There’s no doubt it, Saki is definitely a master story-teller. Before former president Edgar Lungu collapsed on The Past Magazine like a ton of breaks and sent it to its early grave at Chingwere, we always relished and looked forward to reading his articles. We found them quite enthralling and insightful indeed.

So, when he finally took to the podium during the first citizens press briefing, he recounted a scintillating anecdote about the alleged disappearance of one Cool J, a powerful man in the village. Saki was at his best as usual! He could easily mint himself gold if he tried his luck in Bollywood or Nollywood.

For the next one hour or so, he held his audience spellbound as he gave an account of how aliens trailed a limousine that somehow found itself on a quiet road during the witch hour. The spaceships caught up with him and blocked his vehicle. They punched a small hole in the screen and extracted Cool J’s from the automobile and took him away to the moon!

“They nailed him to the Cross with blunt nails as they begun interrogating him…..” narrated Saki in measured tones.

“They pulled his tongue with a pliers to force answers from his mouth….,” he continued. “Who is financing ECL? Why are you always in his company? Who is giving you information on what the government is planning? How do you get to where you are going and avoid being seen? Who is financing your movements so that you are always with ECL like the holy spirit…..”

The audience murmured in shock. Saki goes on to explain that when the aliens no longer had use for Cool J, they resolved to feed him to the crocodiles in the Kafue river.

However, on their way to the river, Angels appeared in their spaceship and clouded their minds. Suddenly, they started arguing and quarreling between themselves whether they should feed Cool J to the reptiles or not.

They eventually abandoned Cool J by the river bank and took flight!

Almost immediately, Cool J’s friends from the big boat arrived and whisked him away to the hospital where they gave him a loaf of bread, an entire roll of polony and a case of fruiticana to eat as the Chef hadn’t yet reported. Cool J was known to have a grand appetite. He had just gone half-way through his mundane meal when paras stormed the ward where he was accomodated and took him away for questioning!

Prince Bill M Kaping’a
Political/Social Analyst

The moral fabric of our society is under siege or relentless attack, with videos depicting unfaithfulness and adultery circulating widely on social media. The “Room 18” saga has captivated Zambia, eliciting a mixture of excitement instead of concern, as it often seems that adultery and fornication are only recognized once someone is caught. This phenomenon highlights a disturbing trend: we have become a society with eroded values, lacking a sense of family and the strength of the family unit.

The Decline of Family Values

The drivers of divorce and other family-related conflicts are numerous and valid. Factors such as alcohol, financial strain, and even job pressures contribute significantly to these issues. What was once viewed as shameful behavior has become the new normal. Married individuals engaging in illicit affairs often receive praise from their colleagues, further normalizing infidelity. Gender-based violence is at an all-time high, with the Victim Support Unit overwhelmed by cases. Tragically, some of these cases result in death, often stemming from infidelity-related conflicts.

The “Single Mother Pandemic

Another alarming trend in our society is the surge in the number of single mothers, which can be described as a “single mother pandemic.” The increase is driven by factors such as infidelity, divorce, and economic challenges. Single mothers often form support groups that, rather than fostering positive behavior, sometimes engage in promiscuous activities. Many single mothers have multiple sexual partners, turning their homes into de facto brothels. In this Christian nation, we have a lot of Kingdom Halls and religious dynamics. Despite Zambia being a Christian nation, the country faces a proliferation of Kingdom Halls, and there are many instances of promiscuity among both women and men within church communities hiding behind the veneer of religious respectability, further complicating the moral landscape.

A Call to Action

Given these societal challenges, I call upon our Republican President to address these issues head-on and restore sanity and respect to the fundamental unit of society—the family. To this end, I propose the adoption of the Room 18 Policy, a zero-tolerance stance against infidelity, divorce, and gender-based violence within both private and public sectors. This policy should specifically target workplace-related promiscuity, which is often fueled by salaries and allowances provided by the government.

Implementing the Room 18 Policy

The Room 18 Policy would entail strict measures to curtail infidelity and its associated consequences. Any employee found engaging in disgraceful acts that promote gender-based violence or divorce should be dismissed from service without hesitation. This decisive action would not only bring a level of sanity to our society but also send a clear message to the rest of the country: unethical behavior will not be tolerated.

Moreover, individuals with records of infidelity should be barred from holding high office positions. This measure would ensure that those in leadership roles uphold ethical conduct, thereby enhancing national values and principles in a practical manner.

Promoting Ethical Conduct

To foster a culture of ethical behavior, it is crucial to integrate these values into all aspects of public and private life. Schools, religious institutions, and workplaces should all play a role in promoting integrity, respect, and responsibility. Public awareness campaigns could also be instrumental in shifting societal attitudes towards a zero-tolerance approach to infidelity and related issues.

The adoption of the Room 18 Policy represents a significant step towards rebuilding the moral fiber of our society. By taking a firm stance against infidelity, divorce, and gender-based violence, we can restore respect and integrity to the family unit. It is time for us to embrace this policy and work together to create a society that values and upholds the principles of fidelity, ethical conduct, and strong family bonds.

Learning from Other Cultures

Our Muslim brothers are serious enough not to tolerate vices that compromise the family unit, why are Christians reluctantly embracing the kingdom halls downfall? Muslim communities often demonstrate a stringent adherence to moral codes that protect the sanctity of marriage and family. This rigorous approach ensures that behaviors leading to infidelity and family breakdown are minimized. Christians can learn from this example by reinforcing the importance of family values and ethical conduct within their communities.

The Consequences of Moral Decline

When God wants to punish a dog, he removes its sense of smell; when He wants to punish a human being, He removes their sense of shame. This profound adage encapsulates the dire consequences of our current path. The lack of shame associated with infidelity and moral decay is a clear indicator of a society in decline. By reinstating a sense of shame associated with unethical behaviors, we can begin to mend the moral fabric of our community.

A Plea for National Reflection

Dear Zambians, where is our shame? This poignant question should resonate with each of us. It is a call to reflect on our values, our actions, and the kind of society we are building for future generations. Embracing the Room 18 Policy is not just about implementing strict measures; it is about initiating a broader cultural shift towards integrity, respect, and responsibility. Together, we can rebuild a society that cherishes and upholds the sanctity of the family unit.

By Chaliafya Katungula

By Field Ruwe EdD

This year, I was fortunate enough to witness the extraordinary achievements of graduating students during the 53rd commencement ceremony of the University of Zambia. The memorable event was made possible through an online live stream, graciously provided by a colleague based in Lusaka.

Witnessing the enthusiastic celebration of dedicated young men and women who had diligently fulfilled their educational aspirations was an immensely satisfying and sentimental encounter. I was reminded of Marx’s remark regarding a musical composition: "giving birth to a musical composition, putting it together, and perfecting it, is damned serious work.

As graduands brushed away the stress of years of hard work I worried that only a few were richly endowed mentally. The rest were not so well-read and intellectually-wired to turn university-derived lectures into industry.

A plethora of findings show that most African universities, including UNZA produce fewer than a third of baccalaureate degree recipients who are "proficient" in their field, and among them are the handful who graduate Summa Cum Laude (GPA 3.9-4.00 highest honor), Magna cum laude (GPA 3.7-3.8 great distinction), and Cum laude (3.5-3.6 distinction).

A considerable number of UNZA graduates across various fields possess only basic or intermediate levels of knowledge. While they excel in theoretical competence, a noteworthy number encounter challenges in effectively expressing themselves through academic oral and written channels. This limitation impedes their ability to showcase the profundity of the alumni impact in various sectors, industries, and communities at both national and global scale.

The inadequacy is apparent when numerous Zambian intellectuals, college students, government officials, and legislators (members of parliament) encounter information or engage in a discussion, review an article, or deal with an exploitative foreign investor or lender. Only a small number have the ability to engage in critical thinking, academic inquiry, and creative reflection on the reality of the Zambian society.

As the new graduates exited the stage, clutching their well-earned degrees, I was struck by the
magnitude of their accomplishment. Simultaneously, I couldn’t shake off a shiver that ran down
my back, as an intense feeling of déjà vu washed over me.

According to the University of Zambia’s website, a staggering 40,000 graduates have emerged since 1969, when the first graduation ceremony was held. No more striking proof could be found of the truth that past UNZA graduates have not demonstrated a proclivity for innovation unless,except under the tutelage of foreign nation builders, and among them the Chinese who have exerted a profound influence upon Zambians. This is due to the fact that they have been unable to devise a workable theory and an appropriate methodology to catapult Zambia towards the standards of a developed nation.

It is a distressing sentiment to think that the jubilant UNZA graduates I was watching were trapped in the same quagmire of unchanging mediocrity; that they too were improbable to construct a structure or blueprint for transformation; that, like their predecessors, they too lacked the ability to redefine the aspirations and goals of our nation.

I assert the above viewpoint based on my belief that the University of Zambia, as a tertiary institution, is responsible for the 40,000 graduates’ failure. UNZA, being the pioneer university in our nation, holds a similar position as Harvard. The students I watched graduate are no different from those at Harvard. Their genome is 99.9%. The same as that of Harvard students..

Yet, Harvard University plays a vital role in influencing global advancements with its significant findings, pioneering ideas, and revolutionary creations. Conversely, UNZA has not been successful in attaining notable achievements in terms of effective management, dedication to the well-being of underprivileged groups, and lacks the essential motivation to learn from successful peers.

Furthermore, the University of Zambia faces challenges with its academic framework.Consequently, UNZA graduates are unable to generate revolutionary breakthroughs, stimulate innovation in various sectors, and foster notable social and economic progress.

It comes to the fore that UNZA’s predicament began with the 1963 Lockwood Committee that recommended a curriculum centered on local needs and the addition of levels for first year baccalaureate students. Since then the university’s academic rigor continues to suffer due to limited progress in educational reforms.

Consequently, the outcomes anticipated from the implementation of various significant policies and acts have fallen short of the intended aspirations. Some of the acts, including the 1987 Act of the University of Zambia, the 1996 Policy Reforms on quality of education, and the 2013 Higher Education Act, have not met the expected goals of transforming UNZA into a prestigious educational institution, a repository of knowledge, and a hub for pioneering research efforts.

If the UNZA curriculum does not advance the frontier knowledge and make substantial contributions to the advancements in knowledge, industrial transformation, and positive societal and economic outcomes, then the blame rests squarely on each one of us who is responsible for its establishment.

If the University of Zambia administrators are incapable of executing reforms that can pinpoint extraordinary innovations and prompt narratives of creativity and progress, all while leveraging Zambia’s unique resourcefulness, then they do not possess the right to walk with their heads up.

If the 40,000 graduates from the University of Zambia have not been able to capitalize on Zambia’s abundant natural resources and utilize them to elevate Zambia to the status of a developed nation, then it is imperative for them to acknowledge their lack of vision and foresight.

And if the 2024 UNZA graduates I watched on graduation day embrace mediocrity, and overlook the cultivation of a wide range of intellectual, ethical, civic, and creative capacities in addition to the specialized skills necessary for achievement after graduation, then we might as well be the biblical cursed.

To this effect, the University of Zambia, in collaboration with its stakeholders, should remove levels from the curriculum before the admission of the next students. Additionally, the university should make concerted efforts to revolutionize the reading habits of incoming students. It is of utmost importance for students from various disciplines to view reading as an ongoing and invaluable endeavor in the quest for knowledge. A university of excellence is built upon the foundation of well-read intellectuals.

Once again congratulations to the Class of 2024. I wish you all the very best.Personal Note: No, I have not gone after the University of Zambia because I failed my GCE. I actually passed it. I possess a Form 5, Division 2 GCE. My decision to join Zambia Broadcasting Services straight from secondary school was solely motivated by personal aspirations and ambition.

The rights to this article belong to ZDI (Zambia Development Institute), a proposed US-based Zambian think tank. On May 19, 2022, a comprehensive proposal was delivered to President Hichilema through Principal Private Secretary Bradford Machila. Author Dr. Field Ruwe holds a Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership. He is affiliated with Northeastern University,Boston, MA. US.