ZAMBIA HAS FRIGHTENING POVERTY LEVELS – DR MUSUMALI
…. despite having the natural resources which if well utilized can create wealth for the nation, says DR MUSUMALI
Lusaka… Saturday, August 31, 2024
Socialist Party (SP) General Secretary Dr. Cosmas Musumali has observed that the poverty levels in the country are frightening despite the country being endowed with natural resources.
Dr. Musumali says if the natural resources are well utilized, they can help create the much needed wealth for the people.
He says one sector that should be utilized is the agriculture sector.
“In the 1960s, there was a study conducted immediately after Zambia’s independence by the ILO, and that study revealed that one of the biggest problems this country was going to face was to feed its people, was to create jobs – that’s employment, and that without tackling agriculture adequately, this was going to be extremely difficult,” he said.
“The situation we have today remains the same. So again, six years after independence, we are back to the issue of how do we create jobs for the people, how do we feed our people, how do we come up with a modern industrial base that’s based on agriculture.
“And much more serious is the fact that you can’t eradicate poverty in Zambia without addressing agriculture. So the poverty levels in Zambia are frightening, sixty years after independence. This is one of the poorest countries in the world, not poor in terms of resources. I know that Zambians in most cases are saying, we are not a poor country. Of course, in terms of resources, you have resources. But when we talk of poverty, we’re not talking about that you have resources, you have the wealth.”
Speaking during a discussion with party President Dr Fred M’membe on the party’s vision for agriculture and food sovereignty, Dr. Musumali observed the need to uplift the living standards of the people.
He said the resources of the country should be shared equally in order to reduce the poverty levels.
Dr. Musumali, do you expect Zambia to be rich when the leaders who came after KK, except Mwanawasa, have done nothing but plunder?
Even this SP if they were elected today, what would they do structurally to change the status quo?
Its very easy to be arm chair critics but their very philosophical outlook as a party, is it practical? Their ideas are they viable? If no then why the noise?
We have polticians that want to think they are so smart, but when put to the task. The first thing they do is look at what their children can do in the establishment. How they can live off the treasury. Why are people critical of Mmembe’s daughter? If Mmembe was so brilliant why is the Post? Where is Zambian Airways? When you think that being the ruling class when you have nothing to add to the lives of those you suggest you serve. All you are doing is seeking leadership and think leadership is sitting on a chair and speaking about revolution. Will people eat revolutions?
Those people will be whipped raw while they wallow at being the ruling class.