Zambia is not Cuba, it’s not Venezuela, it’s not China, it’s not Vietnam; Zambia is simply Zambia.
We are not trying to create a Cuba, a Venezuela, a China, a Vietnam in Zambia. We are trying to create a more just, fair and humane Zambia in Zambia.
Every country’s situation is different, and every path is different. Whether the shoe fits or not, only the wearer knows. We cannot always decorate our tomorrows with others’ yesterdays. We base our socialist struggle on the circumstances of our country, our history, our culture, on the concrete realities of our country.
Of course we are patriots without ceasing to be internationalists and we appreciate the experiences and achievements of other peoples and we study them.
The socialism we are seeking to build in Zambia is socialism with Zambian characteristics. Like a shoe, it can only or will only fit the Zambian foot. Naturally, there are certain general or universal laws, even scientific laws, for any condition, but our struggle to build a socialist society in Zambia has to be developed according to the specific conditions of Zambia.
Fred M’membe
President of Socialist Party Zambia