THE Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has said assertions by United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema that Zambia lacks economic and social development are mere political statements meant to mislead the people.
And economist Oliver Saasa has said the assertions by Mr Hichilema are a political statement because the country has recorded substantial improvement in economic and social sectors.
ZCTU president Leonard Hikaumba said in an interview yesterday that it was misleading for anybody to suggest there was no development when infrastructure in sectors such as roads, education and health were being developed countrywide.
Mr Hikaumba said blanket statements that condemned everything the Government was doing were not healthy for the development of the country.
“It is not true there is no development, that is an understatement because there is development in almost all the sectors of the economy,” he said.
Mr Hikaumba said politicians, in spite of their party affiliations, should provide practical solutions to the problems the country was facing because citizens needed improved living standards regardless of who was in power.
And Professor Saasa said there was need to appreciate what was being done to develop the country unlike condemning every effort being made.
“We have seen a number of schools and health institutions being constructed countrywide,” he said.
Prof Saasa said the private sector should rise to the occasion and respond to the economic development taking place.
“The Sixth National Development Plan is under way, therefore economic players should take advantage of it,” he said.
He said the private sector and individuals should also make use of the development programmes such as the Citizens Economic Empowerment Fund to venture into businesses and improve living standards.
Prof Saasa said the Government had continued to provide a platform which the private sector should take advantage of, adding there was need for the people of Zambia to make use of the conducive environment so far created to generate business activities.
Meanwhile, the MMD has said the International Monetory Fund (IMF) has shamed Government critics by acknowledging the economic growth that the country has achieved.
MMD acting national secretary Chembe Nyangu said this in reaction to IMF’s statement that Zambia’s economy was performing well, with the Gross Domestic Product projected at 6.6 per cent this year.
Mr Nyangu said it was surprising it had to take outsiders to acknowledge the economic growth when some Zambians were criticising the Government that it was not doing anything.
He said some critics, especially opposition leaders, had deliberately chosen to ignore what the Government had achieved because it was an open secret that a lot of things had been achieved.
President Banda this week commissioned a K10.8 billion Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computerised Tomography (CT) scans at the Cancer Diseases Hospital in Lusaka.
And last week, secretary to the Treasury Likolo Ndalamei revealed that the country’s economy was expected to grow by 6.6 per cent a revision from the earlier projection of five per cent.
[Times of Zambia]
There are so many developmental projects MMD is undertaking. HH cannot say anything good about MMD since he is a contestor for Plot 1. HH should talk of what he would do if he came into power in 2040.
I agree, Mr. Hichilema (who is an economist) is just playing politics.
“Construction of what could be Zambia’s real and biggest Shopping Mall underway just opposite Eveylyn Hone College”…….
We need manufacturing/production industries in Zambia more than these dumping stores for foreign products. Malls, Mallls and Malls….is this what is called development in Zambia?
@ #3 Moderator
You’re equally playing politics. Zambia will have manufacturing/production industries. This is why we have MFEZ (Multi-Facility Economic Zones).
Besides, manufactured goods need a place were they can be sold.
There you go with the “b” word again…lol!
Sometimes I don’t want to blog , but again when you see fliff fluffs like #3Moderator come on the scene speaking from their whatever making senseless comments you just can’t resist, but to get back in the game.
Have you sat down to just analyse what the ripple effects of the construction of Malls has on an economy. DO you know how big the service industry is globally. Do you know why countries, US included, track the Consumer Confidence. DO you know why Countries are busy talking up consumer spending. You can manufacture all you want , if there is no market, you are dead in the water.
And can you tell us what manufacturing you want to bring in 90 days.
HH is an opposition leader and an economist, therefore, he should not be expected to be a praise singer for the GRZ . Not everyone will have the same view about the rate of development and HH could be pointing out areas where the govt need to improve. Without understanding what HH said(I mean unbiased reporting) it’s difficult for us in the diaspora to give a balanced opinion on such issues. It’s unfortunate that the Post have decided to blank off HH otherwise we could have had an opportunity for a balanced view of what he exactly said.
#3 If Zambia economy is agriculture driven and we are faced with these two situations.
1) Manufacture a tractor locally at a cost 1000 dollars
2) Important a Tractor at a cost of 500 dollars
AM sure you would go for choice number 1 in the name of manufacturing industry, yet option 2 is the most viable because alot of people will buy tractors at a cheap price and employ more people at the farm and produce more food that we can export and make Shopprite stop importing food from SA into Zambia.
Moderator learn to understand context. That is a very vital world in any analysis, than blindly shoot from the hip
iwe #6 we dont need shops in zambia, we are tired of being a selling national.
Times of Zambia my @$$. & this ZCTU boy,just when is his tenure clapping? We cant continue 2 be fed on nonsense
who needs the malls. which development are refering to? why we cant better days, we want economic activites that translates into what we can see-better lives.
The post has blanked off HH, this is not good for democracy, we need everyone to be heard whether Mmembe likes them or not.
On “And economist Oliver Saasa [Professor] has said the assertions by Mr Hichilema are a political statement because the country has recorded substantial improvement in economic and social sectors.
ZCTU president Leonard Hikaumba said in an interview yesterday that it was misleading for anybody to suggest there was no development when infrastructure in sectors such as roads, education and health were being developed countrywide” I am surprised that all these two people have ganged up to attack UPND 2011 presidential candidate HH when the MMD GRZ Administration has reduced Zambia to a trading Nation as opposed to a MANUFACTURING country where Science and Technology could be used to drive the rest of the economic.
Thus, I support HH’s concern over MMD’s failure.
Be blest…
I accept HH may not be sincere but the fact still remains that our economic pace is worse than that of a snail. We need leaders who can spead up things. Thats why we need plan B in the name of opposition – otherwise our plan A is in the US Africa; I can bet we shall see development even in less than 90 days. just who does not need that.
#11 Who needs the malls? Are you serious? I will tell you the groups of people who need a mall
1) Construction Workers who need to put food on the Table
2) Cement Manufacturers in Chillanga that need to send children to School
3)That Entrepreneur who can’t afford high premise rent cost because there few business office for his start up
4) That worker who will get a job in Woolworth and Shoprite when the open outlets in the new mall
5) That Security Company that has a long queue of potential workers to deploy to the new mall when the secure the contract
6) The high tech widget company of yours that needs another outlet to sell your high tech widgets
..I could go on ..you are just so shallow and don’t know or can’t think or see how things are connected. Wake up please
The malls will not alleviate poverty in the country let us be more in the production industry and the we start exporting not for us to be the dumping ground of the cheap Chinese products. After all only the apa mwambas can afford to shop at these malls.
@ #4 Mr. Capitalist
“Zambia will have manufacturing/production industries. This is why we have MFEZ (Multi-Facility Economic Zones).”
Well of course you and I know very well that this is pure speculation. Lets have facts and figures if we are to steer economic growth.
I am always inclined to support setting up of local industries because I don’t know of any country that has developed without its own industrial base. Think of the many copper products we import when we could easily make them. I don’t buy the threat of local products costing more than imported ones. It is all about how our tax regimes are set. The trickle down effect on many Zambian families are better guaranteed as our people gain skills/knowledge that make them become more competative on the job markert. We build a cadre of knowledge workers for better informed citizenry.
Maestro Hhehhehhehhe
We are waiting for your contribution on the article: ‘Zambia: Why we need to change the Government, But how?’
HH IS IRRELEVANT TO THE CAUSE THATS WHY EVEN HIS ONE TIME VUVUZELA THE POST HAVE DUMPED HIM. HH WILL NOW ONLY BE READ ABOUT IN THE NEGATIVE AND NOW ONLY COVERED BY MONZE TONGA COMMUNITY RADIO STATION SKR RADIO. HH HAS MADE HIMSELF A FOOL AND KADOLI
deleted after 5 complaints
Hikaumba u are a nothing because u cant even speak for workers. You have been employed by RB for MMD so u are nothing but irrelevant to the Zambian equation.
zambia’s purpoted economic development never translates into improvement of the lives of the poor majority including civil servants who generally cant afford a burger at a take away at one of these malls. when they go to the malls it is ussually for sight seeing while top politicians, diplomats and looters go about their shopping. these are the people who sustain the bussinesses. that is how poor we are economically. no buying power. the alternative is to develop our manufacturing base in textiles, food processing, finished timber products and other areas to create more jobs and raise buying power. the ZCTU chief and mr Saasa should be the last people to defend govt’s poor record unless they are now telling lies to seek govt jobs. which is politicking at its worst.
Ha ha ha. politics yapa Zed. Awe mwe!
In my opinion, HH and Prof are both right. Zambia has recorded some positive economic indicators in the last few years but it could have been better. In Zambia, we should insist on more value adding to our raw materials so that we do not export ore, rather processed materials. We should insist on local smelting of copper to increase employment and industrial development as well as the overall value of exports. We should have labour laws that do not make it easy to bring in expatriates where there are competent Zambians. Some sectors of the economy should be ring fenced for Zambians only – you do not need external investors to set up shops. Why are there so many banks in Zambia, and yet access and cost of credit remains high? Why should we borrow from ADB to buy maize from a local farmer
@ #17 Moderator
OK let me re-phrase it. Zambia is aiming to increase its manufacturing base through MFEZs. We already have 11 manufacturers operational on the Chambishi MFEZ.
For your own information, we have had various investments in manufacturing in Zambia. MMobile and the coming PEPSI plant are but a few of the industries that are coming up.
Let us also not forget Dangote Group cement factory coming to Zambia.
It is amazing how bootliker is thinking. tell us which country is moving fast, China or USA in term of economic development? over the past 30 years China has increased manufacturing while the USA concumend more. especially good produced from China. The result China catching up with USA, and you are here telling us to have shopping malls stocking goods from Zimbabwe and SA? how sad that we have you thinking like that. Zambia need a vibrant manufacturing sector and stop this nonsense of thinking SA is doing us charity when their companies open shops send their good.
@ #6, Chief Bootlicker, to all your questions, Yes.
It doesn’t have to take a global economic crisis to make it clearer that an economy based solely on artificial wealth moved around financial markets does not work. We need our economy at home, yes, at home to be based on making things and creating ‘real’ wealth for the local population. Like #18, Anaza, has clearly put it. The government needs to invest in the manufacturing sector here while pressing closed economies to open up their markets too.
cont’d #25 Development should be measured in terms of how the lives of ordinary people get affected. You can have new roads, hospitals, and shops, but if local people cannot afford to buy or drive a car, then that development is meaningless for them. Same thing with hospitals; it is fine to go to a hospital and then learn that you have an illness that is curable, but if you cannot access the medicines or if the hospital is so overcrowded that you catch secondary infections, then that new hospital is of no benefit to you. A shopping mall which sells goods that you cannot afford to buy because you are unemployed and poor is meaningless development for you. So the question becomes; is the development we are seeing the same development that the ordinary Joe wants?
It is not true to say that there is no development at all in Zambia. The bumper harvest is actually a major achievement for the country because it means that peasant farmers have food security which will mean less illness, more productivity as well as better attention for their children when they are in class. For those who have to buy their maize, the fact that the price of mealie meal is going down is also a major achievement as it means that they can improve the nutritional intake of themseleves and their children which in turn should also increase productivity. To me this is a major development which I hope will be replicated in the coming year. We still have a long way to go but I think we are travelling on the right path.
@ #16 fide
Malls can help alleviate poverty.
(I’ll borrow from MMD Chief Bootlicker)
1. In the construction stage, employment will be created and some locally manufactured inputs (e.g Cement)
2. When operation, retail jobs will be created
3. Entrepreneurs will start their own jobs.
4. Manufacturers will have more options for distributors (not all retailers get their goods from South Africa, China, etc)
5. Property value of surrounding areas will increase (If you own property in surrounding area, you’ll have a form of “capital gain”).
6. Zambians wouldn’t have to go all the way to Dubai or Joburg to shop, they can do it in LSK.
7. Tourists will have more to do (they can go shopping and tell their mates how they were shocked of finding a high end store in…
#21 YANKEE THANKS FOR THE INSULTS IF IM A SON OF A DOG THEN I DONT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE BCOS WE COME FROM THE SAME HUMAN SPICIES. I WONT BOTHER TO HIT BACK BUT WILL CONTINUE MY POSITIVE BLOGS MUCH TO YOUR ANNOYANCE HE HE HE HE HE LOL
@ #23 mafosisa
Are you saying bumper harvest, more job creation, reducing food prices, building of hospitals, schools, roads and single digit inflation to name a few have not improved anyone’s lives?
Stop playing politics please.
yankkee are you american or just some dull human being in diaspora. can you agrue intelligently or simply stay away from blogging. calling someone you dont know a son of a dog means its you who is a mongrel
Mr. capitalist 31, which country has done that? have you factored in the crowding out effect of those cheap imports? what killed our textile industry? the cement industry you are talking about, if it wasn’t for tariff barriers it would be long gone. Ask those people at Chilanga cement
Sure we need the shopping malls but not at the expense of Zambian suppliers who have been avictims in all sectors of our economy beginning with mining. Go to Pick N pay and see what products are there.
@ #28 Moderator
You are stating the obvious. The aim of MFEZ’s is to build the manufacturing sector. Zambia is part of SADC which has a Free Trade Agreement. Zambia is also part of COMESA which also has a free trade agreement as well as a custom union.
Trade between DRC and Zambia rose to about $1 billion dollars in 2009 overtaking South Africa. This is why construction for a one stop border post at Kasumbalesa is being done. So goods can move faster and efficiently. We also have the one stop border post (Chirundu) between Zimbabwe and Zambia which has seen trade between the two nations go up. MMobile signed a deal to supply more than 7,000 handsets to Zimbabwe in 2009.
Regarding the construction of shopping malls, surely if there were not enough people with money in their pockets to afford to shop in them, then the malls would not be built in the first place? So isnt the construction of such malls an indication of the growing prosperity in the country as a whole? How many people are going to be employed in the mall when it is open in administration, retail, catering, security, maintenance, banking, beauty, pr etc? All these people will have more money in their pockets which will mean that even the lady selling tomatoes in Misisi will benefit.
the MMobile deal failed, get the facts not the ‘news’.
@ #35 Umwana Zed
Please do not underestimate the power of real estate. Tourism is also one of the industries Zambia is trying to exploit.
When you go to Dubai what do you see, don’t you see high end shopping malls, luxury hotels, fancy restaurants and expensive spa’s and boutiques just to name a few. All because of a buoyant real estate industry.
Wouldn’t the same be happening in Zambia.
In order to grow our manufacturing industry, we need to provide them with alternative market so they can have access to a larger market. This is why we need to start increasing trade with our neighbors which is what govt is doing.
I dont understand why people want to paint a negative picture of the country. We are still a poor country but surely no one can say that life in Zambia now is the same as it was in the late 80s and 90s. Do people remember what it was like when you had to queue for things like sugar and saladi or even ubunga? Remember when we had those big pot holes on Great East Road? Alleviating poverty takes time and that is why even in places like the US you still have areas of want. It is easy to say that this is not happening or the govt should have do this but we have to acknowledge what has been achieved so far. I think some of us are stuck in the culture of negativity and complaining which blinds us to the positives that are happening around us. (Sorry for using the word ‘blind’).
@ #38 Umwana Zed
Prove it failed.
anyway I am off.
See you all tomorrow.
#39 Also if I may add, most of the goods that are being sold in the malls in Dubai are not manufactured in Dubai at all.
People like HH would still say there is development even if a hospital and a school are built right on his NOSE !!!
Point is he has to be seen as been an opposition party leader. Iam sure Mazoka has stopped turning in his grave but is literally trying to sit up( MHSRIP)……no offence intended.
#39 You have some facts wrong. Real estate in Dubai has collapsed, and Dubai world had to be ‘restructured’ as it was built on a dream rather than real value. All over the world, except for parts of Africa, real estate is in decline – it has largely been responsible for the banking crisis. Secondly, europeans have been going to Dubai because of tax rates, proximity to Europe and very attractive beaches; so the same thing cannot be done in Zambia. You have 10 hours journey time, high poverty levels, poor healthcare facilities, poor transport networks …..
Maweeeeeeeeeeeee
Its so funny how HH politics and sole HH supporters always agree with Him even when they dont realise his politicing. If you assess just the wealth HH declared in 2006 and then in 2008 there is a significant growth , so if an at individual level he moved from 20bn to over 40 Bn what more the economy. His declaration in 2011 will be around 60bn or over so this progress has a muiltiplier effect on the economy what more with everyone else.
For those who think industry builds economies, please try to focus also on the retail industry. Currently the country has huge potential in the retail industry coz we all want to buy and we are taxed every time we buy and by the way who refused us to supply to the retail industry?
Guys,
What is HH saying? What our President is saying is this:
We need an economy that is driven by local talent. The firms building Levy Junction and Manda Hill are all but international construction companies who will take the money back to their countries. Don’t think a construction project gives one a full time job, all construction jobs are temporal except for the men and women in management.
We need a country abundant with 100% wholly Zambian industries with export capacity.
We need a country with leadership that will not do the talk but walk the talk and get the job done
We need a country which has a viable aviation, rail and road transport systems to earn the country revenue from transit traffic
we need a country which records double digit economic growth year on year
we need a country that has a health system in place which cares for all people and not the select few
we need a country where the people are free to demand accountability from leaders
we need a country where the press is free
we need a country where the unemployment rate is below 50%
we need a country that has deliberate policy that promotes preferential treatment to local industry and continues monitoring and improvement of standards
we need a country that encourages innovation. which zambian since independance has ever developed a product or invention that got national support?
What he is saying we need local industries to make money for the country, put food on people’s tables and exploit our geographical position in south central africa
our natural resources, water, air, land are seriously under-utilized and we’re just looking at them
capitalist, sorry i had gone away.
lets look at Dubai, compared to Zambia, who manufactures more, wego and get reconditioned car from dubai?
to encourage tourim, Dubai, has emirate, deliberately making a stopover before you fly to any destination thus airport tax for doing nothing which our Zed doesn’t have
Most of the good sold there are assembled in Dubai even when they are foreign brands, Zambia no.
Dubai didn’t start from shopping malls but an industrial base to supply those malls and that is what ZEd need to do. Us we want to be high end when we haven’t done the basics. I mean apart from maheu and boom, what product is zambian in those malls, including fruit we import.
HH has lost direction he is a very tired man who has been looking to throw in the towel
ah ah HH is still around??
GUYS, LETS NOT GET COMFORTABLE WITH POVERTY!!! THE ISSUES RAISED BY HH ARE SERIOUS & FOR ANYONE TO ARGUE IS FOLLY!! WHEN A MAN BECOMES PROUD OF WEARING MAGAMBA, THEN HE HAS LOST IT. FACT IS ZAMBIAN ECONOMY IS STAGNANT OR EVEN WORSE THAN IT WAS IN 1991 BEFORE THE THIEVES CAME INTO POWER.
HH is a finished Tonga Bull who will neva make an impact in the political arena. He’s a PF under five clinic
Ok i guess the issue is processing the raw material into the finished product. Whereas they be increased employment and further product production , the only issue is that the cost of production is very high and we now in a global economy so products from SA , Dubai where ever will still be cheaper than our local products… so what should we do? coz right now we have signed various agreements COMESA and SADC and also to WTO ???? we can still sell our raw materials and get something from it unless we can make it with the current overhead costs there is nothing much we can do.
May be HH and you guys will reduce OH costs .
HH is Deaf, he can’t See!…………………………………….:-?
It’s true we have gotten used to wearing Magamba, how can you say we have developed our economy when women are still carrying backets of placentas when they give birth at UTH the biggest hospital in zambia where all should be available. There is no medicine in hospital, gloves, to have an emergency operation you need to book a week before, patients sleep on the floor at UTH and you claim that to be development. Guys wake up to the reality of life, and not just political talk, maybe these ZCTU president Hikaumba and Oliver Saasa take their families and relatives to private hospitals hence are not affected by anything. If you have ever been to GRZ hospital in zambia you will agree with HH. Food and medicals are too expensive in zambia and these are most important basic needs for humans.
How is the ZKON debacle progressing??? Since you have had the courage to show this picture, tell us whether the workers have now been paid their dues and if work is now progressing on schedule.
Since when did ZCTU take over the role of Ronnie Shikapwasha?
#56 In my opinion, the way to reduce the cost of production starts from increasing the numbers of people who are economically active. If you increase the potential market, you then are in a better position to enjoy the economies of scales and therefore a reduction in the cost of production. The second area is to increase the amount of cheap credit available for investment; which canbe done by having an Investment Bank – National Interest, that promotes local investment spirit; there is a role for government there. The other way is to reduce the levels of taxation on investment and personal income – this can partially be achieved by reducing the size of government.
Malls can be constructed, but I cannot buy anything if my stomack is empty and when am ill medicine is not found in the hospital. As zambians we will never get anywhere if we do not first identify our needs and set priorities on how to meet them. Many of our people cannot afford three meals in a day due to poverty and you can call that development. You cannot say you are rich when you have a car but cannot afford to feed youself and family, when you fall sick cannot have access to medicine, and even shelter, that would be termed as blindness at it’s best. Some of these small things we may call development are just cosmetics.
A minister who goes to SouthAfrica for flu review cannot tell me that zambia is developed, because for him to do that review in south Africa shows that zambia is so poor to afford any medical facilities. So spare those political rhetoric to yourselves you politicians.
#31 Mr. Capitalist
Your priorities are misplaced. You can not grow an economy on trading.These traders will just come and go after making their profits and mind you there is no law in the country currently which controls externalization of funds meaning all the resources realized from these trading will fly away from Zambia to go and develop some other countries. Whilst there are may be some benefits that may arise from these Tuntembas at the end of the day its the Zambians that have a raw deal. Just think of people who are employed in these industries you have mentioned. most of them are casual workers who are not even pensionable. Think.
Agony is seeing your dreams of Plot 1 fading away because H.E.R.B.B. the real economist is delivering development!
And you ask, how? And he answers, by building a strong foundation. Hehehe hihihi kikiki.
#62 Where have you been regarding hospitals? What about the new hospitals that are being built around the country? Who exactly is going to shop in these malls if not Zambians with money? Sometimes in our wish to be negative we miss the obvious. Do you think if there was no growing prosperity people would invest in buildings that wont turn a profit? Why have pick n pay decided to come to Zambia if nobody is going to afford to buy anything in their shops? Africa and not just Zambia in recent years has seen growing levels of prosperity and this can not be denied. The economies of countries such as Ghana, Uganda, Rwanda, Mozambique, Angola, Ethiopia to name a few are doing well. That is not to say that we should sit on our laurels but lets give credit where it is due.
you *****s ..what development is there when we have alot of dust and dumpsites along the roads in the city..!where is the development apart from working on what was built long time ago..rubbish!
In terms of health, Zambia has been praised by the WHO in its efforts to cut infant mortality rates caused by malaria. The number of women dying in child-birth has fallen and there has been an increase in the numbers of people accessing ARVs. These are not easy feats to achieve. It is very easy to point at negatives but that does not change the facts on the ground. What is sad is that all this negativity is counter productive as it is disabling. People need to grab the opportunities that are opening up instead of complaining day in and day out. Where would Esther Phiri be if she had this self-defeating attitude? We need to develop a national psyche that sees the glass as half full and not half empty.
#63 What do you think of an opposition politician who goes to SA for medical treatment at the expense of the tax payer?
Ba opposition, all conceivable pores and openings in their bodies are showing signs of frustration, especially their mouths.
If the economy is doing so well why are they flying to South africa and India for treatment? VARIETY?
Economic development is the increase in the standard of living in a nation’s population with sustained growth from a simple, low-income economy to a modern, high-income economy.Its scope includes the process and policies by which a nation improves the economic, political, and social well-being of its people.
Economic development refers to social and technological progress. It implies a change in the way goods and services are produced, not merely an increase in production achieved using the old methods of production on a wider scale. Economic growth implies only an increase in quantitative output; it may or may not involve development.
Hikaumba has been bought by MMD i think it is time for him to go
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21 # Yankie 21# Yankie 21# Yankie
Did you your Mother Sleep with a DOG? Its Loose Cannons like you that bring down the country. Put your positive forward and DO NOT resort to calling people dogs
32# PF UPND JEALOUSY
Well done – and just keep debating your views
Every blogger that supports PF, UPND & MMD should be given a chance to express themselves. We may not agree on views but we can have a Health Contest
“# 36 Trade between DRC and Zambia rose to about $1 billion dollars in 2009 overtaking South Africa”.
Your MMD government cannot even secure market for the Maize, Lime from Ndola or even Cement. I travel between the DRC and Zambia every second mine to and from my own mine, The statement you put up is a total fabrication and a complete lie in essence as Zambia is not gaining anything. Kind of funny that the balance of trade is in the -Ve to Zambia because all MMD knows is to trade. This trade was merely ancoured on Concentrates from the DRC to Kansanshi Mining and Chambishi Metals.
# 54 JILI2 For information’s sake, KKs economic growth was around 0.2%, around 1996 (FTJ) GDP recorded a decline of 4% ( the economy shrunk by 4%). Past five years or so we averaged 5% growth in GDP. I really don’t know what you mean by the ‘economy being static’.
#8MMD Chief Bootlicker- What ever technical explanations you may give it is just a campaign gimmick for MMD. What development are you talking about? May be you personally you are benefiting from ill gotten wealth. I for one I miss the Colonial and early Kaunda days. Then one could see development without even reading the Toilet Times of Zambia. Even we villagers were happy because we saw where our taxes were going not to boost MMD camapagns.
#76 If the economy is growing at 5 or 6% you have to equally take into account the growth rate of the population which is at approximately 2.5%, and the levels of inflation at about 9%, as this gives you an idea of ‘real’ economic growth.
#78 You mention inflation and yet pf kaponyas are the ones who are always saying ‘you cant eat inflation’. A growth of 2.5 is still growth. Better than the current growth being witnessed in UK or US. What HH should have talked about then is how if he were in power he would increase the rate of growth and not just say ‘there is no development in Zambia’ as by going by your own statement that is patently not true. We should hold the govt to account but we should also be realistic, that is why some of us have rejected the 90 days miracle formula because we want to reach for the stars but keep our feet firmly on the ground.
#73 fire starter
thanks very much have a good weekend
Zambian trade unions and academicians like prof Saasa are very theoretical about economic growth.Yes 6.6% growth,now where is the economic development.ZRA has failed to collect tax from the mines,is that economic development.These economic figures if you’ve done statistics are just figures which are subject to error,wrong sample,insufficient economic variables taken into account.For example Botswana had a huge per capita income and huge reserves yet their population and the infrastructure was rural and underdeveloped.Statistically it was the richest country in Africa yet the reality on the ground was that of poverty.Let me ask where is this economic growth in Zambia?Just look at the roads in olympia,roma,kalundu even water in certain areas.
Fellow bloggers there is no need for us to insult each other. It is not worth it!! In my humble opinion the current crop of politicians both in and out of government are birds of the same feathers.
19 Yankie greetings and thanks for the concern. I will put up a comment there.
Be blest and enjoy your weekend.
_
Matt 6:33
Be real naimwe ma guys, How can u set up an industry even if it costs more to produce? Just being happy that u make something even if no one buys it is a s.t.upid move! Then who will be funding it? The Govt? Where does the govt get that money from? TAXES!!! And if u REDUCE TAXES IN ORDER TO PUT MONEY IN YOUR POCKETS, how do u add more money?
Some thinking!!!!
#6 MMD Chief Boot ….. You do not seem to understand what is meant by ‘Market” and ‘Service industry’
Firstly, a Market is defined as an area or opportunity where economic benefit is derived. Service industry is composed of non-physical commodities. Its just a sector in economic development aggregation. What HH meant is other sectors which you fell short of mention. To cite some for you; Manufacturing, Agric, Infrastructure projects, Tourism etc. This is what the learnt HH (President) meant. You, Mr Hikaumba’s statement amount to lipstick worne by MMD.
#6… furthermore, economic development is simply a shift from an undesirable position dissected sectorwise. Now i got a question for you…. Do you say there is a growth in these other sectors as highlighted above? now, does growth in one sector aggregate to entire economic devlpmnt? it goes like sectorwise growth, and then portfolio growth. your view of HH’s informed observation is lopsided. Continue leaking the boots of MMD.
Schools,hospitals & roads are fine.But that is where it ends.On the business side its been the opposite.If the business environment was right how come zambian run companies have failed and been sold to foreigners.This proves that gov’t programmes like citizens econ empowerment fund has been a failure.That platform and programmes have nothing for zambians to compete in business and the 6.6% growth will largely benefit foreigners with zambians holding the lower end.
Ba mmd chief boot licker mukafwa kunsala ngamwatemwa ukutumfya abatuntu ba kwa lesa.Yours days are numbered. Even kamalondo, bulawayo during unip days, used to behave like you.Instead of praising rb turn to Jesus Christ . You lost sheep.
I don’t know where we are when nothing happens. Development is not just buildings. most of these building are not constructed by GRZ money (tax payers money). Most of the buildings are constructed by business groups and donor agencies. GRZ is doing nothing with our money.
Development for a rural dweller does not come with the remaking of Manda Hill shopping Mall. The mall means nothing to 80% of the Zambian population. No matter how you define development, these are non negotiables:accessible quality health services, meaningful education, human and community development. With these HH is spot on. there is no development.
You might like to know that GRZ has not released fund for the running of many schools in the country for over a year. Where they have, it is half of what they…
should have released. Define development with the understanding of the people you know. the definition of development without an index means nothing. Development is absolutely subjective. If one has a farm, development is the coming of rain. For Hikaumba and Saasa, who have money and vehicles to drive, development is malls for them to spend their money and roads for them to drive in comfort.
But think for a moment of a hungry person. What do you think would be their definition of development? A sick person? A person living in Lukulu? Just asking questions. HH deserves to be listened to. His views could be valid. Notice I said ‘could’.
Having done economics in part, i think Prof Saasa’s comments in themselves are political-worse leonard. This guy was at NRDC & came hot during mwanawasa’s reign-i dont know what has made him such lukewarm recently. Confort? Well-what else do you expect from a trade unionist? Kafupi,Muhango & finally him. The economy of a state is not built on selling finished products like what we r seeing in our nation-china was never built in that way. It has to do with,in a large part,rejuvinating manufaturing sector & resourcing investment that partners on an eaqual foot with the citizenry. This is not the case. We may be proud about the many buildings sprouting in lsk while other towns r still as they were since independence. In any case, this sort of stragety does not bring forex at all but
..@91. but takes away our valued resources. These investors r huge corporate firms that r based abroad & probably have no accounting premises. In the first place, they populate our small country with indian & chinese prisoners who make a living out of what indeginous zambians would be making especially those out of jobs but with experience in the same sectors of work. Everythime these guys get paid-they send thier salaries in whole back were they come from expect for few change which they spend in shoprite which is another foreign investor exploiting its workers on top of its huge prices on goods. There is no way some well learned prof can say there is development? Where? In lsk? Not in Choma, or l/stone. Or chingola. Even kitwe is as from independence. PEACE.
Vote for President Sata to bring development to all corners of Zambia not just Lusaka making the streets congested with no plans to decongest it with road networks outside and trackers avoiding downtown roads in cities like Lusaka, Ndola, Kitwe. Sata the action man for President!
Hikaumba very disappointing. I thought he was a tough chap before he became what he is. Not to sound tribal but if this is what Tonga chaps behave I think I cAn no vote for HH.
This really explains why some zambians are so shallow in mind, how can a normal being say we are developed when our relatives and women die due to lack of simple medicine like chloroquine and panadol. Women are carrying placentas in backets to bury in their gardens at home, even if there is a complication in a village clinic there is no ambulance to take patients to main hospitals the way it was in the Kaunda era. Only a confused chap can say that there is development in the country. Shame on you who claim to see development when you cannot have access to simple basic things like food and medicine. If you want to see the sad face of a zambian just visit a government hospital to prove.
Ben ..you are an *****..stop talking about Mazoka here..leav him alone..kwangala..
Diaspora, be mature by focusing on individuals without maling reference to the tribe individuals hail from. Your comment implies you have an established prejudice against Tongas. HH and Hikaumba are Zambians. Such prejudice of ‘voting a tribe’ is typical of racists. You are learned and think objectively.