Preamble

At the close of 1950s, Africa was so powerful that no country around the world would dictate its internal affairs. The united front would do anything for national interest. This is evident when the colonial powers were sent out of different regions and the local leaders took their place. The idea that united we stand and divided we fall was in effect. Thus the leaders decided to form political parties - the biggest white elephants the world has ever seen.

More than forty years have past since the political system and yet Zambia is more divided than ever. In our history we register the Pacification of African kingdoms and yet today we think this is how Africa was meant to be - pacified. Many kingdoms were divided and shared by European companies. The division was done for the interest of these companies yet still we as Africans still pay homage and respect to the lines drawn by those who exploited us. This trend is very visible in Zambia’s politics. Tribalism covertly lingers in the hearts of our leaders.  

The real state of the matter is: Zambia is one the richest countries on the face of the earth. It is far much richer in natural resources than some nations that are far more developed than we are. But alas, it is at the bottom of economies. The population of Zambia can be compared to a city in the US or China, but compare the land. Yet we register the highest starving population on earth.

Our leaders are so proud of their empty portions of land. Our purchasing power is insignificant and the currency so low that one needs to over K4000 to exchange a single dollar. We don't see anything wrong with that. The power we claim to have is not really ours. We have a seat in the UN but cannot voice out anything. We have fewer people but our budgets depend on donor aid to survive.

The office term of a leader in now ranges from 5 to 10 years after which everybody is ready to throw stones at the former president. When out of office one is cast out like a rabid dog ready to be put to sleep or in chains behind bars if lucky. Only one problem, the outsiders are laughing when they see us fighting each other over what they consider a rubbish bin/ pit. Where they dump genetically modified goods or second-hand handouts not favourable for their communities. Indeed like beggars on their “rich” massive dump waiting for the dumper yet still very territorial. The leaders, yes, are highly to blame not for oppressing their people but for subjecting them to oppression. We need to rid our territory of corruption and misappropriation of funds, we need to work hard and earn our own money from our soil. The problem is the leaders look for easy money - begging, and the whole country is turned to a beggar's street. When we earn money without working for it, we tend to spend it recklessly because we hope to beg for more to compensate. Moreover leaders tend to think that the begging was their effort so they need to earn something out of it, hence financial misappropriation. The masses are not left out here; by being passive we perpetuate the act.  

Zambia was so united and fought against colonial rule until we attained independence. Once we attained independence and chased out the colonial leaders we had no one else to fight and started fighting our brothers. But most of us are blind to the fact that no one can help us be better than they are. The only ones capable to help us develop are ourselves. Take a look at the facts, there have been meetings to help reduce the gap between the poor and the rich economies but reality is, the rich countries are now several times richer. These meetings are mere media propaganda especially to tell the world who is in charge. Issues about Africa and its development are mere formalities. They can be ignored at will.

All highly profitable regions in Africa are at war. Like a remote controlled set we are guided on what to think. We know they are oppressing us but like the African spirit (many call it folly) we prefer to suffer silently. Our intelligence tells us who causes the pain in Africa but as beggars we are afraid to voice out lest they stop the handouts. What a shame. Our leaders are satisfied with meagre wealth they hastily get before they are booted out of power. More than 80% of our people live in rural areas without basic needs, radios, power or TV and yet in their ignorance they are made to vote for leaders. They don't have a slightest clue whom the person is, they don't have their profile and they don't really care. We should know that America's system of governance could be our nightmare.

Time is now when our children want to come home. Look at how much suffering our n children face in other countries. The leaders long ago made a grave mistake by trading slaves and hundreds of years later we are still making the same mistake by not providing a resting place for the afflicted, they have no where to run to but constantly fight a loosing battle of freedom in a strange land. Back home we have war in our front, poverty in the middle and AIDS at the back; all killing us yet we still want to hold on to the system that doesn't work. Revolution is what we want and revolution we shall get.

We the leaders of Zambia must get down your high horses and be reasonable. Greed is evil and it is the only one thing the rest of the world associates Africans with. To all the citizens of Zambia, from the shore of Lake Tanganyika to the shore of Lake Kariba let one voice be heard. United we stand and divided we fall and this is not just a saying, but a norm which would bring about the realization of the dream of the peoples of Zambia. For a long time we have been down, let us now stand up together. ZANC calls for, students, workers, mothers and fathers and all should rise and make the revolution begin. For truly we shall indeed conquer the enemy in his abstract or physical manifestation thus restore our land.