JOINT CSO PRESS STATEMENT DATED 2ND AUGUST 2023 ON THE RISING COST OF LIVING IN ZAMBIA
We, the undersigned Civil Society Organizations, note with concern the rising cost of living in Zambia.
The cost of living as measured by the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflections’ (JCTR’s) Basic Needs and Nutrition Basket (BNNB) has been on the rise reaching a mid-year average point of K9,126.40 in Lusaka, while the national average basket stands at K6,466.04 for a family of five.
The rise in the cost of living has been on account for several factors including the rise in commodity prices such as mealie meal and retail fuel pump prices.
Inflation has remained in its double digits at 10.3% in the month of June 2023 keeping it outside the target range of 6-8%. Similarly, the Kwacha has continued to depreciate against major global currencies averaging K19.05 per US Dollar in the first half of the year.
The cost of the country’s staple food, mealie meal, has increased to a record level of K300 per 25kg bag in some parts of the country.
Just yesterday, the retail pump prices of petroleum products were equally increased. Petrol was increased by 2.57% while low Sulphur diesel by 6.81% and they are now selling at K25.57 and K23.36 per litre respectively.
As Civil Society, we are also concerned with the way Government is undertaking the process of removing vendors from the street.
While we are in supported the actions to remove vendors from the streets and re-allocate them in designated marketplaces, it would have been important for Government to adequately sensitize the vendors on the merits of this process.
The majority of Zambian’s are in the informal sector, hence removing them from the streets without clear adequate alternative spaces would make their lives quite unbearable.
The soaring cost of living is already causing great hardship to many Zambians, the majority of whom are just scraping a living.
The situation may be worsened by the removal of vendors from the streets without alternatives as it leaves a handful of them without trading places and ultimately with no incomes to support their livelihoods.
We also note that the high cost of living in countries such as Kenya and Nigeria have led to civil unrest. Indeed, economic hardship provides fertile ground for populist and authoritarian expressions to take root in the country.
Zambia has just emerged from a long period of economic and democratic decline which ordinary Zambians are still paying for today.
We therefore call on the government to –
1. Meaningfully and effectively communicate with the Zambian people on the state of the economy and outline measures they are undertaking to address emerging challenges from the social and economic reforms currently being undertaken;
2. Government should consider further activation of the Zambia National Service and the Zambia Correctional service to get on board and contribute towards maize production, this will help alleviate the rising costs related to mealie meal, further to that, it will create new job opportunities for the young people;
3. With regards to clean up exercise on street vending, while this is move is welcome, government will need to provide the assurance on the adequacy of alternative trading spaces, this calls for improved and reliable communication on where those alternatives are, and on the carrying capacity of those trading spaces;
4. Consider convening an economic indaba, this will greatly help in communicating to the citizens the state of economic and social affairs in the country, it will equally help citizens better understand measures government may be exploring to address challenges related to their livelihood; and
5. Engage meaningfully with critical stakeholders in industry and civil society on various social and economic reforms being undertaken, this will help with consensus building on a number of issues.
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Linda Kasonde Isaac Mwaipopo
Executive Director, Chapter One Foundation Executive Director-CTPD
Signed for and on behalf of the following CSOs:
ActionAid Zambia
Alliance for Community Action
Bloggers of Zambia
Chapter One Foundation
Centre for Trade Policy and Development
Council for Christian Churches in Zambia
Transparency International Zambia
NGOCC
Zambia Council for Social Development