By Daily Star Reporter
Africans neither have political freedom nor economic freedom, opposition UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema has said. In a message to commemorate Africa Freedom Day which falls today, Hichilema said Africa has experienced anything but freedom as envisioned by the architects of the Freedom Charter.
Hichilema said Africa has been at war with itself and urged Africans to demand quality leadership.
“May 25th marks Africa Freedom Day. This day was declared so by the then OAU in 1963.
However, since then, Africa has experienced anything but freedom as envisioned by the architects of the Freedom Charter. Africa has been at war with itself. Its people are among the poorest in the world. Africans have neither political freedom nor economic freedom,” he said.
“Moving forward, what we need to do is that, Africans must now demand quality leadership. We should turn the resource curse into a resource blessing. Africa has huge potential from its abundant natural resources to the untapped youth bulge. Yet, until harnessed, it remains dormant and unrealised.”
He said developing Africa’s potential involves a number of things, including choice of leadership and development model. “Above all, it requires the culture of hardwork that a citizenry must adopt to make this a reality.
Zambia will go into an election in 2021. Each of us must ask ourselves this question: what kind of Zambia do I want? This way, we shall vote wisely and therefore pursue the African freedom dream as espoused by the founders of the OAU,” Hichilema said.
This year’s Africa Freedom Day is commemorated under the theme “Silencing the Guns: Creating Conducive Conditions for Development in Africa”.