What do Zambians own, peace, chicken runs?

Engineer Mabvuto Jay Mumba

We can change as many governments as we want but if we fail on the fundamentals then we are not going to achieve anything no matter The Saint at Plot One. The problem we have far extends beyond leadership. The good part is everyone knows the problem; sad part is no one wants to do anything about it.

We might deride our brothers in Zimbabwe but they own a hell lot more than us by far, the land if their biggest asset, our prime land is owned by whites who came from Zimbabwe and they came while we were there watching. We are still watching.

Because they own the land, Zimbabweans own the mines. There is more gold coming from small scale black Zimbabweans gold miners than from the big companies.

Let me put it this way, every time you buy Baby Soft Tissue, or Huggies diapers or Kotex, you are literally enriching South Africans through Kimberly Clark, the manufacturer. Now let’s say Baby Soft toilet paper costs an average K150 per pack and is widely distributed in Zambia. Imagine the volumes, imagine the money we externalise.

To bring it to a broader perspective, Baby Soft Tissue is not the only product that is imported but just about every item in the aisles of Shoprite, Pick n Pay Game Stores (All foreign Hypermarkets). That’s not even half the problem; the existing manufacturing base in Zambia is largely foreign owned and controlled. Parmalat (Lactalis) is owned by the Besnier family and based in Laval, Mayenne, France, Zambia Sugar owned by Illovo Sugar a subsidiary of Associated British Foods plc, ABF, Zambian Breweries Plc, owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev, controlled by Belgian families and Brazilian investors, National Milling owned by Seaboards and Overseas Trading group, Lafarge Cement (Now Chilanga Cement) owned by Huaxin (Hainan) Investment Co. Limited, National Breweries owned by Delta Beverages of Zimbabwe. Let’s not even talk about the mines or the banks, airlines.

What do Zambians own? Peace? Chicken runs? While we fight for FISP, the biggest farms in Zambia and food processing industries are owned largely by Zambian “white farmers.” Talk of Francis Grogan and Carl Irwin or the Miller family.

The development of this country hinges on manufacturing. Manufacturing that is anchored on indigenous Zambians.

We must rethink the so-called empowerment funds. We need to internalise all the money.

My former Reactor Engineering, CE 520 Lecturer at Copperbelt University, CBU Professor Nkonde, God rest his soul, argued that it was utter pointless to construct the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium and call it national development because. — Times of Zambia