Africa-Press – Zambia. Economist and former Economic Association of Zambia (EAZ) president Dr. Lubinda Haabazoka has issued a bold call for Zambia to enact legislation limiting donor funding tied to external conditions, warning that continued reliance on foreign aid undermines the country’s sovereignty and self-development.
In a strongly worded statement titled “Reclaiming Our Sovereignty and Resources: A Call for Self-Reliance,” Dr. Haabazoka emphasized that while the fight against corruption must remain a national priority, the larger issue is Zambia’s overexposure to conditional aid and exploitation of its mineral wealth by foreign investors.
“We are constantly paraded as thieves over amounts of money that are equivalent to the value of one tipper of sugilite,” he said. “Yet we welcome foreign investors with open arms, allowing them to extract our resources and return with crumbs that come with strings attached.”
Haabazoka argued that Zambia’s development must be anchored in its own resources, warning that foreign direct investment (FDI) without strict value-retention policies only deepens dependency and underdevelopment. “In countries like China and Russia, you cannot just donate without approval. Here, we have become too comfortable receiving without questioning,” he said.
He referred to this phenomenon as the “donor curse,” a concept likened to the well-known “resource curse” in economics, where abundant natural wealth paradoxically fuels poverty and corruption. “Donor dependency stifles local innovation and independent thinking. It has created a dangerous comfort zone that weakens our national resilience,” he explained.
Dr. Haabazoka further called the ongoing decline in donor support a “blessing in disguise,” saying it offers Zambia a unique chance to reset its economic compass. “Now is the time for drastic measures. We must begin to fully account for our natural and human resources. Aid has never been a key variable in any of the national development models I’ve created,” he stated.
The economist noted that many African countries, including Zambia, have sufficient untapped potential to drive their own growth if the right policies are implemented and enforced. “We must wake up and embark on a painful but rewarding journey of self-driven development. Just as our anthem says, we must be strong and free not perpetually beholden to donors.”
Dr. Haabazoka was careful to separate his argument from any defense of mismanagement, stating unequivocally that corruption remains one of Zambia’s most pressing threats. “Corruption must be dealt with decisively. Those who steal from the public must face the harshest penalties possible because corruption is the enemy of progress,” he affirmed.
As Zambia faces mounting scrutiny over the misuse of aid including the recent withdrawal of $50 million in annual U.S. health assistance Dr. Haabazoka’s remarks come as a timely provocation, urging policymakers to rethink the nation’s financial and development trajectory.
“Twasebana pafula we have been embarrassed too much,” he said. “It is time to reclaim our dignity and build a nation that stands on its own.”
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