Patriotism can transform Zambia because it has the potential to push people to use elections to create a better Zambia for our future generations!
By Mpandashalo Mwewa | Chief Editor.
Lusaka, July 9 – As the Zambia Police Service in Mansa formally arrest and jointly charge 19 people for illegal mining of sugilite, we are again reminded of why we need a radical change of mindset to develop Zambia.
Why would President Hichilema prioritize begging over the need to monetize our natural resources such as our precious stones together with minerals such as cobalt and copper? Should Zambia continue living as it used to during colonialism, earning a living from being labourers in foreign owned establishments?
Also Read: We don’t have a capable leader to mobilise national wealth. “It would be a waste of time to get the debt restructuring without creating the necessary production capacity in the country to repay the debts when the repayments are due!”
And talking about the need for a radical change of mindset, should the Head of State really be a Chief Marketing Officer of Zambia or should his priority be mobilising the right mindsets that can add value to what we have, rather than begging for more funding from the IMF? Remember, in Zambia, we have everything we need, And whatever is lacking, we have the means to acquire.
Unfortunately, President Hichilema remains mentally married to the Western prescription to keep Africans as slaves that nothing can get moving without external finance. We are even begging for things we already have, getting $1m from France in aid while Kagem is actioning emeralds back home for $44m in one weekend. That is absolutely a failure of mindset.
If between today and 2026, President Hichilema is not able to see any logic in our call to change direction, let’s exercise patriotism when casting our votes so that we put in power better leadership that believes that only Zambians can develop Zambia! No investor will prioritise the life of an ordinary child in rural Zambia over one’s profits.
Also Read: Canadian looting of Zambian resources led to debt crisis.
“In 2006, Zambian royalties from copper represented about $24m on $4 billion worth of copper extracted. The taxing of the mining companies wasn’t any better, too. Between 2000 and 2007, Zambia exported US$12.24bn in copper but the government only collected US$246m in tax.”
What is worrying is that despite witnessing the various misgivings in President Hichilema’s uninspiring leadership, many Zambians remain married to pre-election campaign propaganda narrative that the UPND is better than the Patriotic Front even when market fundamentals prove otherwise.
Loyalty to a party over country is a very retrogressive way of looking at politics because politics should not be a self preservation tool but a vehicle for development. Deciding who to support should be premised on upholding our patriotism which is standing by our country, Zambia.
Patriotism does not mean to stand by Mr. Hichilema because he is our current Head of State, not at all! It would only be patriotic to support him in as far as he efficiently serves Zambia. It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent he fails in his duty to stand by the needs of an ordinary child in rural Zambia.
In either event, it is unpatriotic not to tell the truth, whether about President Hichilema or any other public figure. And this is why we are advising other political leaders to put aside their personal political ambitions for a moment and work as one to help realise a home bred governance system that must prioritize development over politics of patronage.
We need to put in place a strong institutional frame that will control politicians not as the case is now where politicians control our Law Enforcement Agencies or a Minister of Health can paralize the procurement of essential drugs at ZAMMSA.
Also Read: Musamba replaces Kajoba who exposed Christopher Mundia for stopping a corruption investigation he was mentioned in. “The former IG, Lemmy Kajoba, said he suspended criminal investigations involving embezzlement of funds after being told to stop and wait for instructions from President Hichilema through his legal advisor, Christopher Mundia,”
To those seeing us for the first time today but are patriots who share our beliefs and principles that democracy and development must be driven by Zambians, please remember to follow our online presence. We need a radical change of mindset to develop Zambia.
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Putting news into perspective
I 💯 percent agree with this. Zambia has been on a snare pace social economic development due to the lack and or lukewarm national citizen’s patriotism.
The people have equally collectively failed to distinctively define the national character and aspirations and or dreams.
Francis Chipili
Business and Political Analyst
I know that Many open minded Zambians are not happy with the perpetual national debt resolutions.Some of us who lived in the years 1991 to the time of debt forgiveness remember vividly how cumbersome those structural adjustment programs were.We remember the cash budget programs,the forced privatization etc.It is really painful to start facing the same again.I would like to spare HH for a minute and discuss those who without regard to the consequences of over borrowing borrowed massively.I suggest it high time a law is enacted to restrict borrowing for non productive structures and put up a borrowing ceiling so that Zambians should not remain economically at the mercy of IMF Paris clubs etc.Let us not only talk about using our own resources to pay back borrowed money let us also talk about using our own resources to fund the projects we borrowed money for.It is amazing that Money for paying debts is available within our own resources and yet the money to implement the projects is not available.I suggest those who over borrow should be labeled as unpatriotic.HH has to run the country and has to ask for debt restructuring as opposed to the use of local resources because mobilizing of local resources won’t happen just now
ZAMBIA THE COUNTRY WERE THE WISEST ARE OUTSIDE GOVERNMENT.
The issue is not about borrowing. The UPND has already borrowed $6b. The borrowing is caused by the need the MUST be met. Even America is borrowing.
But how do we generate funds to pay back? Why ask for debt cancellation instead of monetising our so much sort after resources that we are giving out for free?
Very insightful articles.
If indeed patriotism was the missing factor, then why did the number one patriots fail us.
The freedom fighters and UNIP would have transformed Zambia into a Dubai.
I submit that it takes more to develop a country; at the core of development Private Sector Innovation is the key.
The America you see today was developed by the Private Sector Capitalists, who saw potential businesses and invested in them.
Nikola Tesla was not an American by birth but look at the legacy he left; bringing better ways to transmit electricity etc etc.
We lack proper innovators and investors. What we have are; tenderpreneurs bent on milking the country and thinking that they are business persons
Silicon Valley is a private entity. How many governments have we had so far? Look at the composition of the original MMD. They were all technocrats but they lamentably failed.
So patriotism alone is not the key to prosperity. Proper and true leadership; with the likes of Magufuli is the panacea that will aid budding entrepreneurs to promote the local brand.
Not businessperson who made it whilst others were sleeping….
I rest my case. Zambia will prosper.
Eugene Simenda Mbanacele
Few patriots today…most zambians have loyalty to individuals or political party from which have direct personal benefits.
The poor fighting and protecting the rich while the poor remain in their usual class.
The kk generation of the patriots failed because of ignorance and lack of experience.