The recent shortages of mealie meal in Zambia have sparked a debate over the role of socialism in the country’s economic policies. Mr Hakainde Hichilema, the current President of Zambia, once attributed the shortages of essential commodities under the Kaunda era to socialism. In response to this, Dr Fred M’membe, the President of the Socialist Party of Zambia, defended the socialist ideology, saying that socialism was not responsible for the shortages.
“It’s very sad that some key political leaders of our country don’t know or understand what caused shortages of cooking oil and other essential commodities during the last part of Dr Kenneth Kaunda’s reign,” Dr M’membe stated. “These leaders are out of ignorance attributing the shortages of many consumer goods under the Kaunda era to socialism.”
Dr M’membe went on to explain that the period of shortages was at the height of the liberation struggle in southern Africa when Zambia was blockaded and cut off from many neighboring countries. “Oil prices had shot up worldwide,” he added. “They had to start companies to produce their own cooking oil and other essential commodities. And these were the companies some of these leaders denigrating them today came to privatize at very exorbitant fees or commissions and enriched themselves.”
Dr M’membe argued that socialism was not responsible for the shortages of mealie meal in Zambia today. “Socialism is not about, or synonymous with, shortages of mealie meal, cooking oil, and other essential commodities,” he said. “Socialism is about a better and dignified life for all our people anchored on equity, solidarity, humility, and honesty and sovereignty of their homeland.”
Dr M’membe also pointed out the successes of socialist states like Cuba and Vietnam, which have managed to improve the lives of their citizens despite facing blockades and economic sanctions from the West. “Whatever their attempts to credit China’s achievements to capitalism, that is a great socialist state pursuing socialism with Chinese characteristics,” he said. “And this is what its leaders say. They attribute their economic successes to socialism.”
He added, “Capitalism has for centuries failed our people. Let them show us where capitalism has succeeded in Africa?”
Dr M’membe emphasized that Zambia needs a citizen-led economic development agenda which, under a socialist government, will be attained. “We want a Zambia where Zambians can have genuine businesses and not these crooked dealers, tenderpreneurs, and those who come to loot our resources and take the profits to offshore bank accounts,” he said.
In conclusion, Dr M’membe stated, “No matter what they say or do, socialism will one day triumph in our homeland.”
Zambia already had a socialist socioeconomic system from the late 1960s to 1991. The late Kenneth D. Kaunda made the disastrous policy pronouncements which ushered in an era of both parastatal and state enterprises in his April 1968, August 1969, and November 1970 addresses to the National Council of his party, the United National Independence Party (UNIP). Socialism is a retrogressive ideology associated with dictatorship, widespread corruption, poverty, shortages of essential commodities, etc. Fred, at his age, knows that, unless he is interested in subjecting the country and the Zambian people to 20 years or so years of want, misery and destitution like the UNIP / KK era.
Lie:Socialism is a retrogressive ideology associated with dictatorship, widespread corruption, poverty. we should stop looking at the world with one eye. One eye that sees only what we favour.
Unless you have never done History Both capitalism and Socialism have had terrible dictatorships but more so the former. Its got nothing to do with which ideology. Just a glance; the Belgian King leopold who maimed Africans, Queen Victoria who supervised most of slavery, Adolf Hitler who killed millions of jews Mussolini who started off as a socialist but became a capitalist imperialist and killed hundreds of thousands of his citizens etc
Commonsense Eastorian … Kings and queens are not democratic. Hitler was a socialist. Cite capitalist countries of Western Europe where there have been dictators, widespread poverty and corruption by politicians …
Oh, and Fascist Mussolini was not elected by Italians … he was asked by Italy’s King, Victor Emmanuel III, to form government. He was ushered into power through “coronation,” and not through an “election.”
I like Fred Mmeembe. He has a strong character. But socialism is a ridiculous economic model. I think history has more or less proved that. You need a mixed economy that leans more towards a free market model.
Socialist is none existent. Even China has more factories owned by individuals than by the state. It has the third highest number of billionaires after the US and Germany. Mmembe had capitalistic monopoly over the print press for over 30 years and cannot now claim to be a socialist. He even owns The Mast via proxy. The man is evidently one of Zambia’s top 50 richest people. I think Mmembe is bored with his wealth and education and now wants the presidency. I don’t think he cares about Zambians, much like HH.
Strong character my foot. Firing guns at citizens isnt strong character. It is bully mentality. Ask anyone who has worked under Mmembe and they will tell you is the number one bully
Strong character my foot. Firing guns at citizens isnt strong character. It is bully mentality. Ask anyone who has worked under Mmembe and they will tell you that he is the number one bully
@Gilbert Maimbo. Your right to an opinion is respected.
@Chiza your post is like Fox News: full of falseities
Socialism can only operate under a dictatorship. Those days are long gone.
Even China now is more capitalist than the US itself.
Dictatorships aren’t extinguished They are all over; Sudan, Egypt, Tunisia, Peru, Cuba, North Korea Gabon, Guinea etc
Yeah but China is still a dictatorship. No Westerner can say it is a capitalist state
Words in Socialism appear very well written, but Socialism has seen more death of incent peasant farmers in excess of 28 Million starting from 1928 and before. The word capitalism was defined by Socialists and the meaning is allusive. If we follow the Socialist thinking then we can have Mango-lism, Apple-lism ; Orange-lism forgetting that it is natural for an orange tree to have oranges, indeed a mongo tree to have mangoes.
In the realm of trading, it is natural to have capital in order to trade. Therefore, it is very wrong to call those with more mangoes as mango-lists. They should be called as investors.
No one can invest without mongoes, Apples and indeed money or capital.
Spot on Chiza, Socialism as an ideology has not and can not triumph without elements of dictatorial practices in its rule. Pipe dreams of Fred Mmembe after all not fit for public office – past personal life profile says it all.
Just like capitalism cannot triumph without slavery, colonialism and imperialism. Show me one African capitalist country that has succeeded. They are all in poverty because of capitalism. The unfortunate thing is that capitalism appeals even to the poor because they want to be rich but they wont find those riches.
Socialism,just because there is a shortage of mealie meal in urban areas?Ridiculars, indeed.What is socialism as applying to Zambia? Can someone in the Socialist Party exhaustively propound on this ideology
Go study it oherwise you will be fed falseities dressed as socialism
Socialism hasnt died. Yes the Marxist described socialism is no longer challenging the West but It has taken on new forms which even Fred doesnt know. Chinese command economy works and this makes the Americans angry. Remember socialism isnt only about the economy. The command economy coupled with ideological development plans that dynamically work for the masses is what is driving China faster than capitalist countries. Our intellectuals need to study that and come up with suitable ideologies for Africa. Dont just like Fred ape Marxist Leninism or like HH ape capitalism
And the Post will one day be published in our homeland
@ Socialism my @$s! What kind of socialist was refusing to pay tax and was refusing to pay’s employees their retirement contributions? What a hypocrite and naive Zambians are falling for this dude whose only ‘socialism’ ideals is to admire Castro and hoping to get money from the likes of Russia.
For the record China’s economic development is 100% Capitalism and nothing to do with Socialism… even Russia is a Capitalist nation. Socialism ‘d!ed’ with the Soviet Union so please stop ly!ing to people and yourself.
Used to admire this guy with his editorials in The Post Newspapers before I came to know his true colours. He’s as fake as they come.
“And these were the companies some of these leaders denigrating them today came to privatize at very exorbitant fees or commissions and enriched themselves.”
Why are we still fixated on ideology and dogma? That bus left a long while ago. Let’s engage our minds to do something that will be central to our citizens; whether it is called socialism, capitalism, capi-socialism or whatever. The biggest problem we have had is that most of our leaders do not have the citizen’s needs at heart.
True
East Africa is good example of the failure of socialism. Kenya is a good example of a country that embraced from the start. It is now the largest economy in East Africa. China and Russia if you are not aware have abandoned socialism.
Stop being simplistic and giving people a shallow analysis. All of you proclaiming China’s ditching Socialism need to go to school. As someone says here socialism is not only economics but mainly political.
Last year’s figures show that State-owned enterprises accounted for over 66% of China’s market capitalization. They generated 40% of China’s GDP of $15.97 trillion (101.36 trillion yuan). China has more SOEs than any other country and you say it has ditched socialism? Most of you are right now chasing state owned China’s products.
The world’s largest company by assets is The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China with over US$5.5 trillion in total assets. Socialism is alive and working and leading the world’s economy. It is driving the world’s soon to be biggest economy
Says then guy whose company is accused of not remitting Social Security of its employees to NAPSA despite deducting
Like Winston Churchill once said, ‘The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessing and the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of misery.’
This man points to Cuba as a success of socialism. I don’t think he has talked to the thousands of refugees fleeing to America every year to get away from a repressive regime. Also to look at the Soviet Union where the countries East of the Berlin Wall were all suffering while Western countries prospered. This man needs a history lesson before spouting these ridiculous ideologies which would undo the progress that Zambia has made over the past 30 years.
which would undo the progress that Zambia has made over the past 30 years.
Really? What progress? Zambia has been marking time in the HIPC for 50 years and that is progress? Progressive nations are in South East Asia
Here is the History Mr Man. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics existed for only 3 decades from 1917 to 1947 and moved from a poor country to a World power playing a major leading role in defeating the tyranny of Hitler. It became a nuclear power in 40 years and was competing with 300 year old USA in space technology!
Socialist China toppled capitalism in 1949 and inside 80 years it is about to become the World’s biggest economy and is leading in computer tech and various other sectors. Doesnt this show you that for development you dont need capitalism?
That is a very fair point. Yes you may not need capitalism to facilitate development but under those regimes there was mass starvation, poverty and murder on a scale only replicated by the world wars. I’m sure if you ask the people in East Berlin which side of the wall they would prefer to be on, it wouldn’t be thier side. Socialism could exist in a perfect world but that is not the world we live in. The only thing left, as other comments have said, is dictatorship and tyranny.
Thank you Mr Man. Machiavelli or Mao would tell you that dont show your student a shortcut. It is in the nature of man to get luxuries as fast as possible even if he hasnt worked for them. East Berlinians were too close to West berlin to ignore it. However the point Iam making is that we shouldnot be forced to choose between socialism and capitalism. We can create our own ideology. Like it has been propounded here dictatorships and tyranny are not confined to Socialists as Western propaganda would want to preach. There have been numerous capitalist dictatorships which we ignore.
Socialism certainly facilitates progress. The Western countries you say prospered did so by colonising and exploiting your countries. You talk about Cubans but forget that millions of Africans were enslaved on farms by American, Portuguese, Dutch French English capitalists. Life is not restricted to capitalism or socialism. Its not one or the other. Sit down and think