Africa-Press – Zambia. Mr Hakainde Hichilema should make time and effort to read widely and, where possible, do some research. His lack of understanding of important matters worries us greatly. Since when was Zambia a socialist state? We have never really veered away from capitalism since we were colonised in the late 1800s. Even under the honest and relatively progressive rule of Dr Kenneth Kaunda and UNIP, we were still under capitalism – with some elements of “state capitalism”.
Mr Hichilema should know that Zambia has never experienced anything else other than capitalism. UNIP implemented socialist-inspired principles. The creation of free education, infrastructure development, creation of state-owned enterprises that employed many, some of which still exist today, are as a result of having a human face towards national economic development, which in itself is socialism. Most leaders today, who are a product of free education and other socially oriented programmes, want to ridicule a system that moved them from poverty. They want to support imperialist policies that benefit only a few foreign interests.
If Mr Hichilema took some time to read, he would know that socialism is about a better life for all our people anchored on equity, solidarity, humility, and honesty. And socialism has shown how poor nations can get out of poverty. Look at the achievements of Cuba, a country fought against and blockaded for more than 63 years.
Without the minerals that Zambia has, Cuba had a GDP of around 107.35 billion US dollars in 2020. GDP is an important indicator of a country’s economic power.
GDP in Zambia was expected to reach 24 billion US dollars by the end of 2021. In the long-term, Zambia’s GDP, which has been pursuing unbridled neoliberal capitalist policies for more than 30 years, is projected to trend around 27 billion US dollars next year, according to some econometric models.
India’s socialist state of Kerala is leading in many economic and social indicators and scientific achievements. Whatever the attempts might be to credit China’s achievements to capitalism, it is a great socialist state pursuing socialism with Chinese characteristics. And this what its leaders say. They attribute their economic successes to socialism. We also have the successes of Vietnam.
The ignorant attempt to smear socialism and socialists to hide their greed and corruption and their quest to become billionaires won’t do. No matter what they say or do, socialism will one day triumph in our homeland. Capitalism has failed our people for centuries. Let them show us where capitalism has succeeded in Africa.
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