Kabanda urges govt to address urban poverty

Kabanda urges govt to address urban poverty
By Ernest Chanda
Sun 14 Feb. 2010, 03:50 CAT

CITIZENS Forum executive director Simon Kabanda has warned of serious social instability if the government does not control the high levels of poverty that have invaded urban areas.

In an interview, Kabanda said citizens, especially youths were bound to resort to any activities in the absence of meaningful employment. He said it was sad that poverty, which was previously associated with rural areas, is now rampant in urban areas.

“I think you don’t have to be a genius to detect the high poverty levels in our urban areas. Just check through the capital Lusaka, you go to Kabwe and then the Copperbelt; all you see is poverty all round. This can mainly be attributed to declining job opportunities.

In the past people moved to urban areas in search of jobs, but now they just go there to join a host of university and college graduates roaming the streets,” Kabanda said.

“The danger is that this situation is a potential recipe for social instability. People don’t care what they do, legal or illegal, as long as it can help them make a living.”

Kabanda said the privatisation programme that was carried out between 1991 and 1996 had totally collapsed the industries while the government of the day had an oversight on job security and preservation of strategic industries such as the mines.

“The so-called buyers of our industries started stripping these industries of assets. Go to Kalulushi and Luanshya, you will see what asset stripping means,” Kabanda said. “You can also check our rail lines which have also not been spared by these assets strippers they call investors.”

Kabanda urged the government to take the blame for all the poverty associated with the nation.

“This is the same government that rushed us into a privatisation programme that shouldn’t have been. As a result of poverty, we see lawlessness in every corner of our cities,” Kabanda said.

“Street vendors are everywhere because people want to sell in order to survive.

But the question is, who buys if everyone can sell? The government can build trading places, but without creating jobs they are not solving any problem. That’s why youths like those in Zambia National Marketeers Association feel more important than others because they think they are employed. For all this poverty government should take the blame and know what to do.”

Kabanda called for a quick solution to the situation before it deteriorated further.

“We can’t advise this government because they don’t listen even if we advise them. I can say it’s too late to advise them because the 2010 budget was already past last year. And next year we have a general election, so whichever government comes in, let them prioritise job creation.

Whether it’s the MMD coming back or any other government taking over, please create jobs for our people before they lose their dignity further. We cannot afford to subject ourselves to such high levels of poverty in a nation of abundance,” said Kabanda.