HAABAZOKA CALLS FOR CAUTION OVER BAROTSELAND IMPASSE 

THE solution to these ongoing Barotseland issues is development and provision of jobs but since independence, politicians have lied to the people, used, and dumped them, Economist Lubinda Haabazoka has said.

Commenting on the issue, Dr. Haabazoka warned that talks over succession were treasonous in nature but that in this case, it was not possible to arrest the whole province as that may bring more civil unrest but that the only way out was to develop Western Province. 

“If you have been to Western Province, you would realise how hopeless people feel there. Roads leading to the province are dilapidated… the Mumbwa and Kazungula one. Poverty is evident in the eyes of the people. Despite commanding beautiful scenes such as the Zambezi River, there is nothing to write home about in Loziland.

“Western Province is not the only one that looks dead. Luapula is also a sorry site. Luapula though is much more developed than Western Province because Mansa for example, is much better than Mongu. Luapula also has very beautiful scenery. I Am not talking about Samfya. Just go to Nchelenge and see what beauty is. What we needed to do is to take advantage of these beautiful islands by opening up gambling cities, offshore banking areas and other attractions,” Dr. Haabazoka said. 

“The solution to these ongoing Barotseland issues is development and provision of jobs. Since independence, politicians have lied to the people, used them only to dump them. When citizens are well fed, they forget about politics but when people are hungry, they become too political,” he added

He advised those in Government to heal the nation.

“The path we are on is a dangerous one. Those that identify with the United Party for National Development (UPND) and those that identify with the Patriotic Front (PF) today have become like different tribes that hate each other. They don’t mix. They don’t drink together and definitely hate each other but these are Zambians and some are of the same tribe.

“This division we are sewing will hurt us one day. It is the duty of those in the Government to unite the country. How do you expect to develop Western Province when the people there don’t wanna work with you? How do you take development to Samfya when people from there are suspicious of you? The starting point to development is first uniting the nation. That’s why KK emphasised One Zambia One Nation,” he said.

He said appointments should also be regionally sensitive because the moment certain tribes felt marginalised, there would be a problem.

“Lozis, Tongas and others have felt this discrimination before. Others are probably feeling it now! Retaliation is not a solution because tit for tat will only hurt those with less numbers. Even in corporate governance, there is a principle to respect all shareholders whether minority or majority. That is the approach we should take.

“Let’s promote useful debates in the country. As we fight amongst each other, it’s the foreigners that benefit because they have eyes on the ball! Us it’s just delele as they eat T-bone and chips! Kaili we are preoccupied with trivial politics and stopping each other from becoming rich,” he said.