STATEMENT BY HON CHUSHI KASANDA, MP, MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND MEDIA AND CHIEF GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON ON THE LATEST POVERTY ASSESSMENT REPORT BY ZAMSTAT
Government is aware of the latest report by the Zambia Statistics Agency (ZAMSTATS), entitled, “Highlights of the 2022 Poverty Assessment in Zambia,” which report may be misconstrued by some sections of society.
It is important that this report is understood in its proper context. The report is the eighth Living Conditions and Monitoring Survey (LCMS), conducted in June/July, 2022. It captures trends in living conditions based on what has been happening in the economy and its impact on living conditions between 2015 and August 2021.
The statistics in the report reflect not what had happened in six months of the UPND implementation of its first budget but the accumulation of what had been happening before.
When this survey was being conducted, the first budget of the new dawn administration had only been in place for six months.
The period between 24th August, 2021, when the UPND assumed office, and December 2021 was dedicated to organising the new government.
Government wishes to assure the people of Zambia that the report only confirms what UPND always knew, namely, that the conditions of living, prior to the UPND commencing implementation of reforms, were poor because the policies that were being pursued did not have an impact on the wellbeing of the Zambian people.
When the New Dawn Administration announced that it was going to reset the economy, it was for purposes of embarking upon a new set of public policies that would place it on a new footing where the wellbeing of the Zambian citizens would become the area of focus.
It is the contention of the new dawn administration that if public policies do not address the wellbeing of its primary beneficiaries, the people, they must be changed and replaced by others. This is what our administration promised to do and that is what is going to happen.
Government wishes to thank ZAMSTATS for its continued work of monitoring trends in one of the most important aspects of public policy.
As you may be aware, the fight against poverty is a major area of focus by the new dawn administration, hence our collective tireless efforts in resetting the economy so that it is anchored on prudent management of public resources and job creation.
As you may also be aware, the fight against poverty is part of international public policy as reflected in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, of which Zambia is a part.
Therefore, any work that shines a spotlight on poverty, especially highlighting trends, is welcome to make government assess the impact of its policies.
Government calls on the Zambian people to study closely government public pronouncements, as they contain the policies intended to address the concerns that matter the most to them.
We urge everyone to resist the temptation of dwelling on issues that have no value whatsoever. We do not want citizens to miss opportunities being created in the policy pronouncements that government continues to make.
(Original Copy signed)
Hon Chushi Kasanda, MP
MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND MEDIA AND
CHIEF GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON
25th September, 2023