Government has refuted World Food Programme (WFP) statistics suggesting that one in three people in Africa goes to bed without food everyday.
Speaking in an interview in Ndola today, Community Development and Social Services Permanent Secretary Davison Chilipamushi said this assertion does not apply to Zambia.
Mr. Chilipamushi said although the poverty levels are high in Zambia, the statistics given by the WFP country representatives recently were exaggerated and did not apply to Zambia.
He said government has meanwhile put in place programmes aimed at reducing poverty levels such as the Food Support Programme and the Fertilizer Support Programme among several others to mitigate the hunger situation in the country.
He said as such, the given statistics can not be true.
He however called on donors to join and assist the country in programmes aimed at reducing poverty and ensuring national food security.
Mr. Chilipamushi noted that government alone can not manage to run the food and fertilizer support programmes due to limited resources.
He further pleaded with the donors not to withhold their aid to Zambia following the recent revelations about misappropriation of huge sums of money in the Ministry of Health.
He pointed out that government was also disappointed to learn that funds meant for the poor were being misappropriated by people that are already well to do.
The Permanent Secretary observed that if donors suspend their aid to Zambia, innocent people will be punished and would suffer even more.
He however said there was need to strengthen the financial management system in government to curb future misappropriation of public funds.
Yesterday, World Food Programme Country Representative Pablo Recarde said one in three people in Africa go to bed without food everyday.
ZANIS
Then what???
Mr Chilipamushi, your statement is wrong… go to the villages and see for yourself….
It is not an assertion if anything the permanent secretaries words are the ones that seem to be an assertion. The WFP does extensive research in rural area’s that this permanent secretary has never ever even set foot in. He is probably refuting this because most of the people in urban area’s look as though banadyaka pompi natuma pot belly vumo’s and he has never seen people starving.If you just go some miles out of lusaka you will find some serious njala where two meals a day is the norm. It’s shameful how he is asking for donor funds as if thats probably where his bread and butter come from.
Chilipamushi is thinking in terms of Kapoko standards. Get real. That’s just the problem, you never take time to see what is really going on in communities.
Begging with one hand and voiding/spitting on the other hand. Mr Chilipamushi, stop double standards… people in villages still have one meal per day and some survive on Mangoes..
Mr sir as the bloggers above have correctly stated , what was the effect of the floods ? Do not deny the fact that there is hunger in the Republic of Corruption/Zambia . Help our people who thrive on wild fruits ,not to mention the ratios for the prisoners..
If i may ask why is it that any research conducted by anyone other than a Zambian is taken as the real representation of the country. Even in the west governments do not always agree with finding by ie WHO, IMF and so on not so long ago statistics on GDP on a number of countries by the IMF was desputed there is nothing wrong in that. Wht i would suggest is that he decides to send people or instructed departments to verify this but do not crosify him for desagreing . I would actualy like a true picture on the ground from zambiaz because findings such as this are what mkes us dependant on aid it is these reports that detaimine aid to developing country.
Chilipamushi’s claim that WPF’s statistics are exaggerated may be so, but if he is going to refute these claims by providing information about what the government is doing in the country then his argument is extremely weak because he has not provided any statistical evidence to show the results of the government programs that would counter WPF’s claims. In fact, I personally do not even understand why he had to give this argument because the findings in question are averaged across an entire continent (made up of 53 countries) and are not necessarily applicable to every country. So while it may be true that the findings do not apply to Zambia, he could have provided statictics to let WPF know what % of people go to bed hungry in Zambia.
Not just in the villages,from the city the man is talking from.there are people that have no food at all.What qualifications does he have to refute the statistics given by the WFP?
Cheap politricks and donno whom he wnato please-
Its a sad situation when our leaders in Zambia want to defend the ruling party all in the name of keeping a job. I happened to work for WFP and its only when they send you into remote areas when you realize how bad things are in Zed. So if you have nothing to say Mr Chilipamushi then just shut your trap!
What quantitative data has Chilipamushi collected in relation with poverty and people going without food? It is like saying there is no correlation between drunk driving and road accidents just because you arrived home safely. This kind of talk is reckless and does not represent the truth about what is happening in Zambia. Ask this imbecile when he last visited misisi, howard or kapoto compound. In fact this kind of talk has really made Zambia to miss out on the international arena. People in the villages are suffering, some in Gwembe Valley are eating wild roots to survive but this guys assertion of daily life is the crooks he meets with at Cabinet Office, State House`and MoH. What kind of craziness is that? It is sad Zambia has such people in offices. Heartless.
I always know davie to be serious with what he does and says. But on this one i guess he is wrong alot of people are in poverty and the statistics are even lower than what is obtaining. Thats what happens when african government sink so low depending on aid. If it was a western country told there stats alot of talking was going to go through
to the donor community u are wrong says this guy, but please send us more money to stop poverty, even the donors wonder how serious we are, we are not starving but we need aid…. Zambia shall be saved…. such a mockery
CIA #7 why is Zambia called a third world country , not a first world country? when we admit our insufficiency then we can take remedial measures.
#12, you surely deserve a blessing,thanx for yo simple and straightforward oservation. You see some of the people in GRZ are so ignorant that they fall short to read between the lines. Chilipamushi, ha haha ah ha learning to become left handed in old age. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!d!!!!!!!!!ot
WFP statistics indicate that one in three people in Africa goes to bed without food everyday. My understanding is very much different from the dishonorable Permanent Secretary why? (1). WFP statistics underscore the prevailing situ in Africa and not in Chilipamushi’s home infiltrated with plundered stocks and stocks of food. (2) If these statistics do not reflect the situation in Zambia, then Sir Mr. Chilipamushi close your hole and never ever vibrate about donor aid towards poverty alleviation Period
Understanding Poverty, What is poverty?
Poverty is hunger. Poverty is lack of shelter. Poverty is being sick and not being able to see a doctor. Poverty is not having access to school and not knowing how to read. Poverty is not having a job, is fear for the future, living one day at a time. Poverty is losing a child to illness brought about by unclean water. Poverty is powerlessness, lack of representation and freedom.Poverty has many faces, changing from place to place and across time, and has been described in many ways (for a collection of readings, Most often, poverty is a situation people want to escape. So poverty is a call to action — for the poor and the wealthy alike — a call to change the world so that many more may have enough eat, adequate shelter, So get your facts correct.
The Jackal #16, I wish senior citizen and FME can read what you posted . These two ignorance chaps ,needs to understand what poverty is . Mean while exploitation bleeds danger .
What kind of research has the govt conducted to back up their dispute of these findings?
Folks, the PS may be yapping, but these so called “world bodies” are the worst offenders on this count, especially when it comes to reporting on Africa. Not too long ago some UN agency (forgot which one it was) ,working on HIV/AIDS issues around the world, were found to be exaggerating the statistical evidence concerning the prevalence of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa, in order to bolster their case for more funding from Western governments. So, let us not be quick in castigating the PS on this. Incentives for these World Bodies to engage in a little bit of fear mangling and exaggeration do exist.
continued from #18
Since these are statistics on “Africa”, I imagine they are averages that include countries such as the DRC, Somalia, Zimbabwe, etc—countries that are, at the moment, in shambles economically, hence giving a distorted picture of all countries in Africa!!! Can you imagine the WFP issuing such a report about Europe just because some European countries (Hungary, Poland, etc) are starving?! And yet they always find it convenient and acceptable to paint Africa with a broad brush despite its diversity in culture, economic struggles, political stability or lack there of, extra–and you wonder why some people here in the West, especially among the less…
continued from #19
traveled, think that Africa is a Country and not a continent. At that, one of the largest continents on earth; with 50 or so individual countries, each with its own struggles and triumphs. It is about time these agencies stopped treating Africa as though it is a single country. Shame on them if they are too lazy to produce a report that breaks things country by country!!!
continued from #20
It is unfortunate that “AID ADVOCACY” has become an industry. And like any other industry; they need raw material or product for them to justify their existence, and Africa’s reputation is simply a casualty of that. What is so sad about it is that they don’t seem to even care about the cost that this kind of none stop negative portrayal does to Africa, both in terms of economics and psychological well-being of Africans.
continued from #21
You rarely see such reports about Western countries despite the levels of poverty and hunger (relatively speaking) in some of these so called Western countries. And believe you me, I live here in the USA, there is plenty of hungry people around here too, in spite of the “in-your-face” wealth in this country. The push-back from the PS is welcome and, quite frankly, long overdue!!!
The report did not specify ant country. What the report has done is give a true picture of Africa. I believe the report. Zambians should stop making noise without statistics. What is the average daily income for a Zambian? Do you know that Zambia is on of the poorest countries in the world? Don’t live in Lusaka and think life is rosy throughout Zambia. The report is factual about Africa.
ONE IN THREE IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT, ESPECIALLY IN ZAMBIA
I WONDER IF EVER #7 VISITS ZAMBIA. ITS LIKE TO HIM/HER LIFE BEGINS AND ENDS AT McDonold’s and KFC. IN ZAMBIA, MY FRIEND THERE IS UNBELIEVABLE POVERTY. YOU DON’T EVEN NEED TO GO TO VILLAGES. YOU GUYS WHO SEEM TO HAVE LIFE SURROUNDED AROUND KFC AND McDonald’s BE REAL. YOUR MOTHERS AND FATHER ARE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE A MEAL FOR A GIVEN DAY.
#23, Daniel: That is exactly what the problem is with such reports—not being specific enough!!! For God’s sake, Africa is not one big basket case of a “Country”. Africa is a bloody continent, therefore, treat her as such!!!!!!!
#23, Daniel: That is exactly what the problem is with such reports—generalizations!!! Are telling me poverty levels in South Africa or Bostwana are the same as those in Zimbabwe or Somalia??? For God’s sake, Africa is not one big basket case of a “Country”, it is a huge continent and it is about time we treated Africa as such!!!!!!!! Painting Africa with a broad brush does not help solve Africa’s problems, and they are many, in any way.
The statistics may be true. Image in a country of say 12 Million pelple only 2 million are in formal emplement. Then how does the 10 Million peple make the ends meet.
the trend now is to have one meal a day, the P S has five , where is the PS in zaambia or on the moon
This is what happens when leaders loose touch with reality. It reminds me of a report I read about Nigeria where the first lady refuted a report on Child and maternal mortality produced by UNICEF. Go out and see for yourself. People are eating one meal per day at about 3 pm and the food is just starch and vegetables. wonder how malnutrition cases are on the upswing? Senoir Citizen, any comment???
Mr Chilipamushi was my first year Economics lecturer at the Copperbelt University way back in 1992. He was an economic adviser to Dr Kennethy Kaunda until when MMD own the 1991 elections. Blessed are those that are attentive to what he says because they shall get the truth of what is the real picture of the nation. We know we are poor as a nation but it is not true that one out of three go to bed without food. This is not applicable in Zambia please get it from me.
Greetings bloggers.
Nice to join you again after a long retreat. Well, whether such statistics are accurate is always questionable. However, the fact that poverty is still our biggest problem and that most Zambians know what it means to go to bed hungry cannot be refuted. The Govt would do well to concentrate on finding solutions instead of arguing on statistics.
LT Whatz up. Posted a comment before #34. Where is it.?
#17 The Jackal, well said biggie. Sad reality is that Zambia has the poorest and worst nutritional habits (probably in the whole world). The only food is Nsima and Ubwali. Cooking style? The same old way my grannie used to cook -big big big lump with plain rape, dry fish or tu kapenta. (If it has “saladi” then nimakali). Variation? Rice ya sugar or tu supu twa tomato; tea with dry bread/buns (maybe natu “bata” ko); No fruits, no milk, no nothing. I ve been around the sub-region (even Zim today), its not such a struggle to get food. They may lack in other things BUT NOT FOOD MWEBANTU PLIZ. Except during drought or so. BUT IN ZAMBIA ITS EVERY DAY!! SHAME ON US #17 wrote “…poverty is a call to action” NOW YOU (READER) WHAT ARE YOU DOING TODAY TO CORRECT THIS?
#17 The Jackal, well said biggie. Sad reality is that Zambia has the poorest and worst nutritional habits (probably in the whole world). The only food is Nsima and Ubwali. Cooking style? The same old way my grannie used to cook -big big big lump with plain rape, dry fish or tu kapenta. (If it has “saladi” then nimakali). Variation? Rice ya sugar or tu supu twa tomato; tea with dry bread/buns (maybe natu “bata” ko); No fruits, no milk, no nothing
Hello there!!!!!!!! LT. Iam trying to send a good contribution. Whats happening??????
#17 The Jackal, well said biggie. Sad reality is that Zambia has the poorest and worst nutritional habits (probably in the whole world). The only food is Nsima and Ubwali. Cooking style? The same old way my grannie used to cook -big big big lump with plain veggie, dry fish or tu kapenta. (If it has “saladi” then nimakali). Variation? Rice ya sugar or tu supu twa tomato; tea with dry bread/buns (maybe natu “bata” ko); No fruits, no milk, no nothing. I ve been around the sub-region (even Zim today), its not such a struggle to get food. They may lack in other things BUT NOT FOOD MWEBANTU PLIZ. Except during drought or so. BUT IN ZAMBIA ITS EVERY DAY!! SHAME ON US #17 wrote “…poverty is a call to action” NOW YOU (READER) WHAT ARE YOU DOING TODAY TO CORRECT THIS?
At last yapita article THANK YOU. Its true. Tell Chilipamushi that We Zambians need to think strategically about the food situation as a whole. Govt must lead the efforts.
Why is it that only Zambians say “we Zambians” i have never heard British say “we British” or “we American”, “we Germans” “We Canadian” for that matter…is a language issue, wht really is it? LOL