By Jo Fidgen BBC News, Lusaka
Zambians have a remarkable ability to set aside grievances and move on – people actually seem to find it hard to bear a grudge.
I had a run-in with the police not long ago.
I had been ordered to pull off the road by an officer who said his camera had clocked me speeding. But I had been pootling along well under the limit and was sceptical about the policeman’s motivation. After all, checkpoints are a well-known source of extra income in Zambia.
So I kicked up a fuss, tried to inspect the speed camera and questioned other, more docile motorists about the speed they had been doing when stopped.
The police officers were furious.
One threatened to lock me up, but settled for scolding me with the most scathing insult she could muster: “You have problems. Take them to hell, not to the police.”
I was still feeling irritated when driving out of town the next day, a mood not improved by being done for speeding – again – by the same police team. A fair cop this time.
[pullquote] I paid the fine, he waved me off, and I spent the next 100km of my journey marvelling at the remarkable ability of so many Zambians to let bygones be bygones.[/pullquote]
I steeled myself for a humiliating dose of sarcasm, or smugness at least. Instead, a cheery face appeared at the window.
“Hello again,” said the policeman, with no trace of animosity. “How are you today?”
I paid the fine, he waved me off, and I spent the next 100km of my journey marvelling at the remarkable ability of so many Zambians to let bygones be bygones.
But there is an expectation of forgiveness in Zambia.
One Zambia, One Nation
A friend of mine was visited by a former employee who he had sacked for stealing.
The guy wanted his job back. “Surely you didn’t say yes?” I asked my friend.
“I did,” he replied, seemingly as surprised as I was, adding: “It was like he thought yesterday shouldn’t have any bearing on today.”
Certainly Zambians have had a lot of practice at putting the past behind them.
The decades of British colonialism, for instance, which at its worst, institutionalised the second class status of local people.
A small example – Europeans were allowed into the butchery to select the choice meat. The less appetising cuts were sold to Zambians through a hatch.
Yet these days, race relations are very good.
Or how about the bombing raids by the Rhodesian air force in the years before Zimbabwe fought its way into existence?
Now large numbers of “Rhodies”, as they are known, have been welcomed into Zambia since being hounded off their farms by Mugabe.
Then there is the woeful mismanagement of the country by political leaders.
First among them was Kenneth Kaunda, founding father of the nation, and now at 86, elevated to demi-god status.
I went to a talk where he was guest of honour.
The audience was made up of 40-something professionals, sharp-suited and hard-nosed.
As Kenneth Kaunda reached the podium and danced his trademark jig, the crowd swooned.
“One Zambia,” he called to them. “One Nation,” they chorused happily.
This catechism may be Kenneth Kaunda’s greatest legacy.
He managed to forge a shared identity for a country made up of more than 70 tribes. But he also presided over economic collapse.
By the time he permitted genuine elections in 1991, after 27 years in power, the shops were empty, the nationalised mining industry was ruined and state spies were everywhere.
‘A good man’
A charismatic trade unionist called Frederick Chiluba was agitating for democracy and capitalism. The voters could not wait to dump Kaunda, among them presumably many of these businessmen now gazing at him adoringly.
It is hard to find anyone with an acrimonious word for Kenneth Kaunda, even Taki, a naturalised Zambian and property magnate, who I met propping up his own bar.
He recounted how the first president had confiscated his businesses without compensation.
“How do you feel about him?” I enquired. “Ah he’s a good man,” he said, draining his glass.
President Chiluba recently provided another opportunity for Zambians to display their capacity for forgiveness.
In 10 years in power, his grand promises delivered wealth only to a select few.
The London High Court ruled that he and his associates had stolen more than $40m (£27m) of public money, but he was acquitted of corruption at Lusaka’s magistrates court.
Ahead of the verdict, one of Zambia’s foremost anti-corruption campaigners told me he wanted a conviction. But then the current president should immediately issue a pardon, he said.
“It would send a message that we are a very forgiving people,” he argued.
Now back in the UK, I am re-adjusting to life in a country where small slights are not so easily overlooked.
Next time someone rubs me up the wrong way, I am going to try to be a little more Zambian about it.
Smile, shake hands and act like it never happened. After all, as the Zambian proverb has it: Two thighs will always rub together.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/8718808.stm
Published: 2010/06/03 12:31:33 GMT
© BBC MMX
From the begining,this article was flowing nicely,had good expectations from it,when it came to Chiluba,my mood changed drastically,like a tonne of lead has been dropped on me
Anything else we,hangon,not we,I personally wont forgive Chiluba,He was given an opportunity by Mwanawasa to return a certain percentage of the whole LOOT,he refused,after his bogus acquital,instead of laying low he has been mocking us/me
I have no problems with all my brothers and sisters i have differed with on this blog,more espacially my Elder brother ba Senior Citizen/Veteran,i would love to share a drink with and recollect all the banter we’ve had.
Infact Ba kamba ba Senior Citizen,Im sorry if i hurt you in anyway,please forgive me.I forgive you for calling me all the names you have called me
New Zambian slogan – Sebana wikute!
meaning, people will do anything: corruption, act stupid or whatever to feed their families.
So true. Zambians are always forgiving politicians. We have seen it again and again
It is a fallacy to say Zambians have forgiven ka Chiluba and other Politicians who have stolen money from Zambians. What zambians have done is to remain almost quiet over these matters, except for a few NGOs and Rights Activists whose voices have been almost silenced by the Party in Govt. Zambians are known not to be too-push to Govt, and politicians take advantage of that and they say to themselves “zambians are peaceful people”.
Mr.Jo Fidgen, while I agree it’s good to be friendly and forgiving, unfortunately this is the mentality which has kept people in this country far backwards for years, lazy, unproductive and too complacent. Zedians need to follow basic principles of life and strictly live by the rule of law. Frankly, Zed is joke. Too much self praise and yet living in total porverty. A bit of stinginess would help make people realize that working hard pays off in the end. :-b
Good to know someone appreciates our way of life and dealings with each other in our daily chaos!!
i just feel proud and happy to be Zambian but i haven’t Forgiven Kafupi anyway:-?:-?:-?:-?
One word summarises it all. Twalishishita!
The article started very well but when it came to Kafupi i vomitted, Kafupi has no remorse and LT seem to be Kafupi’s no 1 fan.LT do you know how much development 27 Million Pounds can bring to Zambia.#1 you are right but Senior citizen and his dull friend Veteran are Ass lickers and dont deserve any sympathy.
The article started very well but when it came to Kafupi i vomitted, Kafupi has no remorse and LT seem to be Kafupi’s no 1 fan.LT do you know how much development 27 Million Pounds can bring to Zambia.#1 you are right but Senior citizen and his dull friend Veteran are Ass lickers and dont deserve any sympathy.
in the midist of hunger pain
AM afraid this ZAmbia we know is under seriuos threat from the PF Kaponyas, Kadobies and Kabovas who have managed to do a brain transplant on UPND and want the corridors of power to do it on the entire country. As MMD we shall not allow this to happen. Let all progressive Zambians be behind MMD to defend the country’s cherished legacy of peace
#11 what are you on about? You strike me as a decent guy who has just decided to sacrifice your decency for a little cash. Brotherly advice! Its not too late to stop embarrasing yourself in public.
no doubt about it, Zambians are forgiving of friends, family members, colleagues, eployees, employers and others. when it comes to politicians and past leaders’ wrongs I think the majority do not have a choice but to give up. Giving up not forgiving. It is a situation of helplessness. most of us would have wished for Kaunda to answer for his miss rule(not withstanding that he did a lot of good things), we definately want Chiluba to pay for his corruption and other animosties, for Banda to account himself for his tribalism, for police chiefs’ injustices but the system is created to serve these people irrespect of citizens’ feelings. leaders protect each other for political expedience. I therefore fear that the only way left will be a serious explosion with dire consequence, a revolution…
Ba LT, this story has been published by Zambian WD. Jo has done a lot of positive and negative stories in Zambia but of all of them, everyone has picked this one. The Zambikes story was very encouraging. Zambia is exporting bamboo frame bicycles to USA! The other story about a Zambian female doctor charging that marriage was a certificate to HIV was discouraging.
Even if I find Chiluba being attacked by a Hyena,I can NEVER rescque him,infact,I can happily enjoy the cinema of seeing his skull being pounded by the hard jaws of that predator.
It’s not forgiveness it’s just that they are overwhelmed with mediocrity and feel helpless to do anything. Sometimes it’s best to walk away from a situation otherwsie pondering on an issue you have no power over will just raise your BP
Jo Fidgen,thank you for laughing at us zambians. For 46 years we have put too much hope on the politicians.We though they had all the solution for our problems.This the country were politics pays more for doing nothing.Independence for us meant sitting and eating the $ 4 million which the colonial master left in the Treasury.A country whose GDP was $ 6000 per person today is barely at independence is at $ 700 . No capitalization was done in major industries. No diversification to agriculture and tourism.So the biggest industry was politics and all technocrats and scientists were turned into politicians.They ate and ate without planning for the future.The economy buckled but we still believe in non productive politicians.I understand now socialist are coming back to empty our selves again.
Agreed. Zambians are good people. I am proud to be a Zambian.
I 1st read this article on bbc and it was the most read item this morning. We should be very proud of ourselves. Not many countries have that reputation.
Understandable that some people are agrieved by politicians and mismanagememnt. But that does not change our persona. It is simply management skills or lack of them, plus selfishness of some leaders. But they are les than 0.1% of Zambia’s population.
Similarly we have a proportion that insults at every occassion. But Zambians in general are not like that. These are the bad eggs and no child is told to emulate them.
I am very proud to be a Zambian.
Iam Zedian too and a proud one, just like all of you bloggers, but I would not mind kicking kafupiz backside if given a chance, hahaha!!
#10 talks about starvation maybe he should take a good look at himself over-fed and under nourished with all that junk food were he is at
if we are so forgiving how is it that FTJ in his infinite wisdom chose to lock up up KK on trumped up charges.Surely locking up an old man in chaimbokaile?
we are what we choose to see there is always a flip side .human nature is present everywhere on earth not only in zed.So let us not cheat ourselves that we are the only people who are gods gift to mankind and let us get on with the business of making ourselves better than who we are right now.let us face our ignorance head on.
whats wrong with us zambias-living like dogs, we cant see farther than our noses.
tu much tulo… acting like we dont know what is making us poor….
yes one zambia one nation but some monkeys(short f*ck kafupi) must be arrested
I believe the author has touched a part of Zambian behavior that has largely contributed to the failed progress both at family level and government level.The model of thought he describes”Smile, forgive, forget and be a little more Zambian” has given people a sense of entitlement, promoted attitude of negligence, repetitive failure due to lack of repercussions for behavior unbecoming etc.. hence it is not uncommon to see an official leave work early , and yet demand full pay at the end of the day, a minister misappropriate resources but only to be transferred to another ministry to continue his/her evil acts, investors blow up citizens due to the investor negligence only to be given more tax breaks…This model of operation is a proper economic black hole and Zambia will never recover…
contd from 24 …from unless change is instituted and people are held responsible for their actions. And the instruments of change is the legislature, officials, managers, lawyers and the judicial department.As long as the judicial department is under political influence, politicians will manipulate the system, all class action law suites will have less impact, corruption will be the norm.Managers and officials should institute a sense of professionalism that promotes hard work, increased productivity otherwise we will always be eating the remains from the tables of the rich nations and our presidents will always be international beggars hence they will be on the move from one place to another like hobbles. It is beyond sad to see our president proudly travel begging for the resouces
Jo – you are most polite! I think the word is DOCILE! Zambians are docile not forgiving …