The Zambia African National Congress

Who we Are

INSPIRED

• By the need to remove Zambia from its poverty and underdevelopment. The ZANC government is committed to taking the action needed to support Zambian families and businesses through the ever tougher economic times sweeping the country since 1975. Zambia is better placed to emerge from this slowdown stronger than before;

• by the purpose of fairness: to build a country where everyone has the opportunity to succeed regardless of their background. Sustainable growth, higher employment, better living standards, and investment in health, transport, education: These are all essential if we are to build the fairer, stronger, country we want to see. A stable economy is not an optional extra. It's a means to an end - fairness; rising prosperity; opportunities for everyone;

RECALLING

• The heroic struggles waged by our peoples, local and abroad for political and independence, human dignity and economic emancipation;

• The struggles against unfair trade, racism and equivalent discrimination and civil rights;

• That for over the last 40 years pensioners have not done well out of our roller coaster economy. The challenge for ZANC, while providing for Zambia’s pensioners, will be to encourage and reward saving for all people to ensure greater well-being in life after retiring; Today’s pensioners are worse off than any previous generation. In a period of sustained economic growth ZANC will bring to Zambia, pensioners will be less likely to be poor than people of working age. We also have to deliver for the millions of people who care for elderly or disabled relatives, so that they can manage financially and balance the responsibilities of work and caring.

CONSIDERING AND BELIEVING  

• that since its inception, the Zambian politics have played a sub-standard role in the economic liberation of our country, the affirmation of a common identity and the process of attainment of the unity of our country and has provided a unique yet fragile framework for our collective action in and in our relations with the rest of the world;

• that and all its provinces are falling farther and farther away from registering economic and sustainable development according to the principles and objectives stated in the Charter and the Treaty establishing the sovereign state of Zambia;

• In delivering social justice to all, wherever they live. That means that we insist on national standards in key areas and that we fund local services to help deliver this fairly. But we are clear that the best way to govern ourselves and to deliver excellent services is in most cases through decentralisation and devolution. We believe that wherever possible we should pass influence, power and control to the people, to local institutions and groups, to front line staff and to local councils. We do this because we trust the people to be the best authors of their destinies, and want to see power spread through our society. ZANC’s approach is rooted in the idea that local people and communities possess the ingenuity and common sense to run their own affairs and collectively solve their problems, given the right framework of resources and support from central government.

• That almost all provinces share common people and culture across boarder lines and that these lines don't really matter to the indigenous;

• that sovereignty of has lost its true value especially in our country where we depend on super economies for our very economic and social existence thus adhere to any demands or conditions lenders make on the expense of national interest;

• that from time immemorial, no country has helped another to come out of poverty and that it would be a grave mistake for to think that western or European countries will come to the aid of the Zambian economy;

• that we need our neighbours knowing that individual African countries cannot compete with the European Union, China, USA and other economic powers; We will only be able to compete globally if we harness the talents of everyone in our society, without discrimination. We will need to offer greater opportunities for our workforce to get the right skills and training throughout their careers. Up against the competition of many billions of people in other nations, with their huge resources and aspirations, we cannot afford to waste the talents of any person. Our aim in government must be to make the most of the abilities of every person and to create new opportunities in response to a changing world so that no one gets left behind and that everyone can share in the rising prosperity of Zambia.

• That our leaders are busy with political issues and problems on the expense of national development and integration; The ZANC government will be recognised as an African leader on national development. We will introduce legislation to focus our development programme to concentrate on poverty reduction alone. The government will target to promote good governance, encourage economic development and enable institutions to deliver public services, such as access to health services and education, for the people. We will also work to tackle the international conflicts which ravage lives and which are a major cause of under-development.  

DETERMINED  

• To stamp out corruption in the local government institutions and the central government through the establishment of strong Court of Justice and Court of Auditors;

• to take up the multifaceted challenges that confront our country and peoples in the light of the social, economic and political changes taking place in the world without absolute dependence on donations, grants, from developed countries;

• To promote and protect human and peoples' rights, consolidate democratic institutions and culture, and to ensure good governance and the rule of law;

• To take all necessary measures to strengthen our common institutions and provide them with the necessary powers and resources to enable them discharge their respective mandates effectively;

• To take the right decisions to promote prosperity: To put policies in place to offer everyone the chance to harness their talents, not just the few. ZANC’s educational programmes will help more millions of n people back to school and get trained for their work. And our investment in vast skill training programmes which will help hundreds of thousands not just to get a job, but also to get a qualification and get on.

• To unlock the talent and potential of each and every young person must be at the heart of Zambia’s vision for education. ZANC will transform education; young people will achieve some of the best ever results ever. We will more than doubled the investment in education by 2015. Our long-term aim is to close the gap between those who attain tertiary education and those who are left out for lack of places.

CONVINCED

• of the need to accelerate the process of implementing relevant OAU/AU treaties and protocols including the 1994 Treaty establishing the African Economic Community in order to promote the socio-economic development of and to face more effectively the challenges posed by globalisation;

• That Zambians are capable of uniting and building a strong nation to be reckoned with even and especially without total dependence on foreign help;

• That the relationships Zambia has to date with the developed economies are especially meant to put Zambia at the receiving end for the benefit of the interests of those economies;

• that the current trend of developed countries is the quest to gain full control of natural resources from as many developing economies as possible - Evident in Africa in that all war torn regions are rich in natural resources, and peaceful ones are heavily privatised;

• That a strong economy is vital for hard-working families who will benefit from employment, low inflation and low interest rates. With the rapid social and economic change we will ensure that all families with children are treated with fairness so that they get the support they need both at home and in the workplace. We will give new parents new rights, with longer and better-paid maternity leave and paternity leave for dads. And as children get older, we will provide more financial support than ever before to help parents balance their family finances and save for their children’s future.

GUIDED  

• by our common vision of a united and strong and by the need to build a strong relationship between all political leaders and all segments of civil society, in particular women, youth and the private sector in order to strengthen solidarity and cohesion among our peoples;

• by the quest to make our country the best place for children and young people to grow up in. We are committed to supporting all families, whatever their shape or size, and giving every child the chance to unlock their talent. ZANC will radically transform early year’s provision. We shall open up government-funded children’s centres providing childcare, healthcare, early education and family support to the children and their families.

• By the belief that it is wrong that somebody's chances in life depend on where they are born. That is why, in government, we will make it a priority, in urban and rural areas, to work for the eradication of poverty.

• By the will to develop a modern, efficient, sustainable transport network in Zambia, which will balance the needs of the economy, the environment and individuals. Long term planning, sustained long-term funding, and improved transport management will back this transport development plan. For the first time in over 40 years, there will be a fully funded plan for rail transport, which will allow for double today’s level of passengers and freight over the next 30 years. We will introduce reforms and investment which will give local authorities more powers to ensure that local transport meets the needs of local people, ensuring quality bus services and tackling congestion. And in addition, older and eligible disabled people will be entitled to free off-peak bus travel anywhere in Zambia.

CONSCIOUS  

• Of the fact that divided regions and the scourge of power conflicts in Zambia constitutes a major impediment to the socio-economic development of the country and of the need to promote peace, security and stability as a prerequisite for the implementation of our development and integration agenda;

• of the frequent and high leadership strategy turn over which leads to different people putting up plans and others trying to implement them;

• of the fact that underdevelopment or lack of development is perpetuated by the holding on to devalued/ low value currencies not recognized in the world market and the rigid reluctance of ruling government to share the load of development with the masses;

• of the fact that the country has adequate natural resources which are mismanaged to the disadvantage of the Zambian peoples  

DENOUNCING  

• The time allocated for the implementation process of the AEC Abuja Treaty providing 34 years (by 2028) as being unreasonable and unrealistic. This is based on the fact that: is barely crawling towards 2010, and it would be a miracle to survive 2015.

• The RECs, which are regarded as building blocks for the AEC (AMU, ECCAS, COMESA, SADC, and ECOWAS) are not in themselves united, have unstable financial standing and haven't so far been able to develop their regions.

OUR NOBLE CALL  

• We the Zambian people don't have any more time to wait for a deliverer who is not forth coming and thus we are taking the case of redeeming our land into our own hands. We cannot wait any longer while seeing our friends and relatives, women and children die in poverty, hunger, preventable diseases and epidemics. We will not sit and wait while large populations of our people still live in utter poverty deprived of even the basic inventions like electricity. We shall not sit and wait while the people who endorse the declarations, charters and treaties, which talk about the fight against corruption and improper governance, are themselves the perpetrators. We shall not sit and wait while the rest of the world discriminates against our efforts and finished products and their very existence. We shall not sit and wait while other countries develop on the expense of our raw materials.

• The road will be tough, but if so far we have endured, we shall surely thrive. The road may not be easy but surely the dawn of a better Zambia waits. Alone but never lonely our conquest we will pursue and when the morn breaks our labours shall squarely be rewarded. Sacrifices shall be made but none constituting of life. For our forefathers already paid the price