Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Zambia a Divided House-Weak Civil Society,Union and Evangelical Church- Creating a Vulnerable Future (part 1)

Zambia will be getting into an election year with a lot of people speculating change. However, the definition of this change is what amazes me. The Youth-Chat-to-Chat is a platform meant to express the views of young people or those interested in the welfare of the young people. It is meant to let the unheard voices speak strong and tough and raise a youth empowered conscience for the benefit of this country and its development.

The first edition this week looks at the civil society organizations (CSOs), the union and the evangelical church in Zambia and its effectiveness. As I was chating with some of my good youth friends a question was thrown at my face. Why is it that in the last two year any critical widely opposed decision made by the President of Zambia, His Excellency Rupiah Banda has never been reverse like we saw with the previous Presidents i.e. third term, Bulaya's case etc? It looks like the civil society, unions and indeed the evangelical churches have become too weak to be heard and act. I would suggest a number of factors that have led to the weak and divided groupings.
i. The organizations' leadership has over stayed and thus they have become (a)complacant with work-like a bemba saying, "muswema ngakokola alu ngoshe."
ii. The leadership or individuals running many of these organizations have rooten rats in their cupboard evident by how they become quite once threatned by those in power. By this I mean they have either been involved in duty tricks such as mismanagement or corrupt practices and so they are not different from those they accuse of being corrupt (especially those in governement). They are a burgaining chap-so let them in those positions
iii. Easily brided or corrupted and they are fed by the same people they are to speak against.Meaning the systems have been infrutrated by traitors whose interest is self.
iv. They have become noise makers with no effect due to ill concieved programs.
v. Many more

As the week continues I will endevour to bring more flesh to to this important topic for our country today.

Due to this situation it is difficult to have a clear path of checks and balances then development. Of course it is understood that they are those civil society organizations who are pro government (I dont know if they even understand their role) and those who are all the time opposers of the government (probably thats their agenda belong to opposition political parties). However, they are those who are objective and understand the role to play and are well balanced in issuing they stance on a particular issue. Sometimes it becomes difficult to know who to trust and thus it seems they only act out of selfish interests and not for the young generation who will soon be taking over the leadership roles. Therefore they are creating a very vulnerable future whose fundamentals are broken. This issue is serious especially that the present government has similar or worse trends in regards to developing a future for the young ones. A classic example: They boost of creating employement yet the margin compared to the population size is far away from reality.

As all of this is going on those suggesting change do not seem to have a clear path that will enhance the wellbeing of the people and worse of the young ones. Remove one old man from a position and put another old man on the same with similar leadership or worse quality and we want to call it change? Wait a minute! I think that the life of this country is in the young people. There must be leadership change in all sectors; the government, civil society, church and unions. We are tired of the same unproductive people!They should leave others to take the development vision on another level. Overhaul Change!!!Viva Youth!

Till next time, am just another son of a Zambia.

1 comment:

  1. Well, you are not the only child of mother Zambia, am glad that i have a brother. Using its basic definition, Insanity is doing the same things and expecting different results. A Student studying the same hours and expecting different results; a lecturer sleeping the same odd abnormal hours and expecting to perform much better than previously and replacing old politicians with other old politicians and expecting better results.

    These are the challenges we are faced with and we are simply saying its not the Youths fault that the are blamed and actually involved in risk social behaviors such as casual sex, alcoholism and violence. It is the stage they are at that is responsible: they are energetic, vibrant and militant BUT we have not been afforded with a field, with opportunities to direct our burning passion to achieve and deliver.

    In 2011 we are asking that let then give us this opportunity to utilize our energies toward community progress; towards national service. In 2011, we can not allow Zambia to fall once more on the Insanity category, we are better than that!

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