers like pension houses that invest their money in various asserts. If you had $1m or $1bn, you would not burry it in the ground would you?. You invest it so it can be growing. Global investors invest their cash in any part of the world, including Zambia’s Govt bonds etc to easrn interest. In this credit crunch, such investors are calling their money back home for safe keeping. Many countries have experienced these massive withdrawals. To fill the gap, countries like Pakistani and Hungary have rushed to the IMF to borrow. Further savers are coverting their wealth into US$.
#46 it is not the dependancy on copper that is a problem Chile is equally depedant on copper just like arab countries are depedant on oil or Botswana depends on diamonds. It the way money from copper is managed that is a VERY BIG PROBLEM IN zAMBIA. Even troubled Nigeria has learnt how to use its oil money. It is not sarificed on the altar of political expediency. It is put to productive use and accounted for albiet with difficulties.
The US dollar has been strengthening agaisnt literary all currencies, may be only except the Japanese Yen. The US dollar is the international reserve currency. We all want to save our wealth in US dollars. So in uncertain times, people cell other currencies to save their money in the US dollar. This is one reason the dollar is strengthening (at the expense of ZMK, the UK £ and others). There’s nothing much anyone can do about this. These are just market forces at play, global market forces may I say. The rich and managers of pension funds are simply being prudent. Fund Managers are holding onto their money, not willing to lend to others. There is a crunch of credit – credit crunch.
When the copper price was low/normal zambia export earning were about 200M USD per quarter and the exchange rate averaged 4500ZMK/USD. By June 2008 when the copper price was at its peak the export earning were 1.6BILLION per quarter and the kwacha was allowed to gain to 3200ZMK/USD in a spsce of 3 months and a withdraw of a paltry 40m USD by foreign investors the Kwacha slides to 4700ZMK/USD and still sliding.Surely the numbers dont add up
#48 I real;ly wonder how much Zambia gets from its copper. I suspect that the development agreements we signed with copper miners disadvatage us. How much tax do mining companies pay. I guese it is very little. PAYE from mine employees must be pretty little as salaries are low. Windfall taxes are a new thing and they are yet to be accepted by the mines. Cooper prices are so low that there will be no windfall gains for Zambia. Apart from Royalty tax, I see very little that Zambia is getting for its copper. Even the royalty taxes have only recently been raised from 0.6 to 3% or so. Zambia has had a raw deal. Zambia got better rewards under ZCCM even though the prices were so little.
#50 Those are wonderful figures. Thanks.
I wonder how much of the $1.6 bn actually comes back to Zambia. Just how much dollar do mine companies bring back to Zambia after selling the copper. Can someone please tell us. I would not be surprised if the only dollar they bring is what they need to pay workers and remit tax to Govt. Also may be a bit for local suppliers. If that is the case, then other players in the forex market need to be considered. they may be small but probably they contribute more to forex than we dare accept. If these withdrawals are having so much impact, then I guese we really do not have much dollar coming in from miniers. Just how much dollar do mine houses bring?
#46
“sometimes LT does not carry articles going round in other sections of the media.”
If you are not happy with what LT is giving you why don’t you just blog on these media websites which has news that you want. OR if it’s the news papers in Zambia write them a letter to comment on their articles. Its as simple as that. Am sure LT is really trying here and we should give them thumbs up.
#52 I will not put the blame on foreign investors/mine owners. The problem is our own. Even the 3% royalty is a lot of money because it based on total output.The DA’s were signed by our own people and KCM came and found a bouyant company with 60m USD in its accounts but it was was sold for 24m USD to be paid in arrears by LPM. MHSRP. How do you impose a 75% windfall tax? That now borders on lunacy.Being a politician does not make someone have monopoly of wisdom/knowledge. We dont seem understand/fathom what we do or engage in/with.
I wish I could get hold of the financial statements of these mining companies, such as profit and loss and balance sheet. These can give us an idea of where the money they make goes. E.g. If they borrowed money to develop and operate the mines, part of that revenue is going to repay those loans. Im sure they borrowed outside Zambia. They may even be using assets leased from foreign companies. Their shareholders are foreign, so I expect whatever dividends they declare remains outside Zambia. They probably invest their excess cash outside Zambia. It is possible that these foreign mine companies only remit a lit hard currency to Zambia. If $1.6bn came to Zambia, ZMK will be much stronger.
If it were possible, It would be better to renegotiate all the agreements we have signed with the mine companies. FTJ Govt sold the mines in a desperate way. Nawakwi recently said the World Bank pressured them to sell the mines cheaply. She was Finance Minister at some point. Right now, copper prices are favourable and we know once the global recession is over, China will continue its huge consumption of copper. I think we can flex our muscle. Also, we are not under HIPC any more, where we had to do whatever the donors dictated so we could qualify. Copper is a wasting asset. We must milk the most we can from it. These foreigners will go. I hope there’s no corruption involved.
#55 True infact most of them do not declare dividends. They are all small companies trying to become big so the end up with retained earnings which are used for expansion projects. ZCCM IH has not received any dividends worth talking about. Bottom line is that the mine were sold to wrong investors (not the type that the country needed but those that needed the country and its lapse economic management systems) and that is our own problem. Not the mine owner’s problem. We must take resposibility for our actions.It our lpeople/leaders who sold the mines to these people with their eyes wide open
#53 I was not rubbishing LT. No, not at all.
What I am saying is that sometimes we could be commenting on an issue which has been discussed in other media. For instance, we are abashing Govt for not diversifying here today, yet only a few days ago the Finance minister was discussing diversifying the economy when he spoke to farmers. If I did not read that article, I would have been furiously abashing Govt for not seeing that we need to diversify. If anything I abashed them for that last month on this blog. Now that I know they know we need to diversify, I cant continue abashing them as though they don’t know. So now, all I need is to see what they will do about diversifying.
#56 Truth is we do not fathom/understand what we do. EXAMPLE Check LT Artcle: Govt to promote rubber plantations in Luapula. How do honestly subsdize rubber production in a country that has no rubber industry which cant even manufacture a condom. Dunlop was closedages ago through the worship of market forces that taxed manufacturing more than trade(penzanomics). Which export market has said they will buy luapula rubber? Why not subsidize food production cassava, fish palm oil. THINGS THAT WE NEED NOT WHAT WE IMAGINE OTHER PEOPLE NEED.
Unfortunately, politicians make decisions for the nation. Cadres, no brains!
Good day UK-Zed Observer. Signed off
This economic crisis is a worldwide thing even super powers/richest countries are all affected.But they are busy organising themselve to find a concrete solution to the crisis.Nomba Pa ZEd you are busy talking about pay rises.Come on Goverment Save pipo of our beloved country then you can save yourselves with those increments.
The Mines were sold by Mwanawasa. There was corruption in the way the sale was conducted. The world prices had just go up and ZCCM was making profit. Immediately Mwanawasa saw that the mines were profitable he quickly formed companies with his Indian friends and sold the mines for a penny US$24 million which was about two months profits of the mines at the time, and to add insult to injury the payment was deferred. Whoever negotiated this deal sold the country and negligency could easily be established against Mwanawasa and his useless administration of relatives. We know MMD are scared of these type of cases that show how Zambia has been recolonisatied through control of its resources.
I have a lot of respect for Prof. Oliver Saasa, but this time around he has exhibited a lot of contradictions. Just before the elections he told the nation that the Kwacha had fallen against convertible currencies because investors were unsure of the political situation in apparent reference to Sata’s popularity. Today, barely three weeks later, the learned professor tells us (and correctly) that it is due to the international economic meltdown. But BoNdate Saasa, you should learn to communicate consistently in such matters otherwise we will start doubting you.
Prof Saasa is correct. To understand his point of view, we must remind ourselves of the major drivers of the economic growth in Zambia, viz; metal output bouyed up by “bubble” metal prices, unprecedented high consumerism. Direct foreign investment in tourism was dwarfed by investment in the mines (high visa fees dampened everything too). Good crop yield in the past 3 years almost eliminated maize imports, which apparently affects the balance of payments and devalues the kwacha. Having said that, how do you keep your head afloat when the above are challenged? This is where we are. Under the circumstances, capital flight in terms of withdrawal from Treasury Bills (after maurity) kicks in.
Cont..from #65. SOLUTIONS.
1. The price of copper was $8000/tonne three months ago. Now it is $3500/t, i.e., the price has been halved. Commonsense dictates that if the price is halved, you must double copper cathode production to stay at the same level of profitability. How can we double production? KCM has commissioned Africa’s largest smelter plant. But where are the concentrates? Kansanshi has produced the first concentrates we must encourage them to double production, they are our last hope. In short, unfortunately for politicians, we must go back to lower taxes for the mines to sustain job levels and production.This ‘ll encourage investment (DFIs)and invariably cancel loss of govt tax
cont..from #66.
2. Having sorted out the mines. Proceed to sustain private construction jobs which have helped to shore up our economy. Lower VAT from what it is by 2.5% on specific construction materials. reduce sales tax on fertilizer to commercial farmers (if you can’t subsidize it). Very quickly, direct FDI to agriculture by clearing virgin land and demarcate plots MAINLY for commercial farming. It is good to allow natives to farm side by side with commercial farmers but experience has shown that the impact of natives on production levels is small. To give a ” high voltage jolt” to the economic, engage commercial farmers. Work out very good incentives to attract South African farmers.
What is often missed is the involvement of unemployed youths in commercial farming sectors. Please secure incentive packages within the farm blocks which incorporates a specific number of youths per farming block. For example, each farming block should take on at least 1000 youths. These youths will be trained in a field in which they will compete well in the future. Of course, you can’t force farmers to employ them neither can you force youths to do so. But, youths who wish to work on commercial farms can earn specific credits towards vocation training in farming as an incentive that may offset wages.Students with marginal senior certificates, can upgrade then by vocation within farm block
Zambia’s economy is so small that it can’t even compare to the bugdet of Gauteng Province in South Africa. Dr Musokotwane’s view of attracting 3-4 billion dollars per year into Zambia is probably even more than he will chew given the despicable low level of skills.
Zambia must think out of the box! Engage people to find solutions. Listen to the farmers! Apparently, the current exchange rate is very favorable for most commercial farmers…they are laughing all the way to the banks. Maybe the dollar/kwacha should stay there for a while to ensure that exporters meet local oblications. But it must change by January 1, 2009!!!!! Otherwise, you will kill the consumers who’ve driving the economy.
For the first time in decades, South Africa has become a net importer of food in 2008!! There is a market for Zambia. Forget EU. South Africa can give you that 3-4 billion dollars per year, Mr Finance Minister. Don’t waste time heading to North America or Europe wasting tax payers money. Follow the events here in South Africa. About R120 billion ( $12-13 billion)was spent on foods stuffs. To make matters worse, South Africa has eliminated quarters on cheaper and poor quality clothes from China to offset expensive imports from Europe. There, I think they have killed the clothing industry FOREVER! Where is Zambia’s cotton? Obama said African states should look to each for help!!
to each other…
Maybe, Mr Banda should give an ultimatum to all High Commissioners and Ambassadors to prepare business plans for farmers and manufacturers in Zambia. Such a report should be made public to open the minds of Zambia’s SMEs. If they can’t prepare that comprehensive report stating opportunities, profitability and risks…they MUST be fired!!! I can assure you that these embassies will look out for people like me in foreign contries to help them with info and data. That in itself will open up an avenue for proactive dialogue between the Diaspora and Embassies which will benefit locals back home. All Zambians who earn govt money should be challenged to do something. Think out of the box! Run!
Ama Zambians Ubufi, Ok why has your economy been doing badly through and through if your were so wize
#
73. your flag CIAO, on your “Ama Zambians Ubufi, Ok why has your economy been doing badly through and through if your were so wize”, the Zambian economy has not been doing bad through and through. It only suffered in the 1980s upto about 2002. The past and current problems with everything in Zambia are due to a weak Republican Constitution.
All we need is tailor the constitution to allow only Masters Degree holders to run for Zambian president and MP in elections. Only then shall we see and have a parliament that will respect all Zambians for a masters degree hold is equipped with some reasoning capabilities. Most of our politicians currently are school drop outs due to many factors.
HENCE many of them, undereducated ones, want to equalise and compete with the few educated and literate ones when they get to Parliament or become Zambian President instead of providing leadership and service to all the 72 Tribes of Zambia as 1 Nation.
One day, I hope we as Zambians will fix our Constitution so that issue-based politics can start seeing to it that development trickles down to every Zambian just like Botswana has done and is doing.
We are a very rich Nation or Country in both natural, unnatural and human resources. This is why Prof C Chirwa a Zambian managed to invent a system imbedded on an airplane’s landing gear to provide more stability for good landing.
“All we need is tailor the constitution to allow only Masters Degree holders to run for Zambian president and MP in elections”.
Guys people saying stuff like this are the ones who caused Genocide in Rwanda. Do not listen to them. I feel like puking!
Life in Zambia is ridiculously slow and almost suffocating. People in govt. offices walk about in a lazy manner almost carefree. That is not encouraging. But I guess why should they go faster when there’s nothing to lead to anything. Then look at how scruffy the buildings are? Enter every city in Zambia and you’ll see scruffiness, unpainted houses and offices. Visit Unza and cry! The office and residence building look like cats and dogs live there and yet you will find Oxford and Cambridge trained staff in these buildings. What does it cost to keep a building clean? If these guys can’t appreciate beauty, how can we entrust them with a country? I hate this dirtiness and scruffiness! Why?
I visited Lusaka after 15 years and then flew to Ndola and ended up in kitwe. Oh my God! In Ndola, they still have rugged and iron roofed single room terminal building. Imagine, four presidents have stopped and boarded those small brazillian plains for decades and NOBODY cares to say, hey, wait a meeting: Is this a terminal or a chief’s kraal? That terminal is really nugged rubbish! Then enter Kitwe, you’ll be greeted by dirty, fluffy and unpainted buildings. The beauty is gone! The last four years of prosperity never worked for them. Is this an African Mythology? Even Presidents can’t appreciate beauty yet they love suits and “new culture” neckties. I almost wept to see unkekmpt pavements.
If I was President today, i would convene a group of experts on sociallogy and NGOs to see how we could tie food/clothing aid to “work for cleanliness”. Is it possible to open up feeding centers (soup and bread, nshima and relish) for registered unemployed youths who want to work to improve our environment by planting trees, flowers, beautifying surroundings (parks). It is a small gesture but if it is well coordinated by NGOs and Councils, we could see a new army of “clean soldiers”. I vowed that I will never board a plane at Ndola Airport because it is a shame!! At the baggage claim, people grab goods from a hole, literally a hole! In this era of automated conveyor systems!? Mwe bantu mwee!
SHI NTWENO, ARE YOU CAPTAIN GURUGURU?
Finally, I think most of the shops downtown of lusaka are just filthy and don’t inspire anybody. Somebody in from the Commerce department should ask the owner of some of thos buildings to close downa sell the property to high class shopping mall developers. Mr Galoun (late Jew?) owns almost half of those buildings and he’s dead but wealth is bequeathed to his progenitors. We can close them down. Look at the new place built by Shoprite along cairo road in a short time. They just rehabilated the builing. You see this can be done. It is how things should be. Unless business houses set high standards, we will propagate a filthy generation. I remember Sata had ideas about those builings in Lusaka
Where is the talkative Magande who said we would not be affected???
Talking about cleaning our environment, I have noticed something here in the UK. I once lived in an area dominated by Asians. I tell you, there’s so much dirt every where. They spit, they throw paper any how and the area around the local shops is filthy. Occasionally a council vacuum cleaner clears the streets but they quickly get dirty.
A year ago, my family boughta house in an area dominated by whites, the English. I tell you it is so clean, no one throws dirt any how. The council does not come to sweep the streets. It’s just people’s attitude to environment.
In Zambia, I invested a lot in cleaning our front. My neighbour just boozed. Yet we worked for the same company.
#77 Confused says even UNZA is a sorry sight. Sure, do we need donor money to clean for us. How can graduates notice dirty environments in residential areas if they did not see much cleanness at schools, colleges and university.
Could it be that we need to look at ourselves. Is it money we dont have or is it just that we have bad attitude to environments. It does not cost a lot to clean our yards, plant flowers. Spending K25,000 a month on garden flowers a month can make a difference. I did it at my house in Lusaka. Many houses and surroundings can be cleaner if people put their minds to it. If you dont come from a clean house, you may not clean your work place.
I sometimes wonder why some people or people groups care about cleanness more than others! No offence, please.
Is there anything we are born with, some kind of trait? Is the mindset for cleanness a product of exposure and training? Is it a combination of the two?
If #77 some Oxford & Cambridge trained people seem to be comfortable in not so clean envirnment, what can we learn from this. How can this be? Why do even the educated throw rubbish out thru their car windows? How can we change these attitudes? To clean our cities, we need to understand people’s attitudes to cleanness.
Thanks, #84. Please comment on the “Ndola airport eyesore”. Have you been there? Imagine that Four Ptresidents have never noticed that what we have is not an airport but shack. Where is the shame in this people. I would revamp that place in 24 hours!!
You see this is why the world attaches certain values to the whites like cleanliness of malls, houses, streets etc. In some of these “white dominated” streets, you rarely even see the trash haulage trucks everyday. There are three reasons for this: 1. respect for the rights of others implies that you would not violate the shared space by littering, 2. Culture of respect of public or private property as enshrined in “capitalism”, 3. Less poverty. As you know poverty stricken communities tend to all kinds of vices and removes socio-economic responsibilities from people. But eliminating poverty will not lead to suddent cleanliness in the environment. We saw it in ZCCM as you said.
I know that some of my statements above spell defeatism and may reek of the danger of generalism. What irks me most is thatof our politicians have really travelled and yet can’t even point out where our standards have fallen so horribly and for that matter how we can remedy such without lots of money. We invite illnesses like Malaria in the suburbs and yet if we only could clean up and spray the houses we could save millions of money from our government health bills and channel donor funds to more valuable projects. Donors are paying for our uncleanliness.We just can’t eliminate or roll back Malaria?! When I was a kid in the 60s, nobody ever new Malaria in the c/belt. It was in villages.
You know what the Singaporean Prime Minister did to control Chinese and Indian uncleanliness? He simply passed draconian laws: 1. If you liter, you pay a fine just like when you commit a traffic offense, 2. Public spitting is not allowed, 3. Graffitti is punishable with a jail sentence, 4. loitering or selling in the streets is a very serious offense! 5. Community work to clean up the environment or pick up trash was honored, 6. Trash is thrown in orderly manner like they do in Germany (bottles, plastics, papers, etc) this improves recycling businesses etc. Singapore today is a wonder. Not everything is perfect but it is fine. In 20 years, a culture of cleanliness has been re-enforced.
The reason I am scared about Zambia is NOT material poverty but rather mental poverty! It is a scarely thing. I am willing to go back to Zambia anytime but that will not remove fear from me. I will have it all the time. People are mentally poor! They may be religious but they are just too poor in mental capacity.
#86 Yes I have been to Ndola airport, though many years ago. I think the 1st time was 1993 and another time a few years later. It is shocking if the infrastructure is still as bad as it was then. What is the National Airports company doing. I read they are spending on Livingstone airport. They should do the same on Ndola airport. With all those $ billions going into the mines, they should make Ndola aiport an attractive connection.
I envy what the Singaporean leader did. We probably need similar strick rules in Zambia. I think LPM and other leaders went to Singapore at some point. Whatever they learnt from there!! Our culture re cleanness is terrible.
In Zambia we need leaders who are not happy with the dirt that’s all over our cities. I am sure they see it but it seems it does not bother them. Meaning, their minds are at that level. They may be in dry cleaned suits but the mind is outside it. It is povert of the mind as you said.
Actually you see this poverty of the mind manifest in many forms, such as cadre mentality, kaponya behaviour, general disregard for laws and council by-laws. It’s like a lawless society. Dignity of the mind seem to lack so much. Well, I suppose it all starts in the mind. We have a long way to go as a people, very long way.
# 90 Confused
Could You stop this business of mutation.
Could You please use only this name today as I want to follow your comments nicely. Thanks.
No. 8, – When are the exams??
Messrs Confused and UK-Zed Observer, you raise very valid points concerning the level of personal hygiene at home. It continues to deteriorate everyday. Where did we go wrong? I remember, in the RCM, NCCM or even ZCCM days the townships were much cleaner. Residents of say Nkana East, Nchanga South etc would be required to maintain very clean surroundings – if they didn’t the ultimate sanction would be a transfer to high density areas of the likes of Chamboli or Lulamba; which were still much cleaner than they are today.