Firstly let me thank the Government for various efforts and loan facilities offloaded to Zambians, the most recent loan being given yesterday (17-11-22) to marketeers. However, I don’t believe most of us are living in poverty because there is no one to give us capital or any empowerment. Look at those who started receiving FISP when I was in grade one, they are the ones still complaining for not receiving enough fertilizer from government today.
For me there are three things that contribute to poverty among Zambians;
- We believe so much in jobs. I have seen a number of people closing up their companies where they would make at least K10, 000 monthly to go and take up a job giving them a K5, 000. Ideally most of us do not believe in the security of what we are doing and we would rather have someone else open the company and bear the risk of running the business and then employee us. Look at how many people left their good businesses to go and take up a nursing or teaching profession? Forget about passion to be a teacher, nurse, police, it is fear to run our own business.
- Good life before Dawn. Give a loan or financial support to someone who is seriously in need of capital, the first thing they will do is buy an IPHONE, gadgets etc. before they invest the money. When the business starts doing well, they will become bosses and start reporting for work at 10hrs and leave work to employees who have no vision for the business. Most of us when we have a k10, 000 at hand, we can insult anyone and we can do crazy things.
- Everyone wants to be a boss. Go around the country and see how many partnerships survive! Most partnership break because everyone wants to be called founder, boss, CEO etc. Cooperation among Zambians is a serious challenge
Unless the above issues are resolved, we will remain poor.
By; Winfred Mupakasi Silumbwe
