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Dear Sir,
RE: LIES-A Response To Post Newspaper’s Editorial Comment-“WHY IS MMD OPPOSING SATA’S INDECO IDEA? PART V
They poor need education, finance and the conducive environment created by the developmental state to do the same as you have done. Please, do not attempt to destroy the bridge of escape just because you have crossed it. Leave the doors of opportunity open for others to enter.
Socialism Versus Capitalism
The debate about which system has the capacity and longevity to bring about economic growth and subsequently economic development has already been won. It is now established everywhere that market liberalization and the promotion of individual choices in a private sector led economic system is the way to go. The Socialist agenda which you fervently argued for is being abandoned everywhere throughout the world, even in Cuba, where you seem to draw a lot of inspiration from. I can assure you, that within the next decade, Cuba will probably be like China. A one party system presiding over a capitalist economy. The Developmental State, which you attempted to use in order to mitigate your ignorance on this subject, is successful only within the structures of an open economy, by which economic decisions are made on the basis of the price mechanism and not a social agenda. If you take empirical evidence on a continental basis, you will find that countries within the same continent have differing growth trajectories, depending on the level of economic freedoms and degree of private sector participation, depending on their adherence on the rule of law.
In Latin America for example, and considering data from only the last five years and projecting five years ahead, one can clearly see that those countries that have pursued free market economic policies and tend to be practical but not populist in nature, have experienced consistent economic expansion and redistribution of wealth. Such is the case with countries on the eastern side of the continent. These include Mexico, Columbia, Peru and Chile.
On the other hand, countries that have attempted to slow down the pace of liberalization, even turn towards socialism, have experienced slower growth and subsequently have had a smaller cake to share. The examples here are the countries on the eastern side of the continent in Venezuela, Brazil and Argentina. The countries in the first category are projected to grow twice as fast in 2014 as opposed to the increasingly closed economies that are pursuing populist agendas. In fact, there is social turmoil and protests currently taking place in Venezuela and Brazil.
Even in states, within countries such as India, empirical evidence indicates that states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka, which have adopted progressive open free market economies, have tended to do better than states that have adopted socialist inclined policies. States such as Utta Pradesh, Orissa and Bihar fall in the later category. As a keen follower of economic events through out the world, I recall that Rattin Tata’s ‘Nano Car’ the affordable Vehicle costing only US$2,000 was to be built, it had to move locations from one of the above socialist states to Gujarat due to the hostile nature of the politicians in that socialist enclave. Gujarat, subsequently gained Jobs, technologic transfer, technical skills and the multiplier effect of the Keynesian model of economic growth. The point being that the argument between socialism and capitalism has already been called, and the firm victor is the free market and private sector driven economies.
The Characteristics of the people entrusted to execute these ideas
Societies that have developed and advanced, both in the West and East, have heavily relied upon the institutionalization of value systems and principles that are both religious and ideological. Building long lasting institutions is what makes the difference between societies that easily crumble and collapse as opposed to those that withstand the eventual crisis and rebound to industrialize and advance. This is the major difference between South Korea and Zambia at Independence in 1964. We can explore this topic at another time. Societies or institutions that are built on the charismatic shifting whims of individuals, or their wealthy benefactors are always doomed to failure. This is like building a house on the sand, as the one and only Messianic saviour would say. There is only one Jesus of Nazareth and we are all still expecting him. I for one believe that he will come. The rest of us are just simple fallible human beings. The closer we become to Jesus, is when we recognize that we are nothing.
We must accept the responsibility and obligation that if we have been gifted and have had opportunities provided to us, that our role is to use those gifts and opportunities towards building institutions that are founded on values, procedures and principles that will outlive us. Great men such as Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Junior and the Mahatma (Ghandi) are giants because they attempted to teach principles and build institutional capacity. They did not claim to be Messiahs nor did they require that any one else should portray them as such.
In your editorial, you state the following;
Tomorrow’s Christians must follow the lead of Michael and KK, retracing the Christian roots that lie behind the moral values of solidarity and fraternity.
You proceed to espouse the following;
[The poor] must open their ears to those who can awaken and shape the conscious awareness of the masses and, in particular, listen to progressive politicians like Michael and the apostle of our independence struggle, KK.
Those of us, who stood up to defend KK’s contribution towards nation building when you and Michael Sata were pouring invectives on him, consider this paring as the ultimate insult. What Planet are you living on?
First of all and given what you have said about Mr Sata in your past editorials, prior to 2008, I find it hard to believe that you genuinely mean to equate the two. I therefore find it deceitful, unkind and an injustice of the highest order for you to equate Kenneth David Kaunda with Michael Sata. In accordance with your own venomous words against Mr Sata, in days past, there is absolutely no basis of comparison between the two. Whether we consider discipline, fortitude, moral integrity, honesty, ideological awareness, non ethnic inclination, etc. There is absolutely no basis of comparison.
In fact, it is KK who, not so long ago, once said that Michael Sata can not be entrusted with leading a country and that he needs someone to supervise him. KK knew him well and that is the reason why the highest position he gave Mr Michael Sata was Minister of State and never ever supported any of his bids for the presidency. Secondly, the words Solidarity, Fraternity and Progressive do not resonate with the name of Michael Sata. This is in accordance to your own editorial comments written on Mr Michael Sata over a period of almost 20 years of vile language assassinating the character of President Sata. The fact that he apologized to you has not in any way changed his character.
I would have very much liked to quote what you have previously written about President Sata, but due to space, subject matter and restraint, I will refrain. But if you push me, I will devote one whole letter to this subject and pay for it to appear in your newspaper as an advert. Try me. So, if like Paul on the way to Damascus, you have been smitten by the light and subsequently have had an epiphany over ‘Saint Michael’, please keep it to yourself. Quiet clearly, the rest of us have not had this transcendental, transformational and spiritual experience. In fact, the behaviour of President Sata, in the recent past is very worrying to most honest and discerning Zambians. He is dismissive of everybody who does not agree with him, which implies lack of respect for others; has not kept promises he made and constantly makes excuses for what he undertook to do; he is verbally abusive, confrontational and publicly demeans his own appointees and members of parliament. Clearly, he does not want to give us our promised constitution and is involved in mortal combat with certain chiefs and traditional authorities. So please, save us the evangelization according the epistles of ‘Stain M’membe’. We are not mindless children.
INDECO/IDC can not work because of ‘Saint Michael’
Let me now conclude by stating the obvious. “Sata’s INDECO Idea” can not work, primarily because of the perceived character of Michael Sata. The seeming character of our president is such that he has no respect for order, procedures, institutionalization and good corporate governance. I very much doubt that these tenants of a functional industrial estate can be successfully implemented under his Chairmanship of the Industrial Development Cooperation (IDC). Projects will be dreamed up and planned, not on the basis of economic due diligence but on some other grand populist considerations. The Board will probably be filled with cadre appointees or those who supported his bid for the presidency. The chances of these appointees having the necessary skills, technical competence and experience are highly doubtful. Some elements of tribalism and clan aristocracy (Family forest) will probably be the case.
The rest of us, ethnically non-compliant and politically on the wrong side will be shut out. The loans, if money will be found, will probably go to Patriotic Front supporters and funders of the Donchi-Kubeba. Chances are that all the ‘friends’ of the president, who may have their companies in financial trouble, will probably all be bailed out and rescued.
Once the money from the Privatisation Trust Fund has been exhausted, the IDC will most likely resort to borrowing and subsequently mortgaging the future of our country and our children. The IDC will begin to crowd out the private sector, further driving up the interest rates and creating the perfect conditions for inflationary pressure. I shudder to imagine where we will be after just another two (2) years and a half of the rebirth of ‘Sata’s INDECO Idea.’ I pray that people like you who have traction with Michael Sata will prevail upon him to stop this insane idea.
Conclusion
Half way though your editorial, of 8th January, you state the following:
The People are hungering for truth and justice, and those who are entrusted with the task of teaching and educating them should do so with enthusiasm. Certain erroneous viewpoints must be wiped away without delay.
It is my contention that your erroneous viewpoint must be wiped away from the minds of the Zambian people without delay. You have misled young people for far too long. Your editorials now pose a grave danger towards the promotion of honest intellectual discourse as well and retelling history as you would like it to be. Your attempt to revise history is totally shameful and should be discouraged by all proper thinking Zambians. Your attempt at quoting bible verses out of context and your over-zealousness at beatification of a living President Sata, is not only uncouth but frightful. Unless all the parameters that I have highlighted in the four parts of my letter on MMD’s opposition to the re-establishment of the IDC are dealt with, we, as the MMD, can firmly state that Sata’s IDECO idea will be another lamentable failure.
Once again, I thank you for taking time to read my letter to you. Please be assured that the last letter on “Sticking to the Corrupt”, editorial comment of Tuesday January 7th 2014 will soon be forwarded to you.
Sincerely
Muhabi Lungu
Concerned Private Citizen of the Republic
