PRESS STATEMENT
Many observers have noted that the Zambian economy has collapsed. After carrying out a careful independent assessment, It is clear that Zambia is undergoing a serious economic meltdown.Prices have doubled in a few weeks. We have decided to partner with many NGOs and other external international sympathisers in carrying out mass youth recruitment.
We are tired of sitting idly by while the economic turmoil continues to eat us alive. We keep going to elections year after year but things only seem to get worse. We want change and we want it today.We can not let another child perish because of malnutrition whilst others charter very expensive jets to fly around the world. We can not sit idly by whilst the generation of many years ago continues to plunge us in failure with unrealistic budgets. Politicians continue to cheat the masses and promise a better tomorrow , but tomorrow never comes. 1991,1996,2001,2006,2008,2011 , 2015 and now 2016. We still wait.
They blame all political failures on everything else but themselves. Ladies and gentlemen ours is not a global problem, nor is it an African problem. It is a Zambian problem. 50 years ago Zambia was better off than South Korea, Portugal and nearly all other African countries, but today we languish in abject poverty. Politicians who jump from one party to another keep promising manna but alas they are the same people. They only change their outer garments.Ladies and Gentlemen if there was ever a time to care it is now. Posterity will judge us harshly, our children and grandchildren will judge us as a generation of failures who failed to act.
50 years ago Zambia was better off than South Korea, Portugal and nearly all other African countries, but today we languish in abject poverty. Politicians who jump from one party to another keep promising manna but alas they are the same people. They only change their outer garments
We encourage all well meaning Zambians to join our cause. A cause for basic human decency, a cause for respect for humanity. It is time as a people, we quit standing by as mothers crush stones around Kalingalinga because we have no political will to support them, its time we quit standing by and laughing at blunders of politicians because the hunger in our stomachs doesn’t get the joke. Its time we stopped standing by , and watched the vast arable land go uncultivated , year in , year out losing out on millions. Its time we stopped standing idly by as we watch Zambia import everything, including pies, fish and chips, as foreigners grab all the little income we amass. Its time we quit standing idly by and watched taxes being wavered on corporations whilst individuals are highly taxed. Its time we quit playing the game of politics. Its time for the people to take over.
We shall soon announce the roadmap at a press briefing. We refuse to be second class citizens in our motherland. The Zambia we have lived by, the Zambia our fore father’s fought for, the Zambia where every man woman and child had access to food, proper education,clean water, proper healthcare care. A Zambia were tribal and cultural diversity united us. A Zambia were success was NOT dependent on who you know but by what you know. A Zambia were a man was judged by the content of their character, a Zambia were people didn’t experience ridiculous price hikes. A Zambia were people were not slaves of foreigners who have enslaved their workers. Thats the Zambia we fight for. That is the Zambia we will die figting for.
We urge all citizens to support the revolution. Regardless of age, political affiliation, tribe and so on because what we have on our hands is bigger than you and me. It is about the bigger picture. We will issue a roadmap in due course. Long live the Republic of Zambia.
Niza Phiri
24Th October Movement chairperson
Scriverner Wabeyi
24th OCTOBER movement Secretary General
Gerald Chiluba
Zambia volunteers Network Deputy chairperson
Gershom Phiri
Real Corruption Fighters Chairperson
Maambo Kandyata
Students Economic Research institute
Justin Chomba
Young Marketeers Association
Hahaha Niza..Niza… It’s a Zambia where, not a Zambia were… Now let me ask you this simple question, what do you seek.? The course may be a good one but the approach and timing will have the last say. Now, tell me, what have you done to at least better your lives as a group of youths.? Have you thought about doing the opposite of what the majority Zambians including the opposition are currently doing, blame the GRZ.? Once you tell me what you have done for yourself then I will consider joining the group. Again, what do you seek.?
Cheers
Big L
I totally support these brave Zambians for this noble cause. May this be a movement of the youth to demand what is theirs. Government officials continue to swim in the people money day in day out while the masses languish in poverty.
I hope and pray that this youth mobilisation starts the fire that will forever change Zambia…. we started it in 1991 from the Ruins of UNZA and brought in what today people take for granted as multiparty politics.
The second phase of this revolution is to take charge of managing our resources and taking to account the many vultures who have congregated and masquerading as a government.
We many not be there but we support your noble cause.
A Luta continua
I can smell 1991 again… people do not learn from history. A hungry man is a very angry man and most of all he/she is a wise voter
Uluse abaice aba! Good luck to you all.
Big L, take your classroom motivated false sense of progressiveness docility the hell out of here. You always try to do things by the book even when you see the book is not working. frederick douglass once wrote: “the limits of tyrants are prescribed by the enduarance of those whom they oppose. If there is no struggle, there is no progress. this struggle maybe a moral one; or it may be a physical one; or it may be both moral and physica;but it must be a struggle.It is not light that we need,but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake.”
So you see, mr docile Big L, we are no longer listening to promises of a better tomorrow,promises of hope and sacrifice. this time we fight and take our destiny into our own hands. Go ahead…
FINALLY WAKING UP! ITS ABOUT TIME. HOWLONG WILL OUR COUNTRY BE EXPLOITED BY A CORRUPT AND INCOMPETENT GOVERNMENT WHIKE WE STAND ASIDE AND LOOK? IT IS TIME TO TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK! IT IS TIME FOR CHANGE.
Good on you Niza and the team; we will support you.
Yes dear youths, finally you have woken up. Count me in. We were called bitter then, it wasn’t bitterness it is hunger, njala bane.
The only way is to take the power from the hands of the politicians and entrust it with the people. A good constitution is a starting point. Wait… wait … wait.
We need a law that takes the unilateral appointment of heads of statutory bodies, public institutions, and the Judiciary (such as ECZ, ZNBC, Public Service Commission, IBA, ZRA, etc) from the president.
The number of ministries should be defined by the constitution. i.e. The Pres cannot decide anyhow to add, reduce or re-align at will.
We need a professional civil service free from political interference.
The President should not have power to delineate or create districts or provinces unilaterally. (E.g. In
South Africa – to rename a street say Cairo Road requires the stakeholders to debate and agree.)
etc…
Right now am in Asia and I can safely advise the author of this article that he is totally lost! One of the countries has just increased its fuel pump price. Here in Asia people especially the youth are very active by themselves and work innovate instead of blaming the Government, it just doest work. Laziness and too much dependence on Government is what is killing youths in Zambia.
For instance, what type of work does the author expects to be given? Times have changed and to survive everywhere the youths are engaging in what might seem impossible but yet very lucrative. Am sure the PF Government has offered you some pieces of land to start farming but you have shunned it. My advice is get on on it, be part of the solution and produce a variety of agricultural products. Before you know…
Its you who is totally lost…. this is about getting back the resources from these greedy baboons. Our mothers are giving birth on the floors of hospitals, spending the whole day in the sun breaking stones and going home where the is not water. In your small mind thats is ok the youth must just work hard. Someone charters a plane to New York while all this is happening and you see it fit. You can only put down people for so long and the will rise…
1991 is going again to Zambia
Its very easy to say be part of the solution and produce a variety of agriculture products while you are seated in a sofa watching TV in Canada
have you gone to Zambia and seen the poverty of our people? The literacy levels of Zambia has dropped from the 1990’s levels because people are so poor and can’t even send kids to school in the villages.
What you see in malls in Lusaka is not the real Zambia bwana
Finally finally! count me in lets use the power of social media enough is enough;
its time for the youth to fight for what is rightfully theirs, we can boost of freedom that we do not have apart from independence which has even lost its meaning, how do I say am free if I don’t have access to clean drinking water and shelter, how can I say am free when my voice can not be heard, how can I say am free when I do not know if I will have a meal ,how can I say am free when tenders are for a sebana wikute party cadre ,how can I say am free if after doing my part by getting educated I can not get a job…………….the list goes on and on.
Youth Revolution?
Quote
‘Many observers have noted that the Zambian economy has collapsed. After carrying out a careful independent assessment, It is clear that Zambia is undergoing a serious economic meltdown.’
Did you really need to do your own independent assessment when the economic performance reports (due to market conditions) are widely available to one and all?
Youth in Zambia need to be Patriotic and support the gov’t. Must support all peaceful means and not take part in subversive actions. At least that used to be the role of Youth in my days. Working as part of gov’t structure. Where really do Youth get the experience to challenge gov’t? Are we to have our country break down in violent Youth revolution, to have our gov’t replaced by the ‘Diaper’…
Youth Revolution?
Are we to have our country break down in violent Youth revolution, to have our gov’t replaced by the ‘Diaper’ bridgade?
Respect your elders and get back into your buggies. You can’t run a country and your duty is to support your Mother and Father’s well being not to be used by a certain Party.
ba patriot tashakalile ingoma ati mwakula,ubwingi abakalamba ufipuba you inclusive let the youth have a voice next year you will be recalled
How many youth and women NGOs do we have in this country? During my youth in the 1970s and 1980s, you could count such organizations on your fingers. Now it seems there are hundreds of such organizations representing in a number of situations conflicting interests. Some of the youth NGOs are even brazenly ageist, opposing even the appointment of older, albeit highly educated and competent, Zambians to positions of responsibility. I recall for example how one youth organization went ballistic when Patrick Chisanga was appointed Director General of ZDA, arguing that only youths should be appointed to all such positions. Our youths should take a leaf from the youths in South East Asian countries, where diligence, industriousness, and meritocracy is what determines one’s chances of success.
For as long as the leaders and their followers have differing interpretations of what the country needs today and tomorrow, zambia will for the foreseeable future stay caught in unpredictable generational crosswinds between her past and the future.
I do hope that maybe the Zambian youth can be a little more militant in challenging these old mandalas like chikwanda!
Chipasha,
I quote you: “I do hope that maybe the Zambian youth can be a little more militant in challenging these old mandalas like chikwanda!”
You have just confirmed the ageist and narrow – mindedness of the present generation of Zambian youth that I had alluded to! What is it that Chikwanda has done to you for him to be challenged by militant youth? You shouldn’t forget that youth is but a transitional phase in one’s life course. One day, Chipasha, you will cease to be youth, and move into middle age, and then old old age age, before passing on to the great beyond. Try to put yourself vicariously in the boots of an elderly citizen who is being discriminated against for being old! How would you feel? In my travels around the world, I rarely find this antagonistic attitude…
In my travels around the world, I rarely find this antagonistic attitude towards elderly citizens; it seems peculiarly Zambian.
Instead of these misguided youth “leaders” coming up with ideas that they can execute and wage a war on resource allocation, the so-called “revolution” is on challenging the status quo. These are a complete clueless, ignorant, arrogant lot who want to use the poor youth to advance their political agenda. Ba Niza siba aspiring candidate ku Munali? Organize your youth and bring forward progressive ideas (submit proposals tione) that can attract funding from either govt or donor community (it’s not only govt that funds projects). But to think of organizing a vigilante-like youth force with an agenda of insulting leadership – mucenjele, because you will be supported by opposition leaders.
The observer get lost.
What opposition is that?
I applaud the youth and glad they have a voice. In ethics “we have a duty of care to one another” and this is not what the government is doing. Education is a key economic indicator and so far it is not a number one priority. Yet those in politics will send their own abroad to universities and colleges using the same money that is to benefit a nation. Some have bought homes for their children and wives abroad while the majority are suffering in Zambia and why should that be and why allow it? If anyone wants to see change, you need to voice it. If you have proof keep exposing it and this is how we will wake up those who are sleeping. We need to educate our youth for a better and prosperous Zambia!
@the patriot abroad and maikalange you are deadly scared of youth revolution. You are the aged dimwits. Mulindoshi fye.
Your ideas are very useless.
It is the economy dictating what the youths need to do.
With this economic meltdown you want the youths to be behind you licking your ass.
Is that the way you insult the youths?
Don’t you know that most of the youths are supporting families?
Let the youths decide their destiny.