The cause of our forefathers has been betrayed – Kazabu

The cause of our forefathers has been betrayed – Kazabu
By Mwila Chansa in Kitwe and Masuzyo Chakwe in Lusaka
Wed 26 May 2010, 04:00 CAT

THE cause of our great forefathers has been terribly betrayed, UPND chairperson for education, science and technology Luxon Kazabu has observed. And General Malimba Masheke has appealed to the leadership in the country to work and maintain the cause of those who fought for independence to get Zambia free from poverty and create employment for the people.

Commenting on the Africa Freedom Day, which fell yesterday, Kazabu said freedom fighters engaged in the struggle to ensure that after attaining independence, the country’s resources were properly harnessed to benefit everyone.

Kazabu observed that currently, no one could confidently stand and say that the country’s resources were benefitting every citizen.

“Most of our people are living a hopeless life whereby they hardly know where the next meal will come from,” he said.

Kazabu added that in a land of plenty like Zambia, it was a paradox that people should be wallowing in so much poverty amidst plenty natural resources.

He called on all citizens to reflect on the reasons why the country’s forefathers went into the freedom struggle.

“If our forefathers had to come back to life, they would have very harsh judgment for us for having betrayed their noble cause,” he said.

Kazabu said the current generation especially those in leadership still had a chance of cleansing themselves by doing things that would add value to every citizen as opposed to focusing on their own narrow interests.

He said when God gave Zambia all her natural resources, He did not mean that they should only be enjoyed by a few.

“Let us re-focus and remember the many people out there who need to be helped. We should ensure that when our people go to hospitals, they find adequate medicines, we should ensure that there are motivated nurses and doctors to treat them, we should ensure that our children go to schools where teaching and learning can be done effectively,” he said.

Kazabu said there was need to create an environment conducive for living.
Kazabu said issues of sanitation, clean drinking water, and better standards of living for people could be achieved if resources were properly harnessed.

And Gen Masheke, who is former prime minister in Dr Kenneth Kaunda’s government, congratulated Zambia for reaching this far.

He said those in leadership should work and maintain the cause of those who fought for independence to create employment for the thousands of youths who were queueing up during the recruitment of police and Zambia Air Force (ZAF) officers.

Gen Masheke said those in authority should not throw away wealth to investors without Zambians getting something out of it.

“I wish we owned something in the mines,” he said.
He said he was very encouraged with Australia’s Prime Minister who said from 2012, all mines would pay super profit tax which is supposed to increase Australians’ tax revenue collection from the mining sector.

Gen Masheke said in 1969 when he was out in the bush, Zambia was getting something from the mining industry, which was the biggest economic field.

He said there could be no development if the government did not control the mines. Gen Masheke said if the government did not control the mines at the time, there would be no tarred roads and clinics in all the country’s districts.

He said currently, the government did not own anything, as there were no industries in the country. Gen Masheke said everything had been sold out and the government only depended on tax from a few people in formal employment.

He said what comes into the country in terms of foreign exchange was beneficial only for a few.

Gen Masheke appealed to the Zambians not to allow wealth to disappear from the country. He said there were so many young Zambians who were unemployed.
He urged the government to create industries and share the country’s wealth equally.

Gen Masheke also appealed to those in leadership to work for the people and not for themselves.

The country joined the continent to commemorate Africa Freedom Day yesterday and several people were honoured by President Rupiah Banda.