Greed will cost opposition in 2016 - Mucheleka
By Abel Mboozi
Sat 28 Dec. 2013, 14:01 CAT
GREED and egoism of opposition leaders in Zambia will cost them in the 2016 general elections, says Patrick Mucheleka. Mucheleka, who is Lubansenshi independent member of parliament, said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that time had come, especially for opposition leaders, to embrace unity of purpose.
"You see, PF today appears to be having a field day and indeed they are likely to continue having a field day on the basis of how it perceives the opposition. Practically, the opposition is in disarray, it's so fragmented," he said.
Mucheleka said times had changed and opposition leaders should not mislead themselves that they could win elections single-handedly like the PF did in 2011.
"If there is anyone thinking like that, either MMD or UPND, they have gotten it wrong. It's not possible. They must not think and believe that they can win on their own; it's impossible. The only way out is to put aside individual interests, greediness among party presidents," he said.
"See where we are as a country, we seem to be having no hope whatsoever. There are a lot of issues; there are a lot of questions we should be asking ourselves; this is the time we must come together and ask ourselves genuine questions."
Mucheleka said Zambia had the challenge of the constitution, and now was the time when the opposition and all stakeholders should come together to address such a problem.
"We have a challenge of the constitution; that in itself is good reason for us to work together as Zambians and say 'Look, we are putting aside our differences, we're coming together to defend our country'," he said.
Mucheleka said people should realise that there could only be one President at a time.
"We can't all be Presidents. So my challenge to opposition political parties, particularly party presidents, is that please, for the sake of this country, can we unite. This country requires another liberation; and the moment to do that is now," he said.
"Let us give formidable opposition to the PF; for the PF to govern properly and to be sensitive to the needs of the people, they require strong opposition. They seem to be having a field day because political parties in the opposition are in disarray."
Mucheleka said it was sad that there was no strong opposition in Zambia at the moment.
"...opposition can only be strong when you are united, you put aside your individual self-interests. So let us forget about this issue of a particular political party being strong in a certain region, a political party being headed by a president from a particular region. We are Zambians, we only have one country and we must not be seeing ourselves through the spectrum of tribe, ethnicity; we must only be seeing ourselves through the spectrum of being Zambians," he said.
Mucheleka said there was no political party which could win on the basis of being supported by one or a few tribes in Zambia at the moment.
He expressed sadness that some of the opposition leaders had become comfortable with being in the opposition.
"When you are in the opposition, you must start looking at yourselves as alternative governments but to do that, you should be able to have certain characteristics," he said.
"One such is to have a national appeal; another is to be able to unite; to be able to put your houses in order by reorganising their structures ahead of the 2016 general elections."
Mucheleka said the opposition needed to have trust and confidence of the Zambians, a feat that takes time.
"So you are not going to confine yourselves in one location and think that a miracle will happen and suddenly take over power from the PF, no, it doesn't work like that," said Mucheleka
Labels: GREED, PATRICK MUCHELEKA
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Mucheleka counsels govt on windfall tax
By Kabanda Chulu
Thu 05 Dec. 2013, 14:00 CAT
GOVERNMENT should not continue betraying Zambians by refusing to bring back the windfall tax which is an easier way of collecting revenue from the mines, says Lubansenshi Independent MP Patrick Mucheleka.
Reacting to mines minister Christopher Yaluma that government has no immediate intentions to revise the mining taxation regime to bring back windfall taxes, Mucheleka yesterday advised government to take full responsibility by seizing the opportunity to reap maximum benefits from the extractive industries whose contents were a wasting asset.
On Tuesday, mining expert Dr Mathias Mpande said it was worrying that the country was only benefitting two per cent of revenue from the mines that only pay tax based on profits they felt comfortable to declare.
Dr Mpande said the country faces a leadership crisis in dealing with problems in the mining sector and that countries with good mining policies benefitted much from their minerals, citing Botswana's 50-50 shareholding as an intelligent way of sharing benefits from mineral resources.
"It is unfortunate and sad for the Zambian people that such sentiments are coming from a minister. In today's edition of the Post, there is a story quoting Ghanaian President John Mahama that Ghana will embark on a renegotiation exercise with companies especially those in the extractive industry on new stability agreements. This shows that Ghanaians have realized that the mines are making abnormal profits at the expense of local people," Mucheleka said.
"What is so special about mining companies investing in Zambia when everyone else is revising agreements to benefit from the super profits?"
He explained that some people, including government ministers, who were against windfall taxes do not understand how the system works.
"Mining companies will still make realistic profits because the windfall tax will only be triggered at certain price thresholds, besides it is a less complex way of collecting revenue whether ZRA has capacity or not, the country will still get something," Mucheleka said.
"Most of these mining companies are doing all sorts of things to avoid tax payments; they are also involved in tax evasion, tax avoidance and transfer pricing but with the windfall tax system in place, we shall capture correct revenue when the prices are triggered."
He said government had no choice but to do the right thing by bringing back windfall taxes.
"Government is borrowing money to build infrastructure, water facilities, and roads in areas where the mines are based. The mines are taking everything away yet government is subsidising the mines, for example, why should we continue talking about Chingola-Solwezi road which is in a dilapidated state but is used to transport copper ores for the mine?" asked Mucheleka.
"These same mines are subjecting our people to work under laborious and poor conditions, even their corporate social responsibility is poor because they usually donate a mini bus, sponsor a televised football match, they can do more but it is up to government to save people who are feeling the pinch."
Several people, including civil society and opposition parties, have called for the reintroduction of windfall taxes to increase revenue from the mines whose contribution to the national treasury is a paltry two per cent of GDP.
Recently, finance minister Alexander Chikwanda called those calling for reintroduction of windfall tax 'lunatics.'
In 2008, under Levy Mwanawasa, government introduced a windfall tax on base metals at a minimum rate of 25 percent with a revenue projection of at least US$ 415 million per annum.
For copper, the windfall tax was put at 25 percent at a price of US$ 2.50 per pound but below US$ 3.00 per pound, 50 percent for the next 50 cents increase in price and 75 percent above $3.50 per pound.
Labels: CHRISTOPHER YALUMA, PATRICK MUCHELEKA, WINDFALL TAX
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Govt has shown political will on constitution, says Bwalya
By Kabanda Chulu and Abel Mboozi
Wed 16 Oct. 2013, 14:01 CAT
THERE is no corresponding improvement in the living conditions of people despite the extraordinary increase in the size of the national budget, says Bweengwa member of parliament Highvie Hamududu.
And Lubansenshi member of parliament, Patrick Mucheleka has advised the government to stick to the budget and not treat the document as a mere piece of paper. Meanwhile, Alliance for Better Zambia president Frank Bwalya says the PF government has shown political will towards the constitution-making process by providing over K44 million towards the exercise.
Bwalya has also commended the government for raising the Pay As You Earn tax exempt threshold to K3,000 from K2,200 last year. Commenting on the K42.68 billion (US$ 8 billion) budget announced last Friday by finance minister Alexander Chikwanda, Hamududu said the government should start addressing challenges of implementation deficit.
"The PF government has doubled the budget amount from what they found, but what is of concern is that there is no corresponding improvement in the living conditions of people… poverty is still high, inequality is widening, education standards are not improving, unemployment rates are still high and death rates are also still high," said Hamududu. "This means that we are not making progress despite the huge amounts that are being spent. So, government should engage public service workers to sign performance contracts like what President Paul Kagame is doing in Rwanda.
This way, we shall create a system that will make everyone perform and it will also help to weed out non-performers. Actually, performance-based approach will produce results since people will apply seriousness to service delivery."
And Mucheleka said the 2014 budget seemed to be an ambitious and good document.
"But given the experience of 2013, where government borrowed beyond what they had projected, we don't know how they will implement most of the programmes contained in the budget document. We know what has necessitated the increase, it is the desire to improve social services, which is a good thing," Mucheleka said. "But how do you fund the budget with 25 per cent borrowing? There is nothing wrong in borrowing if the money is invested in productive sectors but our fear is that this government sometimes borrows without having any ideas on how to spend the money and they have no regard to the budget which they treat as a mere piece of paper."
He advised the government to widen domestic resource mobilisation instead of resorting to borrowing.
"We expected to see measures of broadening the tax base, including the capture of the informal sector and how to maximise revenue collections from the mining sector which engages in tax avoidance," Mucheleka said.
He said Zambia was likely to slide back into the debt trap due to lack of a consistent and transparent debt strategy.
"By his own admission, the finance minister said Zambia's debt stands at US$3.2 billion as at September 30, 2013, and when you add the K10.51 billion which they intend to borrow in 2014, then the debt levels will rise and by the time PF will complete its tenure, we might even exceed the US$7.2 billion debt that was cancelled in 2006," said Mucheleka.
And Bwalya said the government's allocation of money for the constitution making process in the 2014 budget was commendable.
"We are happy that there is a provision for the constitution-making process, although it's clear that the government does seem to favour a referendum to legitimise the entire process as a popular way of adopting the constitution. But the fact that some money, about K44.2 million, has been set aside for the exercise is in itself a good step," he said.
On the PAYE exempt threshold of K3,000, Bwalya said the move would put more money in the few people who were in formal employment.
"Against this background, we urge the government to do more to stimulate the economy,create more meaningful jobs so that more people can feel the impact of this good policy by the PF. Overall, we feel it's a good budget that should be implemented in a pragmatic manner so as to benefit the poor citizens in our nation," he said.
Bwalya noted however, that having a good budget was not enough but what mattered was its effective implementation.
"As the government implements the 2014 budget, it should do so with prudence and financial discipline so that the welfare of our people is uplifted for them to make economic progress," he said.
Bwalya urged the government to stick to the budget next year and avoid unbudgeted for projects and activities at all costs.
"If this is not done, we fear that there will be increased borrowing and we shall even deplete the reserves. We are fearful of that because it's us that will bear the burden of paying back such debts in future," said Bwalya.
Labels: CONSTITUTION, FRANK BWALYA, PATRICK MUCHELEKA
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Allocate sufficient resources to agriculture - Mucheleka
By Kabanda Chulu in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Mon 01 Apr. 2013, 14:00 CAT
GOVERNMENT should move away from rhetoric and demonstrate political will by allocating sufficient resources to the agricultural sector, says Patrick Mucheleka.
Mucheleka, who is attending the 9th CAADP partnership platform meeting as member of the Pan African Parliament's committee on rural economy, agriculture, environment and natural resources, said it was sad to see Zambia lagging behind countries which she taught several things.
"Some countries have made progress in advancing the CAADP agenda and some have even gone beyond the set targets of allocating minimum of 10 per cent budgetary funds and six per cent growth rate but Zambia is still off-track despite signing the compact agreement and national agro-investment plans that can attract huge resources into the sector have not been formulated," Mucheleka said in an interview on Wednesday.
"Government should stop being rhetorical but become practical and demonstrate political will through allocation of sufficient resources so that agriculture can be developed to improve income levels and reduce poverty since it is a sector that absorbs skilled and unskilled labour."
He challenged government to learn how other countries were developing their agricultural sectors and give Zambians a proper policy direction on where they intended to take the industry.
"Zambians want to know the direction agriculture will take through clear policies with set targets, performance indicators and strategies to be used so that people will understand how to benefit from programmes like CAADP and others. What is being done to develop rural areas to attract private sector?" Mucheleka asked.
"…Is it desirable to have 50 per cent of the agriculture budget going to a single crop (maize), which is also not stored properly and neglecting key functions like research and development and extension services? Even the little resources don't reach intended targets because reports of the Auditor General show that agriculture funds are the most abused resources."
He proposed that CAADP agenda should also involve the ministries of finance, commerce and industry and works and supply if it was to be meaningful to Zambians.
"If we have to create jobs for the youths, we need to make agriculture a viable and attractive industry and we need to link producers to markets; and this calls for the involvement of all stakeholders, especially the ministries I have mentioned because roads need to be worked on and also there is need to establish strong linkages between agriculture and manufacturing to enhance value addition to the produce," said Mucheleka.
Labels: AGRICULTURE, PATRICK MUCHELEKA
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Use politics to improve service delivery, says Mucheleka
By Moses Kuwema
Tue 27 Mar. 2012, 12:58 CAT
LUBANSENSHI independent member of parliament Patrick Mucheleka says the country must strive and ensure that it uses politics as a means of enhancing service delivery. In an interview, Mucheleka said contrary to public perception that politics was a dirty game, it could be used to actually serve humanity.
"It is us politicians who are supposed to ensure that when we go into politics, we should use it as an opportunity to serve humanity in different areas based on our capacities as individuals. We must be seen to be adding value and that must be seen in the manner we conduct ourselves," Mucheleka said.
Mucheleka said politics was sometimes deemed dirty because of the way politicians conduct themselves.
"We should use politics to serve. You do not go into politics because you want to benefit. The biggest motivation for all of us should be to go into politics in order to serve humanity. We should add value to politics in the manner we execute our duties depending on the various capacities we serve in," he said.
He said the country must be able to grow in terms of the kind of politics that individuals engaged in.
Mucheleka said much as people may differ in political opinions, they should be able to engage each other in a civil way.
"We have a responsibility as politicians, working with civil society organisations, in educating our people that politics is indeed not a dirty game. We can add value to politics in the manner we carry ourselves," he said.
Mucheleka said politics had been perceived to be a dirty game because some people go into politics for personal reasons.
He said politics could be used as a platform to lobby and advocate for service delivery to the people, especially in a country like Zambia where resources were scarce.
Labels: PATRICK MUCHELEKA, POLITICS
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Nothing exciting about ‘middle income’ tag - Mucheleka
By Bright Mukwasa and Gift Chanda
Fri 15 July 2011, 11:40 CAT
THERE is nothing exciting about the re-classification of Zambia as a middle income country, says Civil Society for Poverty Reduction executive director Patrick Mucheleka.
And International Labour Organisation (ILO) officer-in-charge Jealous Chirove says Zambia still has a long way to go in achieving the 2030 vision especially with the prevailing uneven income distribution patterns despite it being elevated to the middle income status.
But President Rupiah says the decision by the World Bank to reclassify Zambia as a middle income country is the latest in a long line of economic achievements which are directly impacting the people of Zambia.
Commenting on the report by the World Bank, Mucheleka said the re-classification amounts to nothing as poverty levels in rural areas remained high.
“You can celebrate if poverty levels are going down, but what does that mean to people in the villages? We would like the World Bank to tell us by how much has poverty reduced,” Mucheleka said.
“We should be talking about equity distribution of wealth and proper funding of the agriculture, education and health sectors which have been neglected going the levels budgetary allocation.”
He said the government must stop the corruption that had prevailed in the social sectors which were crucial to the reduction of poverty as cited by the Auditor General’s report.
“The money that we are raising from the mines is very little. Is the money from the mines remaining in the country to help us fight poverty? The answer is no. And most of our capital projects are funded by the donors,” he said.
Mucheleka said the announcement by the World Bank was just mere statistics with nothing to show on the ground as far as poverty levels in Zambia were concerned.
And during a high level forum on investment and employment in Zambia held in Lusaka yesterday, Chirove said Zambia still had a challenge to ensure even distribution of income.
Chirove said in spite of the recent “relatively strong economic growth” the country had recorded, poverty levels remained unsustainable high at over 64 per cent.
“...however, we all agree it is still some way to go before we achieve the vision 2030 goal, especially in view of the prevailing distribution patterns,” said Chirove.
In last week’s World Bank annual assessment of poor countries, Zambia was the 27th country to be re-classified since the year 2000 as a middle income country – ahead of Ghana at 28.
The report states that the number of children in primary school has climbed along with literacy rates, and infant mortality has fallen in both in Zambia and Ghana.
“New middle-income countries this year include Ghana and Zambia. Lower middle-income countries are those with per-capita GNI’s of between $1,006 and $3,975 per year. Upper middle-income countries are those with per-capita GNI’s between $3,976 and $12, 275,” the report states.
And in a statement issued by special assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Dickson Jere, President Banda said his government had been working tirelessly to deliver economic prosperity to all Zambians by providing more education and employment opportunities and encouraging international investment in the country.
“This decision is the latest in a long line of economic achievements which are directly impacting the people of Zambia. Our economy is delivering growth of more than seven percent despite continued recession in many parts of the world, thanks to sound government policies, and it is good that this is being recognised again on the world stage,” President Banda said.
“I now want to lock-in the stability that our new status brings; I want all Zambians to start feeling the benefits of better salaries and a better standard of living.”
He said the government was also in the process of establishing multi-facility economic zones and industrial parks to promote the manufacturing sector.
“…Having a stable economy which will yield jobs and increase foreign investment, erode poverty and maintain steady food production and lower prices is critical, and my government will continue to work hard to achieve this on behalf of all the Zambian people,” said President Banda.
Labels: ILO, IMF, MDGs, PATRICK MUCHELEKA, World Bank
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Mucheleka advises govt on borrowing
By Florence Bupe
Fri 25 Mar. 2011, 04:00 CAT
THE Zambian government should ensure that it
builds a strong domestic financial base to avoid excessive borrowing, says Patrick Mucheleka.
In an interview, Mucheleka, who is Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) executive director, said the government risked plunging the country into excessive debt because of its failure to create a strong revenue base at local level.
“Before looking at both internal and external borrowing, government should ensure that a strong financial base is created and one sure way of doing this is by revising the tax regime for the mines,” Mucheleka said. “Government should realise that Zambians won’t just let the issue of the windfall tax go to sleep.”
Mucheleka said it was disheartening that the country’s poverty levels were still high despite the economic growth that had been registered.
He said the positive growth in the economy would remain academic for as long as the grassroots were not benefiting from the trend.
“Government can’t just continue to create incentives for foreign investors. There is need for local investors to receive equal incentives to promote domestic investment as this will have more meaningful solutions for the prevailing poverty levels,” he said.
And Mucheleka has said the government needs to start considering civil society organisations as development partners instead of opponents.
He said it was surprising that the government was clearly uneasy on the existence of some civil society organisations that were fostering improved living standards for ordinary Zambians.
Mucheleka said as a result of its discomfort, the government was trying to enact laws aimed at stifling civil society organisations.
“The government is trying to come up with repressive NGO (non- governmental organisation) regulatory mechanisms to stifle the operations of these organisations. For instance, the NGO Act of 2009 creates a hostile environment for our existence,” Mucheleka said.
Mucheleka also called for the speedy enactment of the decentralisation policy as a means of addressing issues of abuse and misappropriation of funds.
Labels: DEBT, PATRICK MUCHELEKA
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CSPR launches budget execution barometer
By Sututu Katundu
Fri 03 Dec. 2010, 04:00 CAT
A CIVIL society organisation yesterday launched the national budget execution barometer, which seeks to measure the government’s performance in overall implementation of the national document.
Civil Society for Poverty Reduction executive director Patrick Mucheleka said the barometer would respond to the country’s poor performance by rating and tracking the government on service delivery and budget execution in specific critical areas.
Mucheleka said the barometer would also look at how budget allocations affected people’s livelihoods at community and national levels.
“It measures and rates government in terms of timeliness in releasing funds, adequacy, participatory in the bedrock of indicators that are used to calculate the barometer,” Mucheleka said.
The indicators include the citizens’ participation and civic engagement in developing processes which focus on issues of promoting participatory budgeting by linking state obligations with citizen entitlements thus promoting community voices in the decision-making process.
The second theme is pro-poor resource management execution and management which focuses on the prioritisation of resources to key development areas such as health, education, water and sanitation, social protection, agriculture and infrastructure, execution of these resources as well as ring-fencing of pro-poor development allocations.
The third theme is transparency and accountability which focuses on mechanisms being used to ring-fence pro-poor resources, accountability of these resources and the mechanisms used by the local and national government structures to explain and justify its decisions, policies and programmes.
The other indicators focus on basic service delivery and management, equity and human development.
CSPR said the government should place more emphasis on poverty reduction programmes through increased allocations in the national budget to expedite economic production and the rural people’s partcipation.
It said the government needed to conceptualise human development as a series of investments to increase capacity, to promote a more equitable and inclusive society and to catalyse accelerated, broad-based economic growth.
CSPR proposed the scaling up of investment in rural development programmes with priority placed on rural infrastructure development, small scale farmers and micro business.
CSPR advised the government to stimulate equity initiatives within various ministries and improve on priority setting and targeting resources to identified priorities.
The organisation said the government should strengthen public participation in the budgetary process by deliberately creating spaces for civil society participation.
CSPR said fiscal policies also needed to address equitable redistribution of resources and investment in high pay-back areas.
Labels: CSPR, EITI, MINING, PATRICK MUCHELEKA, TRANSPARANCY
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Widening gap between the poor and the rich
By The Post
Mon 29 Nov. 2010, 04:00 CAT
THIS country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless it is a good place for all of us to live in.
Our country is too poor to give all our people great material wealth, but it can give them a sense of equality, of human dignity. The existence of large numbers of hungry and undernourished people in our country constitutes an affront to all of us. A stable, permanent solution must be found to this serious problem.
Hunger, poverty, disease, ignorance, unemployment, lack of opportunity, insecurity, inequality, hopelessness are the terms that could well define living conditions of the great majority of our people. This is an affront to our collective conscience.
And there's a growing gap between the affluent of our society and the great majority of our people who are poor. It is an imperative need of our times to be aware of these realities, because of what a situation affecting the great majority of our people entails in terms of human suffering and the squandering of life and intelligence. What has been said by Patrick Mucheleka, the executive director of Civil Society for Poverty Reduction about the widening gap between the rich and the poor in our country expresses the enormous evident inequalities existing in our country not fully reflected in the overall statistical indicators.
The state of the great majority of our children is frightening. And whatever efforts are made today to protect them, to prevent their death and illness, to provide them with food, housing, medicine, clothing, education, will shape the basic human qualities of the decisive percentage of the future population of our country. And yet, in view of the present trends, what sort of country will we hand over to those children? What sort of life lies ahead for them? What will their quality of life be like?
The uneven income distribution that Mucheleka is talking about indicates the need for deep essential changes in our political and social structures which will guarantee the broad masses of our people's access to the benefits of development policies.
Squalor, disease and lack of health care characterise the dramatic social situation in our country. And as long as health fails to be considered a fundamental right of every citizen and a duty of the community; as long as the responsibility of the state and of society with regard to health care fails to be recognised; as long as inequalities in the distribution of health resources fail to disappear; as long as poverty, hunger, ignorance and squalor fail to be directly fought against, little will be achieved in improving human health for the great majority of our poor people.
And all these things - hunger, poverty, inequality - are first and foremost, political facts. A comprehensive approach is therefore required to fight this situation and to struggle for diminishing and eradicating such inequalities. The solutions to these problems are not solely or even mainly physical but social. It is a question of improving the quality of life, not only fighting the serious shortages in every sphere, but acting on them where the development of our country is concerned, which is not necessarily economic growth. You can't develop a country without developing its people. Development where the great majority of people don't benefit anything cannot be said to be development.
The things Mucheleka is talking about which serve as the basis for the sombre immediate outlook for our country are the most obvious expressions of the injustice and inequality still prevailing and deepening in our country. But they are not necessarily inexorable. We can, if we really want, act to change that increasingly unjust future for one that is bright and equitable.
We can't speak of meaningful democracy in a country where there are terrible inequalities, and where people are not guaranteed even their human condition. Ours is a strange democracy. We have invented a democracy in which the majority - who happen to be poor - don't count for anything, don't even exist politically within society. We speak to them about democracy. In that situation of democracy, their child could die of hunger before the unconcerned glance of the government. Their child could be left without learning to read or write a single letter. We have invented a democracy in which the majority neither govern nor count for anything. They are not taken into account. But we know that meaningful democracy is where the majority governs. Democracy is that form of government in which the majority is taken into account. Democracy is that form of government in which the interest of the majority are defended.
Democracy is that form of government that guarantees to the citizen not just the right to think freely but the right to know how to think. Democracy guarantees to the citizens the right to be taken into account within society.
Looking at things this way, what we have in this country is far from being called democracy. You can't say this is democracy when what matters are the interests of the small clique of people in power, are the interests of a few investors who take care of them, who fund them and contribute to their election campaign budgets.
But we know, and they know, that this country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless it is a good place for all of us to live in. This is a reality underlying the fact that we are all citizens of one country, that we are all passengers on the same vessel - this country in which we all live. But passengers on this vessel are travelling in very different conditions. A trifling minority is travelling in luxurious cabins furnished with all the luxuries one can think of. They enjoy a nutritional, abundant and balanced diet as well as clean water supply, they drink well-purified bottled water. They have access to sophisticated medical care in private clinics, in the fee-paying wings of public hospitals and the state pays for them to be evacuated to Johannesburg's Morningside Clinic. And some now go to India. The overwhelming and suffering majority is travelling in conditions that resemble the slave trade. That is, 70 per cent of the passengers of this vessel are crowded together in its dirty hold, suffering hunger, disease and helplessness.
Obviously, as Mucheleka correctly observed, this vessel is carrying too much injustice to remain stable, to be at peace and afloat, pursuing such an irrational and senseless route. It is our collective duty to take our right place at the helm and ensure that all passengers can travel in conditions of solidarity, equity and justice. In a word, what we are trying to say is that when a system ceases to promote the common good and favours special interests, the interests of the small group of people, we must not only denounce injustice but also break with the evil system. We must be prepared to work with another system that is more just and more suited to the needs of the day. Today they world insistently calls for recognition of man's full dignity and for social equality. All persons of goodwill cannot but go along with this demand, even if it means that they must give up their privileges and their personal fortunes for more equitable distribution in the social community. In this regard, we recall the words of Saints John and Ambrose respectively: "If a man who was rich enough in this world's goods saw one of his brothers in need, but closed his heart to him, how could the love of God be living in him?" (I John 3:17); "The earth belongs to everyone, not just to the rich."
In his homily against greed, St Basil presents this dialogue with a miser: "Share the crop you have harvested with your fellow men, tomorrow it will have rotted. What abominable avarice to let it rot before giving it to the needy!"
"How do I do injury to others," asks the miser, "By not giving them what is mine?"
"What goods belong to you? Where did you get them from? You are like the man at the theatre who wants to keep others from a performance, who wants to derive exclusive enjoyment from a performance that everyone has the right to see. That is how the rich are. They say that they are the rightful owners of goods that belong to all, goods that they have expropriated for themselves simply because they were the first to lay their hands on them. If each person kept only what was necessary for day-to-day needs and gave the rest to the needy, there would be no more poverty or extravagant luxury. The food that you hoard belongs to the hungry. The clothes in your wardrobe belong to the naked. The shoes that are growing old in your house belong to those who have none. The money you have buried belongs to the poor. You are oppressing people whom you could help. It is not your avarice but your unwillingness to share that condemns you."
The poor in our country know from experience that they must count on themselves and their own initiatives more than on the help of their plunderers. To be sure, some affluent people in our country do provide appreciable assistance to our people. But it would be a delusion to wait passively for a change of heart in those who "will not be convinced even if someone should rise from the dead" (Luke 16:31).
It is primarily up to the poor of our country to effect their own betterment. They must regain confidence in themselves. They must educate themselves and overcome their ignorance. They must work zealously to fashion their own destiny. They must open their ears to those who can awaken and shape the conscious awareness of the masses. Changes must be made; present conditions must be improved. It is high time that the poor defended their right to live.
Labels: PATRICK MUCHELEKA, POVERTY
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People’s patience is being overstretched - CSPR
By Moses Kuwema
Mon 29 Nov. 2010, 04:00 CAT
ZAMBIANS will not sit and watch forever as the gap between the poor and the rich widens, says the Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR).
In an interview yesterday, CSPR executive director Patrick Mucheleka said the people’s patience was being overstretched and they could one day rise to free themselves from poverty using unorthodox means if the problems remain unresolved.
“The poor are being confined to perpetual poverty while the gap between the poor and rich keeps on widening. People will come out to say enough is enough. When people are determined to free themselves from the yoke of poverty they can do it without any problems,” Mucheleka said.
“Ultimately supreme power lies with the people so you are better off listening now than later. We might have a situation like the one in Niger Delta Nigeria. We don’t want to get to that situation.”
He said the poor and uninspiring leadership was the cause of these disparities because the current leaders lacked the political will to create opportunities for people.
Mucheleka said leaders were only interested in protecting their personal narrow political interests.
He said the government leaders had never given the country the statistics of poverty reduction levels but they only talked about inflation.
“We are not asking government to give us wealth, but to create an enabling environment. It does not help to be in the comfort zone because when you are surrounded by poor people you will always be scared. Your conscience will never be clear,” Mucheleka said.
And Caritas Kasama coordinator Fr Nicholas Kaliminwa said the national cake was not being shared equally.
Fr Kaliminwa said the imbalance might result in quarrels among the people.
“Government should listen and spend the budget on what has been budgeted for. But if money is not spent for its intended purpose then you have a problem,” Fr Kaliminwa said.
Fr Kaliminwa said leaders should also listen to the chiefs and clergymen because they interacted with the ordinary people in the communities daily.
Labels: CSPR, NEOLIBERALISM, NICHOLAS KALIMINWA, PATRICK MUCHELEKA, POVERTY
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Bumper harvest might go to waste, warns CSPR
By Kabanda Chulu
Sun 31 Oct. 2010, 04:01 CAT
THE Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) has warned that the maize bumper harvest might go to waste due to the government’s lack of focus. And Agriculture Commodities Task Force chairman Max Mulondiwa has challenged the government to
channel some of the resources being spent on the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) to the construction of storage facilities in all large farming blocks.The government has spent over K1.2 trillion on maize crop which resulted in producing 2.8 million metric tonnes of maize, but only 767,000 metric tonnes has so far been purchased by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).
Initially, the government allocated K435 billion for the FISP, which is mainly centred on maize cultivation and K100 billion to the FRA but more recently, a K700 billion loan was acquired to enable the FRA buy more maize.
In an interview, Mucheleka said the agriculture sector required much more than spending trillions of kwacha on a single crop through the FISP that is normally used as a campaign gimmick.
“Investing in agriculture requires addressing structural rigidities such as feeder roads, storage sheds, extension services, rural electrification and irrigation infrastructure and this way we can attract the private sector so that FRA remains with its role of buying national strategic reserves,” Mucheleka said.
“This bumper harvest is good but it will go to waste since rains might fall anytime Tarpaulins have not been delivered in many areas and once the rains start feeder roads will become impassable, so government should understand that agriculture is more than just maize.”
He said many Zambians were finding it difficult to accept the positive economic indicators which do not link to issues obtaining on the ground.
“Government needs to think thoroughly on how to link economic indicators to social sectors because even with the bumper harvest, the livelihoods of farmers have not improved; they are still below the poverty line. For example, the four bags given under FISP covers a hectare to produce (6-7 tonnes) which is transformed into 120 x 50kg bags and when you multiply by K65,000, you get about K7.8 million,” said Mucheleka.
“Thus government should seriously identify high valued crops that should be included in the FISP because forcing farmers to grow maize is not good since on aggregate levels it is not profitable to grow maize especially that it is seasonal and little money is realised despite producing the crop at a higher cost.”
And Mulondiwa said the government should stop relying on food sheds that were built by SIDA many years ago.
“Sometimes government does not want to play its role correctly and it seems this bumper harvest has caught them unaware. The biggest challenge they have is to build big storage sheds in all large farming blocks and not rely on what was left by SIDA,” said Mulondiwa. “Government must improve on storage facilities because it does not make sense to keep on transferring maize from the farming areas to Lusaka.”
Labels: CSPR, FISP, MAIZE, MAX MULONDIWA, PATRICK MUCHELEKA
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COMMENT - The non-payment of taxes by people in the informal sector is NOT the problem. The problem is the non-taxation of $2.5 billion in profits made in the mining sector every year. That is where the money is, and that is also the money that is fleeing the country into foreing bank accounts. At least people in the informal sector spend everything they have in Zambia. Even if it is on imported manufactured goods as well as locally grown food.
CSPR observes govt inertia in implementing taxes
By Kabanda Chulu in Kitwe
Tue 05 Oct. 2010, 04:00 CAT
CIVIL Society for Poverty Reduction
(CSPR) executive director Patrick Mucheleka yesterday observed that the government is reluctant to impose taxes and implement them with the necessary political will to attain revenue targets under its (government’s) fiscal policy.Commenting on
the admission by parliamentary chief whip Vernon Mwaanga that the country’s revenue base has been declining, Mucheleka said there were many ways in which the Zambian government could create revenue other than focusing on the formal sector.
“The latest Central Statistical Office (CSO) Living Conditions Monitoring Survey (LCMS) report states that 83 per cent of Zambians who work in the informal economy, 56 per cent of which is based in the urban areas, pay no taxes at all, and the government is seemingly reluctant to impose taxes and implement them with the requisite political will to attain revenue targets under the Government’s fiscal policy,” he said.
He noted that the administration of VAT had weakened, a development that could largely be attributed to inefficient and incomprehensive ways of VAT collection.
“Many basic measures to ensure maximisation of monies collected through VAT are not adhered to by many commercial entities and there is no notable commitment to enforce them. For example, cash registers; there is still a large section of business going on with no record of sale because of the lack of such simple measures. This affects how much money can be collected by ZRA,” Mucheleka said.
“In addition, Zambia has much potential wealth in the area of gemstone mining, though the sector has remained unregulated. There is need for government to put in place measures that will promote domestic gemstone miners and ensure that reasonable revenue is raised from the mining of gemstones.”
He suggested that the government create more jobs and opportunities through incentives for value addition in all sectors for exportation if it wished to continue collecting revenue from people.
“One of the immediate opportunities will be to create enterprises to add value to agricultural produce. For instance, Zambia can take a leaf from other African countries such as Ghana and South Africa who produce drinks from locally grown fruits such as mangoes and pineapples. Such initiatives can have multiplier effects in Zambia by creating employment in rural areas and adding value to excess produce that will otherwise go to waste. In the current arrangement, there is more incentive to defraud or evade tax,” warned Mucheleka.
On Sunday, Mwaanga addressed a budget sensitisation workshop for parliamentarians in view of this Friday’s proposed budget announcement by finance minister Situmbeko Musokotwane.
Labels: CORRUPTION, CSPR, PATRICK MUCHELEKA, TAXATION, VERNON MWAANGA
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It’s not possible for Zambia to sustain itself without donor support - CSPR
By Moses Kuwema
Sun 05 Sep. 2010, 04:30 CAT
IT is not possible for Zambia to sustain itself without the support of donors especially on poverty reduction programmes because the donors’ contribution to the budget has been on the upswing since 2006, Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) executive director Patrick Mucheleka has observed.
Reacting to President Rupiah Banda’s attacks on donors and Zambians who are demanding an appeal against Lusaka High Court judge Evans Hamaundu’s decision to throw out an application by the state to register the London judgment against former president Fredrick Chiluba, Mucheleka said there was heavy financing from external sources such that if the donors were to pull out, everything would collapse.
“The 2010 budget for instance of 16.7 trillion almost 19 per cent of that is actually funded by the cooperating partners either in form of grants or loans. The bulk of that money is actually what is used for frontline poverty reduction programmes under what is referred to as poverty reduction budget support where the donors through what they call joint assistance strategy for Zambia, put their resources together and the government identifies the sectors where these resources go,” he said.
Mucheleka said most these funds are used in the health sector, agriculture, education and infrastructure development, adding that Zambia would not go anywhere if donors pulled out.
Mucheleka said the government alone does not generate sufficient domestic resources which could be used as a fallback in case the donors were to withhold the funding.
“So you can imagine what would happen if the donors were to say ‘ok fine, because you are asking us to pack our bags and go therefore we are withholding our support', I can assure you everything would collapse.
And even these projects that are being shown around which the government has actually been boasting about by saying your money and your government at work, most of these projects actually have a very strong donor fund involvement such that if today they were to pull out I can assure you it will be a disaster,” Mucheleka said.
“Much as we appreciate and acknowledge the importance of maintaining sovereignty, I don’t think there is anything wrong with the donors or even Zambians trying to ask the government to be held accountable and transparent in the way things are done because if anything, the government should even be concerned that the donors are raising these issues.”
Mucheleka said donors could help the country in the attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which Zambia had ascribed to because only a period of five years was remaining.
Mucheleka said what even made sad reading was that there was evidence through the government itself under the Auditor General’s report on how funds had been either misapplied or misappropriated but nothing had been done to the culprits.
“What people have been saying is that you must be seen to be taking action against all those culprits that have been cited in the Auditor General’s report both on the road sector and the 2008 Auditor General’s report so that you bring back the confidence. People must see you to be taking action and it does not help to be defensive and start deviating people’s attention from addressing real issues. You want to be coming out fuming or questioning whoever has questioned you!
The real issue is, what are you doing to restore the confidence in the system by way of ensuring that anyone who has been cited for misapplication of funds is taken to book? The donors, just like Zambians, are justified and this is what we have been saying as CSPR, we need to have an informed society, which has access to information,” he said.
Mucheleka said threats would not do in addressing the challenges facing the country such as high poverty levels.
He said there were established diplomatic channels that could be used in ironing out any perceived differences that might exist.
“If anything, statesmanship is all about the manner in which you respond to these issues, the way you handle issues.
Even if you say you will send everyone packing, don’t you know that you have your own diplomats serving in the countries where the people you are telling to pack and go come from?” he asked.
Mucheleka advised the government and President Banda to refrain from attacking people that were helping the country.
Labels: CSPR, EVANS HAMAUNDU, PATRICK MUCHELEKA, RUPIAH BANDA
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Civil society lashes out at govt’s insensitivity towards the poor
By Kombe Chimpinde
Thu 05 Aug. 2010, 14:20 CAT
CITIZEN’s Forum executive director Simon Kabanda has charged that government was not serious about the plight of the poor in the country.
Commenting on the recently hiked electricity tariffs on residential and small consumers that was not extended to the mining sector, Kabanda questioned why government would allow its citizens to be subsidizing the huge mining houses.
“We are not happy with the decision by government to exempt the mines from the current tarrif increment when they are the ones who account for the largest part of the energy consumption in the country,” he said.
“We have been told that that the Energy Regulation Board would separately negotiate the Zesco tariff increment with the mines as including them on the current tariffs would mean a breach of the initial agreements entered into with mining firms by government. If that is the case then we demand that Government must equally negotiate with vulnerable Zambians on the tariffs in compounds and markets rather than exempting high class business such as hotels in the name of Foreign Direct Investment.”
And Civil Society for Poverty Reduction executive director Patrick Mucheleka has also charged that government is more interested in protecting the interests of Foreign Direct Investment than the plight of suffering Zambians.
In an interview Mucheleka said he wondered why the government was ‘hell-bent’ on insulating the production costs of the mining firms’operation costs which were being subsidized by the few Zambians in the formal employment sector.
“Its unfortunate that once again we have experienced a Zesco tariff increment minus a corresponding increment of salaries in both the public and service sector,” Mucheleka said. “The situation will be tragic to the economic development because energy is the driver of the economy.”
He said that lack of matching increment on Zambian workers’ disposable income will just lead to increased poverty levels and stressed that instead of leveling tariffs and introducing additional taxes on mines which the country could benefit from, it was sad to see that government had allowed the mining sector to get away with huge profits .
“It appears that this government is hell-bent on protecting FDI (Foreign Direct Investment).Government has allowed the mines to get away with huge profits 80 per cent of which they externalize and on top of it, it government has excluded the mines from having the Zesco tariffs on production increased when it is the average workers that subsidize these mines,” said Mucheleka.
The Energy Regulation Board last month increased the Zesco tariffs by 25.6 on all consumer classes by the country's electricity utility company.
Zesco has clarified that the mines are not part of the increment as stipulated in their business agreements with government.
Labels: CIVIL SOCIETY, PATRICK MUCHELEKA, POVERTY, SIMON KABANDA, ZESCO
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Increase in domestic debt worries CSPR
By Fridah Zinyama CIVIL Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) ha
Wed 30 June 2010, 04:00 CAT
CIVIL Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) has expressed concern at the increase in domestic debt over the past four years. According to a report released by CSPR executive director Patrick Mucheleka, domestic borrowing has been on the increase since 2006.
“In 2006, domestic debt was 0.5 per cent of GDP, while in 2010 it went up to two per cent of GDP,” he said. “Also, as a percentage of revenue, domestic debt is on the increase and the current projections are at 8.9 per cent of the country’s total revenue.”
Mucheleka said the increase in domestic debt was of concern because of ripple effects it had on the economy in general.
“The fiscal management, interest rates and treasury bills are all going towards debt servicing,” he said. “This means that resources meant for social services to the poor and needy are diverted to servicing debt.”
Mucheleka encouraged the private sector to push government to honour her debt obligations and unite to discourage borrowing for consumption.
And African Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD) executive director Collins Magalasi said since the global economic crisis, concessional lending and balance of payments had reduced.
He further observed that there had been a sharp decline in commodity prices whilst demand for government expenditure had increased, putting government under pressure.
“Government is forced to look to domestic resources for finances as it is accessible, cheaper, easier, and government has one hundred per cent control with no pressure to honour its debt obligations,” he added.
Magalasi urged the government to ensure debt sustainability, adding that some governments had gone down because of debt.
Meanwhile, CUTS-International acting centre coordinator Patrick Chengo has said there is need for Zambia to seriously take some of the Aid for Trade initiatives to those that aim at bringing a positive dimension in the way the country trades.
In a press statement, Chengo observed with dismay that the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) in Zambia was dying out after the organisation’s efforts to bring the issues to the fore of both government and the public sector.
“It is saddening to learn about the non-existence of the National Implementation Unit (NIU) in the Ministry of Commerce Trade and Industry... 2009 was a good and positive year for the EIF in Zambia, as CUTS and the then existing NIU personnel had a vigorous capacity building campaign through a CUTS project dabbed EIF for Poverty Reduction funded by the Finnish Embassy. Nevertheless, CSOs will always be there to compliment on government positive efforts but there will always be a limit,” Chengo stated.
Chengo added that through the work of the NIU, CUTS-International expects Zambia to increase donor support for its trade development agenda and formulation of a National Trade and Export Development.
“This strategy will ultimately result in securing more funds for financing pro-poor activities and growth strategy targeting the areas identified as conducive to poverty reduction,” stated Chengo. “Therefore, realising it's non-operational, Zambia stands to lose out.”
And CUTS executive board member Ambassador Love Mtesa stated that trade could be a very useful tool in poverty reduction; hence the need for the government to ensure that institutional structures were in place in order to reap benefits from available aid.
Ambassador Mtesa further appealed to the Zambian government through the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry to help ensure that the NIU was strengthened and in full operation without delay so that Zambia could quickly access different kinds of support from the EIF and Aid for Trade.
Labels: CSPR, DOMESTIC DEBT, PATRICK CHENGO, PATRICK MUCHELEKA
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EPAs threaten diversification – CSPR
By Kasapo Chibwe
Tue 18 May 2010, 07:20 CAT
CIVIL Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) executive director Patrick Mucheleka says the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) threaten the diversification of Zambia’s economy from mining to other sectors including agriculture, as the country will not be able to compete evenly with the European Union (EU) products.
Mucheleka yesterday said Zambia mainly relies on the export of minerals, therefore its diversification efforts especially in the agricultural sector stand threatened by the EPAs.
“The implication of the EPAs especially on agriculture which remains the major activity of the people is that our farmers cannot evenly compete with the farmers from the EU who are heavily subsidised,” he said.
Mucheleka explained that on average, the EU spends over 365 billion Euros per year on farm subsidies under the EU Common Agricultural Policy.
He further explained that in the case of Zambia, where there was no form of major support to make them more competitive, the situation created was a clear elimination of Zambian farmers from being beneficiaries in any meaningful way and this would only go towards the perpetuation of high levels of poverty.
Mucheleka said that the nature of the EPAs in the current form did not complement Zambia’s effort to achieve the Millennium Development Goal targets and instead pushes the MDGs further than can be imagined.
“Efforts of developing countries through national development plans and commitment to international responsibilities like the attainment of MDGs show a great degree of willingness on the part of Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Countries (ACPs) to develop and alleviate poverty by 2015,” said Mucheleka.
He said ideas like the EPAs were being sold as developmental tools and sound to be catalysts of development while in practice they promoted commercial interests of the EU to the detriment of national development and poverty reduction.
“The EPAs, which are seen as instrument for development, appear to have contradicted with the 8th MDG which is to achieve global partnership for development and one of its targets is to develop further an open trading system that is rule based, predictable and non-discriminatory and this includes a commitment to, development and poverty reduction nationally,” he said.
Mucheleka explained that the ACP countries’ interest on the EPAs was premised on the understanding that they should be viewed and seen to contribute to the reduction of and eventual eradication of poverty through the establishment of a trade partnership consistent with the objective of sustainable development, the MDGs and Cotonou agreement.
"The current EPAs are based on the principles of reciprocity as opposed to the non-reciprocal preferences which implies that all countries should reduce import duties and other trade restraints in return for comparable trade concessions from another country,” Mucheleka explained.
Labels: CSPR, EPAs, NEOCOLONIALISM, PATRICK MUCHELEKA, POVERTY
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COMMENT - Maxwell Mwale is a fool. So what if taxation 'will scare away investors'? They are not paying taxes, they are not paying dividends to their own shareholders or ZCCM-IH. The only Zambians who benefit from this rip-off are the corrupt politicians in the MMD who are being paid bribes by the mining companies for the right to STEAL the resources of the Zambian people. And the mining companies are even more corrupt. They know what they are doing, and they know how many people die because they are stealing their medications, and how many children they are robbing of a future - and they don't care. As long as they can make more profits for themselves. They may even enjoy destroying Zambia. They shouldn't even be allowed to flee the country, they should be rotting in a dungeon somewhere.
CSPR advises Rupiah to re-instate windfall taxes
By Kabanda Chulu in Kitwe
Sun 02 May 2010, 03:30 CAT
NKANA Patriotic Front (PF) parliamentarian Mwenya Musenge has accused the MMD government of committing itself to a lot of “rubbish” on issues relating to the mining sector resulting in Zambians not benefiting from the mineral resources.
And Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) executive director Patrick Mucheleka has advised President Rupiah Banda to swallow his pride and
re-introduce the windfall mining taxes that can be used in economic diversification.
Commenting on the current copper prices of US $7,600 per metric tonne, Musenge said people would only benefit from the mineral resources through a change of government.
“President Banda’s administration is not passionate about the wellbeing of Zambians and they are not committed to implement the laws that we make as MPs since this government has committed itself to a lot of rubbish on matters relating to the mining industry,” Musenge said.
“Imagine they are failing to implement section 136 of the mines and minerals Act which outlines sharing mechanisms of mineral royalties between central government and local authorities where mines are located and so far the MMD government has collected over K400 billion from 2008 but this money has not been disbursed to respective councils and only a change of government will allow Zambians to benefit.”
He said opposition members of parliament moved a motion in Parliament to urge the government to start implementing section 136 of the mines and minerals Act but MMD parliamentarians refused to support it, claiming they were not consulted.
“The MMD is stealing these funds meant for the councils and President Banda will be answerable and personally I did not support the removal of windfall taxes and I am not part of that collective responsibility because as MPs we should be making laws that suit the wishes of the people and not what is happening,” said Musenge.
And Mucheleka said it was not too late for the MMD government to re-introduce the windfall taxes.
“Government should be seen to be collecting more revenue from the mines and as civil society we are calling for the restoration of the windfall taxes so that these funds can help in the economic diversification process and President Banda should swallow his pride and re introduce these taxes,” said Mucheleka.
But mines minister Maxwell Mwale said the government would not re-introduce the windfall taxes because it would scare away investment in the sector.
“Zambia is not the only destination for investment and such laws will scare away investors who will take their money to other countries,” said Mwale.
Labels: CSPR, MWENYA MUSENGE, PATRICK MUCHELEKA, RUPIAH BANDA, WINDFALL TAX
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‘Good economic gains’ not being felt in rural areas – Mucheleka
By Fridah Zinyama
Mon 12 Apr. 2010, 04:00 CAT
CIVIL Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) executive director Patrick Mucheleka has said the good economic gains that the government has been talking about should correspond with a reduction in poverty in rural areas.
Zambia last year ended the year with a single digit inflation rate of 9.3 per cent and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 6.3 per cent, a situation which was highly unexpected especially as the country was recovering from the global financial crisis.
The government is optimistic that the country will continue on this good economic path, especially as next year is an election year.
But even as government cites these positive achievements occurring in the economy, stakeholders have questioned whether ordinary Zambians in rural areas have benefited from all these macro-economic gains.
In an interview yesterday, Mucheleka said even though the country could boost of positive economic growth, there were no corresponding effects on the ground where ordinary Zambians are found.
“These good economic gains are not being felt especially in rural areas where hard core poverty is prominent,” he said.
Mucheleka challenged the government to dispute this fact and provide information which would indicate that people in rural areas were benefitting from the 'so-called' positive economic gains.
“Even government in the Fifth National Development Plan review admitted that they have not tackled the issue of poverty in rural areas,” he said.
Mucheleka said there has been no political will on the part of the government to ensure that conditions in rural areas were improved.
“Priority areas which can help to address poverty levels like agriculture have not continued to receive adequate resources to improve production,” he said.
“Infrastructure in these areas has continued to be poor and affects the transportation of the little crops that are produced in these areas to proper markets.”
Mucheleka said the health sector in rural areas had continued to be deplorable, with people having to walk long distances to get medical care.
“Even when they access these health centres, there is no medical personnel to attend to them and no medicines to be given to the sick,” he said.
Mucheleka said education standards in rural areas had continued to go down, with no enough teachers and teaching tools for pupils.
“Resources from the mining sector are not being directed to some of the challenged sectors like health and education,” he said, adding that all this was adding to the worsening situation of poverty in rural areas.
Mucheleka said whenever anyone talked about positive economic growth, it should correspond with the most vulnerable in society.
“It should address issues of whether the livelihood of the people in rural areas has been adequately improved,” said Mucheleka.
Labels: CSPR, FDI, NEOLIBERALISM, PATRICK MUCHELEKA
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CSPR disputes poverty reduction statistics
By By Margaret Mtonga
Wed 06 Jan. 2010, 14:50 CAT
Low funding has negatively affected most of the targets for the Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP) in the year ending 2009, Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) executive director Patrick Mucheleka has said.
And Mucheleka said the recently released Central Statistics Office monthly (CSO) bulletin that poverty levels had reduced in the country was not the true picture on the ground. In an interview, Mucheleka said that that prioritization of resource allocation by government has not been given its due attention.
“Almost all government funded FNDP programmes have seriously suffered from poor funding. In addition, such funding is disbursed late making the realization of current and future work programmes very difficult,” he said.
Mucheleka said other than poor funding, weak institutional capacity and in some cases, unqualified human resource were the major factors leading to weak institutional capacity. He said where qualified staff exist, their performance has tended to be sub-optimal, due to low morale resulting from poor incentives.
“Weak administrative capacity is essentially at all levels, national, provincial, district and sub-district. One offshoot of the weak administrative capacity is poor monitoring, evaluation and coordination of the FNDP interventions. Consequently, this has been a recipe for duplication and inefficient resource utilization,” he said.
Mucheleka also said there was a widespread fragmentation of the FNDP efforts and projects due to inadequate government leadership.
“The absence of an effective monitoring and evaluation in the various sectors is one of the greatest yawning gaps facing FNDP interventions in Zambia. An effective monitoring and evaluation system needs to be established in all sectors among other things to ensure development and promotion of appropriate and quality indicators for impact assessment of FNDP interventions,” Mucheleka said.
Meanwhile CSPR said that the current release by the Central Statistics office (CSO) that poverty levels had reduced was not the true picture on the ground.
“It does not make sense to say that the poverty levels have reduced in the country and yet Zambians were wallowing in abject poverty,” he said.
Mucheleka said these statistics they revealed were levels that are carried out from revised methodologies of measuring poverty according to the international standards.
Labels: CSPR, FNDP, PATRICK MUCHELEKA, POVERTY
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Mucheleka urges more funding to agriculture
Written by Kabanda Chulu
Friday, October 02, 2009 8:34:57 AM
CIVIL Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) executive director Patrick Mucheleka has advised the government to match its rhetoric on agriculture potential with political will through increased budgetary allocation.
And economic analyst Chibamba Kanyama has urged finance minister Situmbeko Musokotwane to announce a budget that will
ignore immediate short term needs of government administrative structures but should address
investments, social sectors and capital projects such as road networks.
According to the 2010 to 2012 green paper (budget estimates expenditure), government has proposed to reduce allocations to the Ministry of Agriculture from K919.3 billion in 2009 to K708.6 billion in 2010 while Ministry of Health would get K1.262 trillion from the 2009 allocation of K1.333 trillion.
On the other hand, the government is projecting to give the Ministry of Defence K1.334 trillion from the 2009 figure of K 1.067 trillion and the Zambia Police under the Ministry of Home Affairs would get K535.8 billion compared with the 2009 figure of K446.3 billion.
Government is also projecting to give the Zambia Security Intelligence Services under the Office of the President K227.2 billion compared with K213.1 billion that was allocated in 2009.
But Mucheleka, in an interview yesterday, said the government should match its words with actions by realigning poverty issues with economic growth.
“You cannot reduce poverty by leaving out the majority poor and agriculture is the only sector that can help alleviate poverty and the major intervention we see is through fertiliser support but without addressing structural rigidities that should move side by side with agriculture development, the FSP does not work and farmers fail to graduate,” said Mucheleka.
“So why should government continue talking about agriculture potential which is not matched with political will through budgetary allocations? And this is against the Maputo declaration which Zambia signed to be allocating 10 per cent of its budget to agriculture.”
And Kanyama said the National Budget was not only about fiscal and monetary policy but should create opportunities for business and household prosperity.
“Unfortunately, for many years now, the national budget, on account of its size and expenditure priorities, has not performed to the expectation of many people. Many are disillusioned when seemingly pro-investment, pro-worker and pro-poor budgets are announced but with little impact,” said Kanyama.
“Government priorities do not yet appear to be in line with realities on the ground. For the 2010 budget, we expect Dr. Musokotwane to announce a budget that ignores the immediate short term needs of government administrative structures by allocating huge resources that go towards important social investments primarily in education and capital projects such as road networks.”
On October 9, 2009, Dr Musokotwane is expected to present an expected K15.12 trillion 2010 budget, (about 21 per cent of total GDP), as compared to the 2009 figure of K13.41 trillion. Government is making projections to have a total revenue of K12.25 trillion while gross domestic product (GDP) is projected at K70.82 trillion.
Labels: BUDGET, CHIBAMBA KANYAMA, CSPR, PATRICK MUCHELEKA, SITUMBEKO MUSOKOTWANE
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