AFTER THE POLITICS NOW THE ECONOMICS The politics are over its time for the economics; the real stuff that affects you and me and our families on a daily basis. Things that make life better and we smile or give us sleepless nights and nightmares. Jobs, medicines in clinics, decent and affordable housing with flush toilets and electricity instead of shacks and pit latrines, increasing school and university fees, drop out from school by poor children, quality of education, high interest compounded on salaried loans and kaloba loans from microfinance institutions leaving thousands of workers and small businesses in a debt trap, garbage mountains, increasing foreign debt which will consume tax revenues in repayments and increase taxes. But also economic issues that affect all of us. The exchange rate, mining taxes, oil procurement, declining foreign investment flows, corruption in government construction contracts, access of Zambian produce in South African chain stores, maize marketing and subsidies, irrigation and export crop diversification, tax regime and local manufacturing... The question; what will Zambia be in 2050 and what are the plans to realize that? Shall we still have shanty compounds, will the mud hut still be there? Shall we still have trees and animals? Will Zambia still depend on aid? These are the reasons we voted or are they not? If not these, why did you vote for a candidate? Clearly Zambia is divided on this. One half wants Edgar who promised to continue with PF economic policies which are so apparent on all of these issues, supposedly because its working for them, otherwise they would not have voted for him, or would they still have regardless of the policies not benefiting them? The other half wants Hakainde to change course supposedly because the current economic policies on these issues are not working for them, and favour HHs new ideas and approaches. My take is the future will tell the story and its there for us to see. The people in my home town Mwinilunga voted unprecedented 19,000 for HH and 800 for Edgar. Do they have a crystal ball? Congratulations to the people of this great country for keeping the ideals of democracy, making the choices you made and keeping the peace. Dr Guy Scott, the President of Zambia through this 90 days comes out as my best president ever in Zambia. The Oxford trained economist has raised the curtain so high. He will look at this period with pride. He deserves a holiday! Thanks Guy. Back to economics.
Posted on: Sat, 24 Jan 2015 13:30:33 +0000
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