LETTERS - No direction in politics
No direction in politicsBy Oliver Haantanda,Chipata
Sunday April 08, 2007 [04:00]
Listening to what Zambian Politicians both from the ruling party and the opposition have been saying about one another in the recent past, one gets the impression that Zambia is going nowhere politically.
It is the same boring language of petty accusations and counter accusations on issues that really don’t matter to the average citizen. The Zambian of today has out-grown partisan politics and is a more sophisticated citizen who needs politics of issues, maturity and serious national agendas.
The Zambian is looking for leadership that will take this country out of age-old poverty trap to ensure that a political freedom gets its true value in terms of development. People want systems that work, a public sector that delivers in its social service obligations, leaders who are inspiring or a country where one can plan their life and realise their dream in short-a land of opportunity.
If the current crop of leaders have run out of ideas, let them leave the stage and pave way for new blood instead of dragging the country into further abyss.
http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=24925
Resurrect, Zambia
By Hilary Mulenga Jr.
Sunday April 08, 2007 [04:00]
Poem
Resurrect, Zambia!
Your selfish leaders have dragged you to Calvary
Nailed your economy to the cross of poverty and destitution
They have stabbed you with the lance of corruption
Driven you to slow death
Resurrect, Zambia
Your dear life, the constitution has been stripped from you
Torn to pieces and cast to a lot
With mockery they jeer at you
Refusing to grant the pleas for a better constitution
Resurrect, Zambia
Your children have abandoned you
For greener pastures in other lands
Where, unlike yours, things have not grounded to a halt
Where, unlike yours, things are not moving from bad to worse.
Resurrect, Zambia
From the shackles of ‘Infesters’
Who have invaded your land and trampled on your children
They have taken what belongs to you
Leaving your children to die in medicine-less hospitals
Resurrect, Zambia
Come out from your tomb
Free yourself from the sting of death
Bequeath to yourself with what is your due
Then your children will rise again
And triumphantly sing the song of your resurrection.
http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=24927
Slave conditions
By Isaac Makashini,USA
Sunday April 08, 2007 [04:00]
It was sickening to read about the slave conditions under which the employees at a named manufacturing company in Livingstone work.
Like always, it has to take a minister’s tour of such companies to bring out the stark reality of the egregious labour and human rights violations.
We should not think that what was found in Livingstone is only an unfortunate and isolated incident. This is very rampant in Zambia.
Chilumba Ngosa Sr in his letter to The Post, “Slavery and globalisation,” was right in noting that there are many more companies in the country with this kind of behaviour and there does not seem to be much that our government is doing to arrest this situation.
Our regulatory framework and monitoring systems remain weak, and the enforcement of our law against such vices is almost nonexistent.
This problem is not unique to Zambia. Globalisation has spread its tentacles far and wide, and its constricting effects are being felt the world over, especially in the developing countries. I recently bought a DVD entitled China Blue, which shows how the global economic system is taking its toll upon the hapless Chinese factory workers.
They work from 08:00 hours in the morning to 02:00 hours the next day! Even when they are sick, they are forced to work or they lose their jobs. The factory owner has contracts to supply blue denim jeans to the western countries under a very tight schedule and at extremely low prices.
Our government must not turn a deaf ear to the labour injustices being perpetrated by our investors. Of course we are grateful to these investors for contributing to our national economy, but this must not be at the expense of our people.
We need to be treated with dignity. There is need for tougher laws to curb this scourge.
Labels: LETTERS
posted by MrK @ 4:01 AM
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