Happy 48th Birthday Zambia

Today Zambia has turned 48 years old. Zambians are still going strong, proud and free. This year many Zambians are proud of the Zambia National Soccer Team. The Team won the prestigious Africa Cup. This is the first time that Zambia is the African Soccer Champion. The Cup had evaded Zambia since independence. In 1974 and 1994 the Zambian team came close to winning the Cup by coming second in the African Championship. The nation also participated in several international competitions this year. We were represented in the London Olympics but we did not get any medals. We were also represented in the London Paraolympics but our team was disqualified for wearing the wrong attire during the opening ceremony. Imagine how such a mishap could happen. Our team 'borrowed' the national soccer team attire and the organisers of the Paraolympics were not impressed and set the team packing.

On the economic front we are not doing badly. What with our government beginning to borrow again with Zambia's improved credit rating. This year Zambia was able to borrow through Euro bonds. The government is very happy with this development saying that the increased credit rating will provide Zambia with the needed financial capital to build bridges, roads, school and other physical infrastrusture. The ordinary Zambians have received the news of the borrowing with mixed feelings. Some of the citizens have welcomed this capital injection because of  the possibility of job creation. Zambia has a very youthful population with 50% of the citizens aged below 35% and many unemployed. So any possibility of job creation is greeted with praise. However, some senior citizens are asking for caution with regard with the recent acquisition of a loan of this magnitude. Perhaps it is because they can still remember how the 7 billion Kwacha borrowed by Zambian's first government led by Dr. Kenneth Kaunda brought the country to its knees. The debt could not be repaid and it brought a lot of suffering. Zambia became one of the world's highly indebted countries and needed to be rescued by the G8 through debt cancellation. On a positive note the construction industry is booming. Many Zambians are becoming home owners through building their own houses. Others are investing in development of properties to put on rent. Construction has became the buzz word whereever one goes-at the office, pub or Church. This is very good for our young economy. It is contributing to the growth of the informal sector especially metal fabrication and block making and in a way creating self employment opportunities for talented and enterprising youths. Many absentee land owners have taken  the opportunity to subdivide their properties for sale to prospective home owners. Unscrupulous invidividuals have also taken the opportunity to illegally grab land which they sell to unsuspecting prospective developers. The construction industry is booming mainly in urban and peri-urban areas throughout the country.

On the social front local music and arts are finding their place on the airwaves once again. There are now so many singers, dancers, actors and writers that it is difficult to take count. Songs are written and released every week, day, hour or minute. Some songs are forgotten only a few minutes after release. But the most exciting thing is that those who are hard working get recognised and make a fortune from their songs. One such lucky singer was the composer and singer of 'dochi kubeba'. His song became a hit during the 2011 presidential and parliamentary election because the Patriotic Front (PF) adopted it as its main campaign song. The song was therefore 'banned' from playing on the national broadcaster airwaves by the party in government at the time. With the victory of PF the song was played on the national broadcaster, all private radio stations and at social gatherings especially weddings and kitchen parties. The composer and singer was even awarded  the 'order of distinguised service...' during the 2011 independence celebrations at State House. So if you are lucky you can actually became very famous and also earn a decent living from music and the arts.

I hope that this year's independence celebrations will be different. I am currently out of the Country so I wish you all a Happy Independence Day. In the past the celebrations have centred only around government officials, ruling party officials and civil servants' merry making. In Lusaka, if you want to participate in the celebrations then you have to get an invitation to State House or sit in front of your TV and watch what is happening at State House. Now it has even become a recognised fact that the prominent leaders of the opposition will shun the celebrations at State House. The radio and TV news bulletins will make a point of mentioning who attended the State House function and who 'boycotted'. But this has become so predictable so that it is not news anymore. One wishes that the members of the opposition will realise this and begin to attend these functions because after all it is tax payers money that is used so why not go and enjoy with everyone else.

I am sure that this year's celebration will be overshadowed by the death of the mama Betty Kaunda, the wife of First Republican President Dr. Kenneth Kaunda. She passed on a few weeks ago. These celebrations will not be done without remembering this gallant daughter of the nation. Soft spoken and kind she is an inspiration to many Zambian and mother of the nation. May Her Soul Rest in Peace.

Happy Birthday Zambia! Long live Zambia.

South Africa seen through the eyes of a Zambian

I first came to know about South Africa and the system of apartheid obtaining there as a child in my fourth grade of primary school in 1986. During this time my class was learning about apartheid. I was given a poem to recite based on Alan Paton’s book ‘Cry the beloved Country’. At the time I was really shocked at how my black brothers and sisters in South Africa were segregated against in a land of their birth. It really shocked me more when I learnt about the plight of black activists like Nelson Mandela that were actually in Prison because of fighting apartheid. This early childhood experience really ignited interest in me to become an ardent follower of political issues in South Africa.

The fact that my country, Zambia, through our President Kenneth Kaunda was actively involved in the liberation struggle for Southern Africa made my interest to grow in understanding the South African situation. Zambia’s national television used to show films about Nelson Mandela and apartheid in South Africa. They also aired various concerts that were held around the world in Africa and Europe to put pressure on the Apartheid government to release Mandela and other political prisoners. Our president mobilised all of us to be actively involved in calling for the release of Mandela. Zambia also provided refuge to several South African freedom fighters including Thabo Mbeki and Oliver Tambo. Through television as well as various literature I become aware of the evils of apartheid and how it infringed on the freedom of movement and association especially for black South Africans. It also prevented our black brothers and sisters’ access to certain employment opportunities and made them suffer humiliation at the hands of the white South Africans. I also become aware about the decisions that had been taken by several countries to isolate South Africa so as to put further pressure on the Apartheid government to abolish this oppressive system.

At secondary school, I studied South African history. This increased my understanding on the arrival and stay of Dutch and British immigrants in South Africa. I also learnt of the early wars that took place between the British and the Boers (as Dutch immigrants were later called) in trying to get control over South Africa as well as other wars that were fought with African tribes especially the Zulu on the East Coast. Through my studies I also became aware about the deals that were made between the British and the Boers resulting into the partitioning of South Africa into British and Boer controlled territories or states and the subsequent independence of South Africa from British control and the setting up of the apartheid system of government by white South Africans. Further, I became aware of the pass system that was introduced to prevent free movement of the blacks. Studying South African history made me appreciate the difficulties that blacks were up against in gaining their freedom. However, there was so much hope in the fact that things would never be like this always. Leaders of the anti-apartheid movement, outlawed by the Apartheid government, still believed in future freedom. One could not but admire their zeal and that of their countrymen and women when they engaged in civil disobedience acts to force the government to give them greater freedom. This won them many sympathisers home and abroad, some of whom were white South Africans.

In senior secondary school I studied literature in English where I was privileged to read Alan Paton’s ‘Cry the beloved Country’. Through this book I learnt about the effects of the apartheid on an ordinary black South African as narrated by Paton as he depicted the life of Khumalo. I was deeply moved by the courage that the blacks had to protest against their oppression through mass mobilisation resulting in boycotts, strike action and street protests. It touched my heart to read and watch films re-enacting the involvement of young and old in the freedom struggle. I remember watching a film called ‘Sarafina’ in which Whoopi Goldberg starred depicting the involvement of school children in the struggle. It was really touching and inspiring to see the young people’s courage in refusing to accept to be taught in Afrikaans when they preferred English and the subsequent courage that they exhibited when they were gunned down in what became known as the ‘Soweto Massacre’.

I followed keenly the release of Nelson Mandela from Robin Island after 27 years. It was with great pride and joy that I watched with many others around the world when he walked to freedom alongside his former wife Winnie Mandela. Mandela’s walk to freedom was a triumphant occasion for those that had suffered alongside him while he was incarcerated. His lack of bitterness against the oppressors was really remarkable and unimaginable. His call for reconciliation rather than retribution was really a profound moment in history given the bloody transitions of power that have accompanied freedom in Africa. The path that Mandela and other African National Congress leaders in South Africa took after gaining independence in 1994 has really been inspirational and contributed to the important status that South Africa as gained as a leading democracy in Africa. I visited the Nelson Mandela Museum in Umutata in 2007 and I could not help but marvel at this man’s life.

Independent South Africa has become a leader in Africa especially in Southern Africa in politics and economics. My current work has allowed me to travel to South Africa several times. I have visited Pretoria, Johannesburg and Durban among other cities. I have been impressed by the way that South Africans have risen above the colour differences that separated them during apartheid and become the rainbow nation. They have also taken leadership in hosting African and global tournaments and conferences e.g. the African Cup of nations football tournament in 1996, football World Cup in 2010 and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 17^th Conference of Parties (COP) in Durban last year in 2011. I attended the conference and was impressed with the organisation and leadership that South Africa has taken in the fight against climate change.

Recently, the South African Mining Industry has been overshadowed by violent protests and strikes. Maybe this signals the changing times yet again in the history of this nation and the clock continues to tick.....