Quarterly Bulletin

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Dear Readers,

As we come to the end of the year, the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR), in reviewing our programmes and activities, reflects on the context in which we have been working, especially the economic, social and political situations. Some of these conditions have been promising and others not so promising.

Economically, we began 2007 with some cross-section of society describing the National Budget as being “for the people”. This budget, too, promised quite a number of things, including increasing of mineral royalty tax from the current 0.6 percent to the standard 3 percent. Copper prices have remained steadily high on the international market and more investments continued to come especially in the mining sector. Inflation rate has largely been in the single digit (the lowest rate in three decades). External debt at the beginning of the year was reduced after reaching the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) completion point. But again the country might get back to another “debt trap” if the loan contraction process is not squarely addressed. In particular, the supreme law of the land, the Constitution, should guarantee Parliamentary oversight in loan contraction process. And subsequent national legislation, such as the one governing administration of public funds, should be amended accordingly. The Zambian Kwacha, after its “dizzying rally” in previous years, settled to a much more economically realistic level around K3,800 to the US dollar. Quite some remarkable economic performance!

Politically, the fight against corruption through court cases resulted only in a few convictions this year. In recent months, there have been public revelations of alleged corrupt practices concerning some high government officials working in government institutions charged with responsibility of dealing with corruption. However, such revelations, including earlier pronouncements that civil servants had stolen K36billion and the 2006 Auditor General’s Report, demonstrated some clear signs that government might be loosing the battle against corruption. The demand for a comprehensively reviewed Zambian Constitution still faces a lot of hiccups including stakeholders’ critique about the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) Act: exclusive in its proposed composition, unlimited powers of the President regarding dissolution of the NCC, “piece-meal” amendments to the 1996 Constitution as opposed to New Constitution (review of the whole Constitution including the Bill of Rights), etc. Moreover, the establishment of national structures like the National Governing Council to oversee the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) strangely failed to “take off” despite government’s assurances that it was a budgeted activity. The Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) Bill, intended to regulate civil society group activities was withdrawn from Parliament to allow for further consultations, but it is still a very controversial issue.

Socially, living conditions of many Zambians have not improved. An abysmal situation persists! This is despite the fact that government pledged to improve the conditions of all those below the poverty line through its commitment to “equity” after the 2006 impressive economic performance. Causalisation of labour is still the order of the day even among government parastatals and private sector, especially among the most protected investors. The “working poor’s” take home pay (monthly wages) is still very low compared to the monthly JCTR Basic Needs Basket. At this point, one tends to wonder what the meaning of “equity” is when only a few Zambians seem to be benefiting from the “national cake”. Arguably, real equity should have seen many Zambians having access to proper health care as opposed to some people diagnosing themselves and buying drugs from “makeshift” drugstores (tutembas). Real equity should have seen more Zambian children having access to text books, unlike a situation where they have to share one text book between two or more pupils.

JCTR, like every concerned Zambian, hopes that 2008 will not be a year full of “good promises” (wishful list?) and a year characterised by more revelations of corrupt practices due to misappropriation, mismanagement and misapplication of public funds. These practices deny many Zambians, especially the poor, a life worthy human dignity. We wish you a happy and fruitful 2008!

Simson Mwale
Editor