Golden Party of Zambia (GPZ) President Jackson Silavwe has charged that the New Dawn Government’s economics are making life hard for majority Zambians.
Mr. Silavwe has urged the New Dawn administration to initiate economic policies that favour local people and not punish them.
He noted that Zambia’s economy has been extremely unstable due to unstable fuel prices, unstable exchange rate, high cost of living, high cost of doing business, inadequate local economic response compounded by a very driven foreign economy.
Mr. Silavwe said Zambians need economic interventions that increase their income, reduce poverty, provide jobs, afford mealie meal and transport, start high quality businesses and make them own their economy.
“New dawn economics makes life hard for the majority of Zambians. Our people’s ownership of the economy can no longer be a cliché to win votes every general election; it must become an achievable reality matched with actionable economic strategies. In the recent months, Zambia’s economy has been extremely unstable due, unstable fuel prices, unstable exchange rate, high cost of living, high cost of doing business, inadequate local economic response compounded by a very driven foreign economy,” Mr. Silavwe said.
“Zambians need economic interventions that increase their income, reduce poverty, provide jobs, afford mealie meals and transport, start high quality businesses and make them their own economy. As of 2019, the unemployment rate in Zambia was at 22.6% (ILO). Despite the Government having sung the song of ‘economic diversification’ little has been done in realizing this very important economic game changer,” he stated.
Mr. Silavwe has called for the maximum exploitation of economic sectors such as agriculture, mining and tourism in the best interest of Zambians.
He observed that agriculture in Zambia remains largely unexploited with only 15% of its potential arable land under cultivation.
“Agricultural sector represents only 2.9% of the country’s GDP and employs 50% of the workforce (World Bank). Even so, agriculture in Zambia remains largely unexploited with only 15% of its potential arable land under cultivation. Maximum exploitation of the agriculture sector would bring the Country FOREX, jobs, enough affordable food for household level consumption and arrest the high cost of living for our people. At the same time, when we are advocating for an improved agriculture sector, it is vital for the Country to also produce farming inputs locally to provide skilled jobs in the sector,” Mr. Silavwe said.
He added that the mining industry needs urgent policy reforms that would benefit Zambians.
Mr. Silavwe said Zambians have the capacity to run the mines but lack the support of the local political leadership.
“Industrial sector is estimated to account for 34.9% of GDP and 11% of employment. Major industries in Zambia include copper mining, and processing, construction, beverages, food, textiles; chemicals remain largely in foreign hands. Local industrialisation of these sectors would result in massive employment opportunities and a stable local economy. Mining industry needs urgent policy reforms that would benefit Zambians and make them priority in the running of these firms and collection of representative taxes. GPZ strongly believes that Zambians do have the capacity to run the mines but lack the support of the local political leadership,” he said.
Mr. Silavwe emphasised that Zambians alone hold the key to economic transformation of the nation.
“Tourism remains largely under-utilised although it has massive potential to bring in more revenue for the country aside from job opportunities for our people. At the Golden Party of Zambia (GPZ) we believe in Zambians that they alone hold the key to the economic transformation of our Nation. We urge the new dawn Government to initiate economic policies that favour our people and not punish them,” he concluded.
Mt Silavwe is just politicking with the economy for political relevance.Its PF that made life harder thru excessive borrowing.
I don’t see new doom f00ls comment on such important issues.
This government is not making life hard for Zambians but it has already life harder.
The 750ml bottle of cooking oil that was costing 25 Kwacha is now 50 Kwacha.
“Golden Party of Zambia (GPZ) President Jackson Silavwe has charged that the New Dawn Government’s economics are making life hard for majority Zambians”. With this statement alone, I wish to comment that due to war between Ukraine and Russia as well as previous hard world-wide lockdown due to Covid-19, among other factors, global economies have been negatively and severely impacted not only in Zambia. It is not the New Dawn Government that is economically punishing its people in Zambia. My personal view is that it is reckless to utter that the government is punishing its people as it possess havoc and confusion instead of attempting to develop the country together we spread such propaganda. What I do agree is that yes, the New Dawn Government has a mammoth task ahead of them to start…
What I do agree is that yes, the New Dawn Government has a mammoth task ahead of them to start thinking out of the box as to how they could come up with sustainable initiatives and policies to revive the economy, and such be implemented to benefit its citizen. Perhaps come up with short-term solution by consulting affected citizens to hear what resources they would require to enable them to commence subsistence farming cooperatively while the New Dawn Government is working towards long-term solutions as rightfully stated in the above article, to boost the economy at large – Just saying.
Covid 19 effects,Russia -Ukraine war, the excessive debts incurred by PF have all conspired to make things hard in Zambia.Mr Silavwe is being disingenuous and politically motivated to lie.
The idea is to form a ‘party’ and then towards election time join a political alliance get a job as minister and then forget about your party..if however you do not a job then you cry foul…
As the saying goes… they will only appreciate you when you are gone. When I warned these lazy youth about voting in upnd they thought I was been biased and full of hate. Now they are crying like pregnant hippos
As the saying goes… they will only appreciate you when you are g0ne. When I warned these lazy y0uth about voting in upnd they thought I was been blased and full of hate. Now they are crying like p.regnant hipp0s
As the saying goes… they will only appreciate you when you are g0ne. Ecl has been proven right once more
Very true indeed but only applies to PF foools who stole cos the new dawn is now vigorously litigating all crimes previously commited
Iwe chi filthy toxic troll Kaizar Zero your ECL and your PF were the engineers of the current economic hardships facing Zambians.Even Mr Silavwe is another lying version of ECL.
Bwana Silavwe is lying/misleading Zambians just for political mileage.Its sacrilege to toy with the lives of 18m Zambians for political relevance.
I wouldn’t be surprised if at the end of their term in office the UPND leave with nothing to point to as their achievement. All they’ll be saying in their campaigns is that they failed because of the war in Ukraine and that the PF over borrowed. What their praise singers are avoiding to mention is that within 6 months the debt that the PF left at US$12.7M has risen to over US$17.0M. Are they not borrowing? Didn’t their great leader tell us that he wasn’t going to borrow? Nipano tuli
Just how some people reason really beats me. Here are people advocating for government to do everything for them. These are people who will fail to utilize a fertile land in their yard to grow vegetables to reduce on their bills, who will fail to walk a 5 kilometer stretch to save, opting for a ride. No initiative, as a soldier will tell them. This to me is politicking.
Mr. Silavwe, please, know that the world is evolving and there will be changes taking place in the process. In 1964 the Rhodesian Pound was stronger than the British Pound. In 1975 I could ride to Kanyama from Stanley at K2. A bottle of Mosi Lager would cost me 27n (Twenty seven ngwee) in Mr. Jere’s La Gondola bar. So many examples I can give you but it would require me to write a whole book. What goes up, in terms of pricing rarely comes down realistically. We have had governments change but I have yet to come across one that will bring prices down to below levels they found them at.
The loss of revenue through removal of Mineral Royalty Tax has negatively impacted the economy and funding of the 2022 national budget. ZRA is currently collecting under 50% of their target while external Debt from IMF hasn`t materialized. The effect of relying on foreign debt to fund the national budget is just stifling our economy.
Govt should give a clear road map about Cannabis growth and export for medicinal purposes. There is huge opportunity to not only gain foreign exchange but create the much needed employment.
upnd praise singers should pause for a minute and answer this question;
If upnd has no answers to Zambia’s problems, why did they seek the presidency in the first place?
If all you are going to talk about when people complain about the cost of living is the war in Ukraine and that PF left a huge debt, then what?
Take responsibility for your failure and tackle the country’s problems.
What will you tell voters in 2026?
Who will listen to you when you blame PF in 2026?