October 24th 2020
JCTR Press Statement on Independence Day Celebrations.
56 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE, YET STILL ECONOMICALLY DEPENDENT.
The Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) joins the rest of the country in commemorating the 56th Anniversary of Independence on Saturday 24 October 2020. The Centre upholds in high esteem the role that the nation’s forefathers and mothers played in attaining independence for our beloved country.
However, the Centre wishes to raise pertinent issues in relation to independence and freedom with respect to economic and social justice informed by human rights and moral imperatives. The commitments to the independence narrative and ideology are slowly fading away. Independence is about every Zambian citizen living a dignified life. We owe a moral responsibility to the next generations to pass onto them a viable and enabling environment characterized by economic emancipation through self-sustainability and reliance.
Over the last 56 years of independence, Zambia has enjoyed the long earned reputation of peace on the continent and beyond. However, JCTR is concerned with the rate of political violence threatening this long earned reputation. The Centre implores government to take a lead in sensitizing its citizens to reject all forms of violence in our society.
JCTR is also deeply concerned with the rapidly weakening economy in our country which is jeopardizing the economic and social justice of the ordinary citizens, especially the poor, the marginalized and the vulnerable. The irony is that as we celebrate our country’s independence today, we cannot but lament the current shrinking fiscal space in Zambia.
Zambia’s total external debt stock now stands at US$27 billion dollars, which, literally is equivalent to the country’s GDP. The national debt stock was US$11.97 billion as of June 2020. Further, the fiscal deficit, the inflation rate and the depreciation of the currency are on the rise.
This is not the first time Zambia has found herself in a debt crisis. Government must learn from these experiences and come up with a lasting solution to avoid finding ourselves in this same bad place over and over again. Government must pursue fiscal consolidation and stop further borrowing. Further, government must put in place a transparent debt contraction mechanism and a robust and workable debt management and debt sustainability strategy.
From the 2021 national budget, it is evident that funds allocated to the social sector have shrunk significantly thereby affecting the ordinary person’s access to health, education, clean water and sanitation. This will further compromise human development and undermine promotion of human dignity and attainment of the common good.
Additionally, JCTR calls for adoption of transformative and servant leadership model at all levels of governance in our society. As we celebrate 56 years of independence, the maturity of our independence and democracy will be measured by the degree of our leaders’ willingness to drive a common good agenda rather than a self-enrichment agenda. All the wealth and resources divinely endowed on Zambia is meant for the benefit and the welfare of all the Zambian people without any discrimination. Happy Independence Day and may God continue to bless Zambia.
Note: Attribute statement to Father Alex Muyebe, S.J. JCTR Executive Director
For further clarifications contact the Social and Economic Development (SED) Programme at the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) on 0976735208 and 0977883129. Email: jctr.sed@gmail.com and jctr.info@gmail.com. Martin Mwamba Road, Plot 3813 Martin Mwamba Road, Olympia Park – Lusaka. P. O. Box 37774 Lusaka – Zambia