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Socialist SOCIALISTPARTY ISSUE 9, MARCH/APRIL 2021 A newsletter published by the , , FREE OF CHARGE

The 2021 elections give us a chance to change everything and build a more just and caring society

Some of the Socialist Party’s latest parliamentary candidates chosen to contest the August election, including Lindiwe Mawere, second left. More pictures, Page 6 Socialist Party

FRED M’MEMBE, incoming president, offers #realchange with makes history the Socialist Party’s 21-year-old is the youngest person to stand for Parliament policies based on jus- tice, equity and peace. Socialist staff reporter was committed to youth leadership. “The Socialist Party and our presi- The future Manifesto download dent has offered me this opportuni- details and info about THE SOCIALIST Party has ty. I don’t have money, I don’t even is not built made history by fielding the have a bicycle, but I’m standing as in the future, how to join the party youngest ever person to stand a parliamentary candidate. Leader- it is built on are on our back page for the Zambian Parliament. ship is not about money, leadership the threshold The Zambian constitution is about being near and necessary ‘ provides for its citizens to stand to one’s people. of what we do – Page 12 as parliamentary candidates “I urge all my fellow young today from the age of 21, and Lindiwe people in this country to support Mawere has been chosen to con- me in this struggle, to support our test Central constit- president and our party to ensure that we win the August 12 election. uency, Province. This is our only hope for a better Electoral Speaking at an adoption cer- future and for a better life. emony in Lusaka, Mawere said, “I am equal to the task. Chances “We young people have a duty to bribes of victory for me are there. I hope I make the real changes required by win the election.” our country. We can change things Mawere works as a hairdresser must and nobody will change anything in Kawambwa. A Grade 12 cer- for us. It has to be us ourselves. I tificate holder from Kawambwa’s have to play a role or else I’ll have not blind Ng’ona Secondary School, she will no future and no present. be among the Socialist Party’s 156 “Our president, Dr Fred parliamentary candidates to contest us to M’membe, has taught us that the the August general election. future is not built in the future, it The party has also adopted a is built on the threshold of what we 22-year-old. Mulenga Royda will reality do today. I’ve been selected by my contest constituency. people in Kawambwa to represent them in Parliament this year.” l Youth Day, Page 3; Walking – Page 5 Mawera said the Socialist Party the talk, candidates, Page 6 Lindiwe Mawere: I am equal to the task. I hope I win the election JUSTICE • EQUITY • PEACE SP does not INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY enter into alliances or make pacts We have explained our position so many times

Socialist staff reporter path to victory is filled of obstacles and challenges. We just need to find solutions and keep on struggling. THE ISSUE of the Social- “Lots of hard work and time need ist Party joining alliances or to be invested, nothing great ever SOCIALIST Party women were out and about in the run-up to, and Nawa Musole, Mongu Central parliamentary candidate; and Barbra pacts keeps on coming up. came that easily. A life of ignoble during, International Women’s Day discussing women’s rights and Chekuda Maramwidze, constituency parliamentary can- their role in political leadership. didate, are pictured as guests on Hot FM’s special women’s day We have explained and ex- ease, which springs merely from lack either of desire or of power to Rehoboth Kafwabulula, party national spokesperson; Christine programme on the topic #ChooseToChallenge. plained our position on this strive after great things, is as little issue but it comes up cease- worthy of a nation as of an indi- lessly, party president Fred vidual. It’s time to stand up for genuine change M’membe says. “The state of our country calls not “For us, it is not about quick for the life of ease, but for the life of cline of the against major strenuous endeavour. If we shrink AS ZAMBIA joined the rest Who ensures there’s water in the and easy political fixes just to currencies,” she said. “There has from the hard contests where we of the world in marking In- house? Who ensures kids go to enable us win elections. For us, also been corruption scandal after must win at hazard of our lives and ternational Women’s Day, the school, that the sick in the family there is no choice between being corruption scandal involving top at the risk of all we hold dear, then are taken care of?” principled and unelectable; and Socialist Party issued a call to officials of the land. the bolder and stronger will pass us Mpongo said Women’s Day electable and unprincipled. We women to stand up for genu- “This year, we mark Women’s by and will win for themselves the was an opportunity to recognise should win because of what we ine change. Day amidst news of the country’s domination of our country. the labour of Zambian women. believe in,” he said. Nancy Busiku Mpongo, So- richest becoming even richer “Let us therefore boldly face the “While the Zambian poor and cialist Party constitu- faster while the majority who are Dr M’membe said we lived in a life of strife, resolute to do our duty people are burdened with the ency secretary (pictured right), poor are becoming even poorer. complex era that required principles well, resolute to uphold righteous- country’s problems, Zambian more than ever. said that the overwhelming ma- “The majority of Zambians – women bear an additional burden. ness by word and by deed, resolute jority of Zambians had suffered “It requires a lot more aware- to be both honest and brave, to workers, farmers, unemployed, “They work so hard and give from poverty, hunger, unemploy- ness,” he said. “Political deals, alli- serve high ideals yet to use practical urban and rural poor – are suffer- so much of themselves, often ment, a lack of government sup- ances or pacts are worthless if they methods. ing. But the women who belong without recognition, rest, or re- port for farming, expensive social are not inspired by noble, selfless “Above all, let us shrink from to these sectors – the overwhelm- muneration. sentiments. Likewise, noble senti- no strife, moral or physical, pro- services, and repression of basic ing majority of Zambian women – “Let us recognise this added ments are worthless if they are not vided we are certain that the strife civil and political rights, for far are the ones who suffer the most. burden of women and commit to based on correct and fair arrange- is justified, for it is only through too long. shedding hours, a lack of water “Who is burdened with budget- reducing it.” ments. strife, through hard and danger- “Today, our situation has wors- services and proper sanitation, ing the little income for the day’s “We have chosen to defend cer- ous endeavour, that we shall ulti- ened even further with the high expensive health facilities amidst meals, if not with actually find- l It started with bread and tain principles that are of tremen- mately win.” price of foodstuffs, very long load a pandemic, and the steepest de- ing that income in the first place? peace, Page 4 dous value at a time of confusion and opportunism in our country, a time when many politicians are feathering their own nests. We will SP manifesto cooperate with other political play- M’membe: It is very dangerous to use ers to address problems which af- ‘resonates fect all of us, but we will not be part of these alliance circuses going on. the police as an extension of the party with people’s Tyrannical RECENTLY President made a remember that even for their own good, their if, individually and collectively, they resolved to aspirations’ very strange admission, or rather confession, fellow citizens in the police must be left to deal discharge their policing obligations without fear “Nobody should think that things Socialist Party president Fred M’membe says. with the maintenance of law and order in the or favour.” residents in Eastern are going to be easy. We must be He quotes President Lungu as saying, “The way they have been trained. It is very dangerous Dr M’membe said Dr Kenneth Kaunda gave Province have applauded the So- prepared to meet difficulties. We public confidence in the police service is low, for politicians in the governing party to control very good guidance on the issue. cialist Party manifesto, saying, “it have difficulties right now, and we and it is up to the police, themselves, to regain the police and make tem do their bidding. “First and foremost must come the quality of resonates with the aspirations of will have even greater ones in the that confidence by their actions. To this end, “In any country where law is deliberately impartial fair play for I do not wish my police- the people”. coming days, weeks and months, there is urgent need for the police service to twisted to entrap political opponents and in men to be partisans to the many political and Speaking to a Socialist Party even if we do things the right way address these public concerns if the people of which police officers act as an extension of the tribal feuds that may emerge in our country, as media team shortly after a party – and we should do them the right Zambia are to regain confidence in them.” ruling party cadres rather than impartial profes- has happened in others,” Dr M’membe quotes mobilisation meeting in Chief way – even if it calls for our great- Dr M’membe said that while it was very sional law enforcement officers, there can be Dr Kaunda as saying. Ndake area, Moses Lungu said the est efforts. difficult to disagree with what President Lungu nothing but tyranny and a mockery of justice. “The worst policeman so far as I am con- party’s manifesto was explicit in “We have to cope with the ob- was saying, there was one very serious omis- cerned is that man who will not admonish or ar- speaking to people’s challenges. jective problems of the situation sion: the cause of the loss of public confidence Impartial rest another because he is of the same tribe, race He said that for the first time prevailing in our country, the in- in the police in the first place. or political sympathy. Equally reprehensible is he had seen a political party with creasing number of restrictive and “It’s the abuse of the police by President “Let them continue abusing the police now, the policeman who will not do his duty for fear a manifesto that offered “so much repressive measures this corrupt, Lungu and his followers that has, more than but let them also remember that when they have that because he is of a different tribe, race or po- clarity” in speaking to the issues intolerant, cruel and tyrannical re- anything else, contributed to this state of af- left the pinnacle of power what may appear ac- litical feeling his deeds will be misunderstood. affecting the majority of Zambi- gime takes against us. fairs,” Dr M’membe said. “They have turned ceptable on others now may taste oppressive. In “If you should ever find yourselves in a posi- ans. “I have never before seen a tion of compromise against the principles of fair “Nothing great ever came easy; the police into a wing of the ruling party for other words, they should remember that while political party openly sharing hard use against the opposition and other dissenting today it is them at the giving end, tomorrow it play and impartiality, then be humble enough to nothing good ever came easy. The copies of its manifesto,” he said. voices. may well be them on the receiving end. seek God’s guidance because neither the present struggles, challenges, and obstacles Lungu said the manifesto com- “Nothing would be more dangerous than to “On the other hand, police officers would nor the future generation will forgive you for that it takes to succeed in life are mitments were very clear and confuse men and women who are responsible greatly help to evolve a fair and impartial betraying the many people who have died and what make success more valuable. would enable people to keep track for the maintenance of law and order in our police, defend the rule of law and constitu- suffered in the struggle to bring forth this inde- Nothing great comes easy, and of what had been achieved. country. tionalism and guarantee the success of our pendent land.” (Police Training School, Lilayi, nothing easy can ever equate to He challenged other political “Those in government, therefore, must multiparty political dispensation and pluralism, April 15, 1966). greatness.” parties to emulate the Socialist Dr M’membe said that working Party by producing hard copies hard on a goal was the only way to of their manifestos so Zambians achieve it. ‘Things are not OK. We are in need of real change’ could compare and make informed “The results won’t come over- SOCIALIST Party constituency coordi- Simbeya said Zambians had suffered for “Dr M’membe has a vision for this country, decisions. night, nor will they be easy. Aside nator Adamson Simbeya says the people of too long under the current government and and the Socialist Party has already shown Lungu said he was particularly from being patient, investing a lot Zambia cannot continue to live like slaves in its capitalist system of leadership. Zambians what it is capable of doing even impressed with the manifesto’s of time and effort is needed. It’s their own country. “For us here in Luangwa we really need before it has been voted into office,” he said. support of the education sector. true that nothing great ever came Simbeya told an SP media team in Feira change, things are not OK, the prices of Resident Maureen Miti said Simbeya cited the training of small-scale that easy. that this year was the time for real change goods are increasing every day,” he said. she was happy that the party had farmers on how to make organic fertiliser as “Often times, it would take so under the Socialist Party with the steward- Simbeya called on the people of Luangwa already started implementing ship of president Fred M’membe and first and Feira to vote for Dr M’membe and his an investment as an example of the Socialist programmes, such as the Fred much work, patience and dedica- vice-president Cosmas Musumali. visionary and pragmatic leadership. Party’s action. tion. And we shouldn’t give up. The M’membe Literacy Campaign. 2 Socialist Monthly, March/April 2021 Multiparty democracy ‘hanging by a thread’ in this environment

We must offer people ZAMBIA YOUTH DAY a peaceful route to the resolution of injustices

Socialist staff reporter Apathy could destroy our multi- party democracy. When the voter THERE is a need for those in turnout drops below 50 per cent, we government and those man- are in very serious danger. aging the electoral processes “The second thing that people can do is riot. Riot is an old-fash- to ensure that the August 12 ioned method for drawing the atten- elections are as free, fair and tion of those who govern to what is peaceful as possible, So- wrong, unacceptable. It is difficult cialist Party president Fred for those in government to admit it, M’membe says. but riots produce changes. “So far those in government “The 1988 mealie-meal riots have not created an environ- marked the beginning of the end ment where all can mobilise of Dr Kenneth Kaunda and UNIP’s freely, fairly and peacefully – reign. Zambia was never the same there is no level political play- after those riots. Ideas for change ing field,” he said. started to emerge. Riot has histori- THE SOCIALIST Party celebrated the an- and victory for ourselves. While others say but once they fix their target, there is no “I know that it sounds nega- cally played a much bigger part in nual Youth Day on March 12, saluting the to the youth, ‘Wait your turn’, the Socialist coming back. contribution of the nation’s young people to Party calls us to, ‘Take your turn now’.” “They are humble and kind, but they tive, but I have always thought it our politics since the first miners’ Zambian society. Party president Fred M’membe said he believe in power and ideologies. They are positive to say that the thing about riots of 1935, which started in Mu- The party’s Youth League said that while cherished his younger years. progressive and have the potential to bring multiparty democracy is that we fulira and quickly spread to times were hard for many of the country’s “They were years of heavy learning and a revolution. With their vigour and talent, can remove without bloodshed the in Kitwe and Antelope in Lu- young people, there was something to of doing. I joined the revolutionary struggle they build up society and inspire others to people who govern us. anshya, than we are ever allowed celebrate this year: a socialist victory in the during those years of my life. do the same. to know,” Dr M’membe said. August election. “If you are not revolutionary as a youth it “Youth is a remarkable and massive gift Rigged “We have on this youth day a renewed is highly unlikely that you will be revolution- of life. It is a lifetime experience that shapes “Thirdly, regionalism can arise. sense of optimism. We have this year ary in your later years,” he said. an individual,” Dr M’membe said. Regionalism is built out of frustra- the opportunity to rescue our futures, to “The youths are the strength of society. “We can get rid of a Lungu – the tion people feel when they cannot secure out futures. We have exhausted our They are the face of the future of a nation. l Above: Dr M’membe is pictured with party same way we got rid of a Kaunda, get their way through the ballot patience. There are five months between us The youths are impulsive and are sensitive, youngsters. Below: Youth Day activities. a Banda – by peaceful electoral processes, but that cannot be done box. With regionalism comes re- when electoral processes are ma- pression and all sorts of negative things. We need to prioritise employment, education nipulated, elections are rigged. “I hope that it is not pessimistic “We must ask what will hap- THERE are currently 3,491,404 robust employment strategy must – in my view it is not – to say that pen when people realise that they (male 1,744,843/female 1,746,561) include options and opportunities cannot get rid of those who gov- multiparty democracy hangs by a youths aged between 15 and 24, for all our young people. ern them through the ballot box thread in Zambia today. unemployed in Zambia, accounting “We need to start building pro- because the electoral processes “Unless we can offer people a for 20.03 per cent of its population. grammes that address the individ- are manipulated and elections are peaceful route to the resolution of Socialist Party president Fred ual and socioeconomic contexts in rigged. If people lose the power to injustices through the ballot box M’membe says “the active en- which our young people actually sack those who govern then one of they will not listen to the politi- gagement of youth in sustainable live, rather than simply repeating the several things happens. cians who have blocked off that development efforts is central to the skills-for-employability rheto- “First, people may just slope off. route.” achieving a sustainable, inclusive ric which supposes there are formal and stable nation, and to averting sector jobs available. the worst threats and challenges to “Equally, such programmes view ECZ revises the electoral calendar, sustainable development, includ- entrepreneurship practically, as a ing the impacts of climate change, part of livelihood strategy, rather delays presidential nomination unemployment, poverty, gender than through an ideological lens. inequality, conflict, and migration”. They believe young people can suc- THE ELECTORAL Commission of Zambia has revised the electoral “While all other areas of human school, and upper secondary enrol- (male: 23.6 per cent/female: 24.4 ceed in business but need support calendar, with the Presidential nomination pushed to between May 17 endeavour are important, if we don’t ment rates are low. Moreover, many per cent). Many of our young peo- and face risks.” and May 20 this year. The initial nomination calendar for Presidential nomination was prioritise education and employ- of the poorest 12- to 14-year-olds ple are in precarious or informal Dr M’membe said it was impor- between May 10 and 14. ment, very little will be achieved have never attended school, and work, and most of them are living tant to recognise that the flourishing Chief Electoral Officer Patrick Nshindano said the nomination had in improving the conditions of our many of the youth of the future are in poverty even though they are em- of youths was about more than suc- been delayed to ensure the exercise was conducted after the dissolu- young people. Education and em- still unable to obtain an acceptable ployed. cessful transitions to employment. tion of Parliament. ployment are fundamental to over- primary education. “The challenges of securing “Rather than focusing on narrow Other nominations are for the National Assembly of Zambia, which all youth development.” “In most of our rural areas, young and retaining decent work are measures of educational or employ- is set for May 17, while mayoral candidates and nominations for Dr M’membe said unacceptably women face particular challenges in even more serious and complex ment attainment, it is crucial that chairpersons will file on May 18. high numbers of young Zambians terms of securing and completing an for vulnerable and marginalised sufficient attention is paid to young Mr Nshindano also said ward council aspirants would file their were experiencing poor education education. Youth employment has youths, including young wom- people’s own accounts of what they nominations on May 19. He said the campaign period would start on and employment outcomes. worsened in recent years. en and youths with disabilities. value for their human development May 12 and end on August 11. Mr Nshindano has also announced that nomination fees for aspir- “In education, many youths of “Unemployment among youth While entrepreneurship offers op- and for the sustainable development ing candidates should be paid between May 1 and May 9. upper secondary age are out of aged 15 to 24 stands at 24 per cent portunities for some, a diverse and of their communities.” Constitutional Court ruling on grade 12 an ‘absurd result’ THERE’S a mushrooming kerfuffle Dr M’membe said the ruling seems to Dr M’membe said that ordinarily, such laws are fair. This grade 12 requirement, as with the grade 12 requirement could have over the grade 12 minimum academic have produced an absurd result. actions would be condemned as a usurpa- interpreted by the Constitutional Court, has been dealt with differently. qualification required by the Constitu- “The absurd result principle in statutory tion of the legislative role, an unconstitu- let people down. “The grade 12 require- “If there’s a deficiency of language – the tion for someone to qualify to stand as a interpretation provides an exception to the tional violation of the separation of powers. ment is perceived as outright unjust by the English language – the solution is not to councillor, member of parliament, coun- rule that a statute should be interpreted ac- “Even when a genuine question exists majority of the people. This is an outright bar those not proficient in English, but to cil chairperson, mayor and President. cording to its plain meaning. about the actual meaning of the statute’s case of utilising improper means for the allow them to use languages they are flu- “In an age of increasing debate about the words, it is generally considered to be ille- pursuit of an apparently legitimate goal. ent in. Other things they don’t understand Many people in our politics don’t seem proper approach to statutory interpretation, gitimate for a judge to make the choice be- It has generated requirements that do not – economics, law, security – can be taught to have it, Socialist Party president Fred and of increasing emphasis on literal ap- tween possible meanings on the basis that reflect the values of the underlying popu- to them as they perform their duties as M’membe says. proaches, the absurd result principle poses the real-life result of one meaning strikes lation. councillors, council chairpersons, mayors, “In the 2016 elections there was a looser intriguing challenges to literalism and to the judge as somehow objectionable. “Today individuals are facing legal pro- parliamentarians or presidents.” or more liberal interpretation of this consti- theories of interpretation generally. “The absurd result principle apparently hibitions that conflict with their sense of Dr M’membe said the constitutional pro- tutional requirement. It was easy to meet it. “The absurd result principle is extraor- gives that power and authority to a judge. justice or fairness. Unjust laws like these vision highlighted the class nature and elite “The recent Constitutional Court in- dinarily powerful. It authorises a judge Yet this principle enjoys almost universal can be opposed through protest. Social op- domination of Zambian society. terpretation has made it very difficult for to ignore a statute’s plain words in order endorsement, even by those who are the position to unjust laws may trigger social “This is why this year we need to usher in many people to meet the requirement. The to avoid the outcome those words would most critical of judicial discretion and most norms that can have countervailing effects a government of the humble, by the humble literal interpretation of this constitutional require in a particular situation. This is a insistent that the words of the statute are the on legal intervention.” for the humble – a socialist government. provision given by the Constitutional Court radical thing; judges are not supposed to only legitimate basis of interpretation. Dr M’membe said the inadequacies the Only under a socialist government can we doesn’t seem acceptable to many people.” rewrite laws.” “The law can only work for people when Constitutional Court was trying to address truly have justice, equity and peace.” Socialist Monthly, March/April 2021 3 INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

Socialist Party members out and about marking International Women’s Day including, (second photo, bottom left, left to right) parliamentary candidate for Matero constituency Barbra Chekuda Mara- mwidze, national party spokesperson Rehoboth Kafwabulula, and Mongu Central constituency parliamentary candidate Christine Musole It started with bread and peace Fred M’membe wasn’t formalised until a wartime colours of International Women’s bring to the world, their families Collectively, we can all help cre- more domestic chores and fam- Socialist Party president strike in 1917 when Russian wom- Day. “Purple signifies justice and and communities, highlighting ate an inclusive world.” ily care because of the pandemic, en demanded “bread and peace” – dignity. Green symbolises hope. positive role models and raising “Gender parity will not be at- which in turn, can impact upon job and four days into the women’s White represents purity, albeit a awareness of men’s wellbeing. tained for almost a century,” ac- and education opportunities. FOR MORE than a century strike the Tsar was forced to ab- controversial concept. The colours This year’s International Wom- cording to the International Wom- And as we marked International people around the world dicate and the provisional govern- originated from the Women’s So- en’s Day campaign chose the en’s Day campaign, referring to Women’s Day this year, we who have been marking March 8 ment granted women the right to cial and Political Union in the UK theme #ChooseToChallenge, with the World Economic Forum. It are seeking and struggling for a as a special day for women. vote. in 1908. the idea that a challenged world says, “None of us will see gender more just, fair, and humane soci- The date when the women’s Is there an International Men’s is an alert world and individually, parity in our lifetimes, and nor ety, a socialist Zambia, remem- Why? strike commenced on the Julian Day? There is indeed. It is on No- we’re all responsible for our own likely will many of our children.” bered that Lenin said the prole- International Women’s Day calendar, which was then in use in vember 19, but it has only been thoughts and actions. It has also recently been a very tariat cannot achieve final victory grew out of the labour movement Russia, was Sunday, February 23. marked since the 1990s and isn’t “We can all choose to chal- tough time, with data from UN until it has achieved the complete to become a recognised annual This day in the Gregorian calendar recognised by the United Nations. lenge and call out gender bias and Women revealing the coronavi- freedom of women. event by the United Nations. was March 8 – and that’s when it People celebrate it in more than inequality,” the campaign states. rus pandemic could wipe out 25 The seeds of it were planted is celebrated today. 80 countries worldwide. The day “We can all choose to seek out and years of increasing gender equal- l Remembering Rosa, Global in 1908, when 15,000 women Purple, green and white are the celebrates the positive value men celebrate women’s achievements. ity. Women are doing significantly View, Page 9 marched through New York City demanding shorter working hours, better pay, and the right to vote. It was the Socialist Party of America We thank Fred M’membe for his unwavering support that declared the first National Women’s Day, a year later. Christine Musole M’membe to the Central Committee and In the Socialist Party, we women have The idea to make the day in- adopted by it. He has closely guided the enjoyed great support, solidarity and en- couragement from Dr M’membe, helping ternational came from a woman implementation of the National Con- IN THE Socialist Party, International gress’s resolution on gender equity. And us to be where we are, both in the party called Clara Zetkin. She suggested Women’s Day is not only a day when we today, the Central Committee is com- and in national politics. Most of us are the the idea in 1910 at an International celebrate each other as women, but also posed of 50 percent women. product of his promotion and defence of Conference of Working Women a day for us to recognise comrades who We are also aware that Dr M’membe women’s rights. in Copenhagen. There were 100 have contributed towards the promotion has a long history of championing and Most of our young women in the women there, from 17 countries, and defence of women’s rights. defending women and their causes. party were discovered and nurtured by and they agreed with her sugges- We firmly acknowledge that the strug- In the early days of the Weekly Post Dr M’membe. He identified our national spokesperson, Rehoboth Kafwabulula, at tion unanimously. gle to fight patriarchy and achieve gender newspaper, he worked very closely with equity is one that should be driven by all Laura Harrison to defend and champion the age of 17. He and the Socialist Party It was first celebrated in 1911, people, regardless of their gender. women’s causes. He also worked very have supported her and many young in Austria, Denmark, Germany, This year, we choose to celebrate, closely with Lucy Sichone, promoting and women, such as Nancy Busiku Mpongo, and Switzerland. among others, our party president Dr defending her at every turn. He further Socialist Party Mongu Central constitu- Rachael Chimodzi Zulu, and Mable ency parliamentary candidate Christine This year we technically cel- worked very closely with Emily Sikazwe Tabaaka. Countless others have also Fred M’membe, for his unwavering sup- Musole on Diamond TV discussing received his support. ebrated the 110th International port for and contribution to the visibility at Women for Change, developing very “women and youth leadership” Women’s Day. of women in our party and multiparty strong bonds of friendship that extended In addition, Dr M’membe’s writings on Things were made official in dispensation. to family ties, where today the two are as finance was a woman, and the marketing women’s issues – as well as their backing and defence – are well documented. 1975 when the United Nations In a highly patriarchal society domi- brother and sister. manager was a woman. Nearly all key po- nated by male chauvinism, it hasn’t Dr M’membe is also a friend to many sitions at The Post were held by women. We have no doubt that with him as started celebrating the day. been easy to advance the Socialist Party Catholic nuns in Zambia and has support- The current Vice-President of the president of the Republic of Zambia, the International Women’s Day has National Congress’s resolution of fielding ed their work in various ways. There are Republic of Zambia, Madam , position of women will certainly change become a date to celebrate how far not less than 50 percent women at both also many chieftaincies in this country would probably not have been where she for the better. women have come in society, in local and parliamentary levels for the who count on Dr M’membe as a reliable is today without Dr M’membe’s support We, the women in the Socialist politics, and in economics, while August 2021 elections. Dr M’membe has, friend and ally. in all sorts of ways. He has been a great Party, believe that Zambia has no better the political roots of the day mean however, demonstrated leadership saying When he was editing The Post newspa- friend and supporter of Sylvia Masebo. He supporter of women’s rights than Dr strikes and protests are organised the resolutions of the congress must be per, Dr M’membe supported and defended worked closely with M’membe. With a leader like this, we have implemented in every province and at women’s rights and their struggles in so and earned her great confidence. He has no doubt that we will make progress as to raise awareness of continued every level. many ways. Women dominated the last also been a great friend and supporter women on many fronts, including produc- inequality. Today as a party, we can proudly Post management. The deputy managing of Dr . Many, many ing a female president, and breaking the Clara’s idea for an International reveal that the adoption of women so far director was a woman, the managing edi- women in our politics have enjoyed Dr chains of patriarchy that are embedded in Women’s Day had no fixed date. It is the result of proposals pushed by Dr tor was a woman, the general manager of M’membe’s help. our society. JUSTICE • EQUITY • PEACE

4 Socialist Monthly, March/April 2021 REFLECTIONS Fred M’membe

Socialist Party presi- dent Fred M’membe: SP ‘will set up a I can’t imagine life without reading national airline after 3 or 4 years’ It will be key pillar of country’s transport and logistics matrix

Socialist staff reporter “We also need a number of avia- tion schools in the country. These will produce the required pilots, THE SOCIALIST Party has of secondary, knock-on effects. The need to flight/cabin attendants and other bribe implies the need to raise money. This may Electoral bribes musn’t been asked if it will set up a airline personnel. The Zambia Air take place by corrupt means, or may produce national airline when it is in blind us to the reality financial and/or political debts, which corrupt the Services Training Institute has behaviour of politicians when in office. It may power, and the answer is not seen better days and will need a ALL OF a sudden the and its gov- be a way in which people outside the political if, but when, Cosmas Mu- complete overhaul. With the re- ernment have so much money to throw around process, whether legitimate businessmen or sumali, Socialist Party gen- quired human capital in place, we to the Zambian voters. criminals, such as gangsters and drug-barons can then confidently start tackling Where is this money coming from in a govern- nowadays, seek to control it. eral secretary and first vice- other critical areas. ment that is embarrassingly failing to meet its If pursued on a vast scale, bribery may have president has said. “The setting up of a national debt-servicing obligations? unfortunate political consequences by danger- Dr Musumali said that despite And why this sudden benevolence? All of a ously expanding credit. Moreover, if bribery airline will precede most of the sudden people are being given all sorts of hand- is prevalent in elections, this will affect the the difficulties the industry was outlined social capital forma- outs and gifts. What has happened? perception of politics both by office-seekers and facing worldwide, the aviation tion. However, the airline’s sus- It’s not what has happened that we should those who elect them. Office-seekers may come sector would be a key pillar of tainability will depend on the set our eyes and ears on, but what is going to to despise the venality of an electorate, which the transport and logistics matrix human, infrastructural and organ- happen on August 12 that we should focus on. may, unknown to it, be exercising a considerable Cosmas Musumali: It’s a matter of a socialist Zambia. of when, not if isational capacities being built.” They are trying to buy our votes with money and degree of independent judgement; the electorate Dr Musumali said that despite “gifts”. But are we so gullible? Can these bribes for its part may deduce from the bribes that it “When you are a land-linked aviation training schools are all the slow down in aviation busi- blind us from seeing reality and make us vote for is offered, that those pursuing public office are country and seriously intend to prerequisites for success.” ness due to COVID-19, the medi- them despite the enormous damage they caused merely self-seekers who are not concerned with build an equitable and viable 21st He said Zambia was “at the tail- um- and long-term prospects were to our country? Are these really people we can the general interest of the public. century economy, the minute de- end” of both regional and global trust to continue presiding over our destiny? Our This is the reality we have to confront as we huge. tails of aviation, as well as the big- standards in all areas of aviation. country is broke because of the reckless way head towards August 12. “Our economy will increasingly ger picture of logistics and trans- “Years of neglect, sheer incom- they have been spending public funds. depend on aviation. There will portation, must be on your radar. petence and short-term thinking Something in the way that they have been be more air traffic into and out of handling public money isn’t working. Our issue “We are cognizant of the ne- have all worked against the avia- What books I read is a Zambia over the next 50 years. Air isn’t just that our country doesn’t have enough cessity of an interlinked and op- tion sector. The ongoing construc- traffic between Lusaka and other money, but that when we have the money, they story without an end timised transportation network tion of new airports in Lusaka, cities, as well as between major spend it recklessly. And they spend it on any- serving our domestic, regional and the Copperbelt and a few other thing. Truly, 99 per cent of the troubles that we I HAVE been asked about what I read and what I towns and foreign destinations, international passenger and cargo areas, is just a drop in the ocean. as a nation have with money isn’t that there isn’t am reading right now. Here is my brief response. will also increase. needs,” he said. We therefore have to take an ag- enough of it, but that we spend it recklessly once From the time I was able to read, I have read “To nurture and safeguard these “Currently, the interface be- gressive but long-term view of the we actually get it. as many books as I could, and it pains me a developments, a national airline is tween rail, road, maritime and sector. What prompts a voter in Zambia to cast her lot that I don’t spend more time reading. I can’t a critical factor. The development or his ballot in favour of a candidate or political imagine life without reading. It’s sad I can’t aviation platforms is extremely significance of a national airline party? Typically, the choice would be influenced spend my life reading and studying. poor. Our socialist government Skilled by the candidate’s identity, outlook, performance I have read all kinds of literature. What I liked will literally have to define and set goes beyond its profitability. It or ethnicity. best of the first things I read were books of his- up interfaces that are nonexistent “For a start, we need at least creates and supports an economic Cash bribes to voters are also widely thought tory: the history of Zambia, African history, and today. This is both a challenge and three universities with a bias in environment that is central to de- to influence the voting choices of the poorest world history. an opportunity.” aerospace engineering and sci- velopment.” and most vulnerable voters. I have read a lot about the Bantu and their Dr Musumali said it was impor- ences. Without the appropriate Dr Musumali said the only ques- Trying to buy votes with cash and other gifts migrations. I have read all the writings on the tion was when the national airline in the run-up to elections by the ruling party tant to remember that the aviation engineers, technologists, mechan- Bemba people that I could lay my hands on. I sector consisted of more than just ics, air traffic controllers, airport could be up and running. “Given is not unusual in Zambia. One main reason is have enjoyed reading the heroic history of the the presence of a national airline. designers, fire fighters, security what must be put in place, we reck- that politics has become fiercely competitive. Ngoni people and warriors, especially their The margins of victory are getting smaller and “Airports, a diversity of airlines, on it will take about three to four resistance to colonialism. I have also spent a lot specialists, operations managers smaller. years of systematic work after we of time on Lozi history. repair and maintenance services, and many other skilled personnel Our elections have also become volatile. Our I like reading biographies, and I think I have an ICT backbone and first-class we will not make much progress. get into power to set it up.” ruling parties do not control voters as well as read all the classical biographies. Naturally, the they might once have done. Our ruling parties Bible is one of the classical works I read. Anyone and candidates are more uncertain about results than ever before, and try to buy votes by splurg- who analyses the way I speak or write will find ing cash on voters. that I use a lot of biblical terms. I was in Catholic M’membe: I believe in press But our national experience is that bribing schools for 12 years, with the Capuchin Fathers, voters in general elections may not necessarily the Irish Christian Brothers, and the Sacred fetch votes. It works much more in by-elections, Heart Brothers. freedom, no ifs or buts . . . but not in general elections. I read many novels when I was in junior secondary school – James Hadley Chase, Nicky Competitive elections prompt the ruling party THE PRESIDENT of our republic says he is “a firm disapprove of its consequences. Without the freedom to distribute handouts – primarily cash and gifts Carter, Allister Maclean and so on and so forth. I in kind – for strategic reasons. While knowing have also enjoyed reading African writers series believer in press freedom”, but . . . to think, say, write, publish, read, hear, love and hate that handouts are largely inefficient, they end – Chinua Achebe, Ngugi Wa Thiogo, Sonyika. “Everybody in our public life claims to believe in what we choose, other freedoms would be impossible up facing a prisoner’s dilemma, when each pris- Then there’s political literature. I began to dip press freedom. And the mantra of the moment seems to to imagine. Freedom of the press remains the only hope oner’s fate relies on the other’s actions. into political literature as a student at the Univer- be, ‘Of course I believe in a free press, but . . . and the we have of knowing anything. A free press, in all its But as we saw in 2011, cash handouts and sity of Zambia. I was greatly attracted to Marx, ‘buts’ are getting bigger. ‘But’, they insist, there must be forms is the lifeblood of a free society and a vital citi- other gifts influenced a miniscule number of vot- Engels and Lenin. I read a lot about all of them. tougher press regulation,” Socialist Party president Fred zenry.” ers. ’s “Don’t Kubeba” worked. The My spirit became fertile ground for Marxist- M’membe has said. Dr M’membe said the suppression of a free press had voters have become astute, having realised that Leninist ideas. I am always reading. I read the “Let me, then, try to enter into the spirit of the age. always been the early hallmark of dictatorship. it was near-impossible for candidates and their Qur’an a lot. It has a lot of great teachings. I, too, believe in press freedom. I am a man of the Left “So yes, I believe absolutely in the principle of a political parties to “monitor” their voting behav- It’s hardly necessary to mention that I have free press. And yes, it is clear that the exercise of that iour. So they pocketed the cash and betrayed who cut his journalistic teeth writing for and editing read many books about revolutions and wars. revolutionary publications. freedom can cause plenty of trouble for people. Nobody even the most generous candidate. I think I have read all the English books on the “As the young Karl Marx described it in his first should be naive or complacent about the problems of But there seems to be an overwhelming belief French Revolution, the Bolshevik Revolution, the in our ruling parties that they can buy votes of Haitian Revolution, the Chinese Revolution, the newspaper articles arguing against Prussian state cen- journalistic standards today. Nor should we try to take a poor people. That’s why they bribe voters. Cuban Revolution, and the Bolivarian Venezuela sorship in the 1840s, a free press was seen as ‘the em- morally neutral view of an irresponsible press. Bribing voters could have a cultural expla- Revolution. bodiment of a people’s faith in itself, the eloquent link “But the far more important point is that freedom of nation. There’s a feeling that our poor voters I have paid a lot of attention to economic writ- that connects the individual with the state and the world, the press is always a messy affair. It means allowing appreciate wealthy or generous candidates. And ing and problems. I try to follow what children the embodied culture that transforms the material strug- others the freedom to publish things that we may not that in a highly unequal society, cash bribes and are learning in primary and secondary schools. gles into intellectual struggles’. want to see. gifts create a sense of reciprocity. We have a In a word, I can say I read everything or “A free press must be one that is free, not from being long history of patronage politics. “But I also believe that freedom is inevitably a messy anything I can lay my hands on. I try very hard to Our voters have been made to expect feasts or business. It is not a privilege to be handed out only to judged or subjected to normal criminal law, but from read as much as I can about things I detest or do handouts from candidates – tulyemo! Our elec- those who meet your moral standards. The fact that being restrained or punished on the grounds of taste or toral politics are increasingly being articulated in not agree with. I learn more from this. some journalists and publications might choose to mis- ‘decency’ or offended feelings or outraged sensibilities. the traditional idiom of patronage. The donor- Right now, among other things, I am reading a use and even ‘abuse’ their ‘vital rights’ is no reason to The misuse of our freedom by some is not an excuse for servant relation is increasingly becoming the book by Daniel Posner – Institutions and Ethnic try to limit or restrain press freedom. To seek to sanitise allowing the authorities to misappropriate it. Politics in Africa. basic formula through which people exchanged press freedom is to risk killing it. “Press freedom is not something to be rationed out things, exercised power and related socially. I am very fortunate to have a cousin who is a brilliant history lecturer and researcher – Dr “A ‘bad’, ‘toxic’ and ‘unethical’ press that is free will like charity, to only the most ‘deserving’ cases. A right In specific historical contexts bribery may always be better than a ‘good’, ‘clean’ and ‘pure’ press is a right, and it is not limited by any incumbent respon- make elections less predictable, dissolving the Sishuwa Sishuwa. He is my tireless supplier of sibilities. Of course any good journalist should be pre- existing ties by which the electorate is already very good reading material. that is not free, if we want to stand a chance of getting bound to those seeking office, rather than rein- This story doesn’t seem to have an end, I close to the truth. pared to stand up and take responsibility for what they forcing them. could go on and on. But for today, let me end it “But me, no ‘buts’ about press freedom, please. Press write, and for the methods they use to get that story. But Bribery may be considered an evil because here. freedom is not some fluffy but impractical ideal, like the wish to see responsible journalism cannot be used to ‘free love’, to be butted out of existence by those who trample on the freedom of others.” Socialist Monthly, March/April 2021 5 PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES ‘No big fish’ people’s representatives set a new path for Zambia Musumali: We walk the talk over equity PEOPLE’S representatives in l The adoptees are: Roydah Mu- things that you can’t do for your- the Socialist Party aren’t there lenga Chongo (Kaputa), Mark self, no one can do for you.” because of the size of their Mpundu (), Marian Chisela pockets. They “go with truth, (), Twiza Sikazwe (Mpu- Paul Chilenga lungu), Mavis Mutale (), genuine, justifiable people’s Judith Ngo’nga (Chimbamilonga), PAUL Chilenga is parliamentary representation”, general sec- Lindiwe Mawere (Kawambwa), candidate for Kapiri Mposhi con- retary and first vice-president Paul Davis Musenge (), stituency and has a diploma in Cosmas Musumali told his au- Lukas Mwansa (Lunga), Jacob development studies as well as a dience at a presentation of new Chimfutwe (), Juliet bachelor’s degree in business ad- parliamentary candidates. Nalwimba (), Morris Nkata ministration from Bugema Uni- versity in Kampala, Uganda. He Dr Musumali presented 37 can- (Chama South), Pastor Jack Yobe joined the Socialist Party after re- didates as well as a nomination (), Ben Malupande (Chon- gwe), Morris Njepa (Chilanga), turning to Zambia in 2018. for Kitwe mayor at Kingfisher Chilenga said he joined the party Garden Court in Lusaka. Eviness Chipatika (Choma), Beck- ham Mudenda (Magoye), Samp- because of its “people-centric” “We have Northern Province giv- son Siabwengo (Gwembe), Wil- policies as well as its principles of ing us seven today, Luapula three, lies Michel (Moomba), Melody humility and servitude, “which is Lusaka three, Southern six, North- a rarity in Zambia, Africa and the Buumba (Mbabala), Margaret Western three, Central one, Much- world at large”. Moono (Monze Central), Espina inga two, Eastern six, Western three He said youth unemployment Chulu (Solwezi East), Chishimba and the Copperbelt three,” Dr Mu- was a major issue in his constitu- Kapungwe (Mkushi North), Amos sumali said. ency. “Working together with the Wambili (Solwezi West), Kevin “Out of the three from the Cop- youth we will create small indus- (), Fridah Mbe- perbelt, we have a mayoral candi- trial hubs for food processing, date for Kitwe. In the next weeks, we (), Dominic Mbewe environmentally sustainable proj- we’ll wind up with the adoption of (), Marie Jesy Banda (Lun- ects, and promotion of the arts as a the MPs and also adopt mayors. All dazi), Learmore Lungu (Nyimba), means of survival.” those from the bigger towns will Nkhumbwiza Banda (), Lack of clean and safe drinking be done centrally and then the rest Mathews Mwale (Milanzi), Ker- water and insufficient schools and will be decentralised, especially for ryne Kampinda (Wusakile), Joyce health facilities were also pressing council chairpersons,” he said. Mubanga (for Kitwe mayor), Den- issues, especially in the rural com- Dr Musumali said the party nis Mulenga (), Lubasi munities. “With heavy involve- pledged equity and “we are walking Liuma (Sesheke), Sharon Sinonge ment of the various communities the talk”. (Mulobezi), and Lubinda Silishebo we will work towards building “We are also committed to the (Nalikwanda). these facilities close to where peo- youth because they are the majority ple live to alleviate the problem of of the population. Among the can- them having to walk long distanc- didates today, we have eight below PROFILES es,” he said. the age of 30. This is history in the Chilenga said the Socialist Party making.” Peter Banda was unlike any other, with most Two of the adoptees are just 21 political parties preaching but and 22, both female, and Dr Mu- PETER Whyson Banda is the par- failing to practise. “The Social- sumali said a range of humble oc- liamentary candidate for ist Party is one that Zambians can cupations were represented. He said constituency. comfortably call their own,” he Lindiwe Mawere, 21, for Kawamb- He went to Mlela and Kaulu said. “So I would like to urge every Some of the latest people’s representatives adopted to stand for parliament in the August election wa Central constituency, was a hair- schools in Sinda and Petauke dis- well-meaning Zambian to join this dresser, and 39-year-old Lubinda tricts of Eastern Province before revolutionary movement to create for the region and nation, and yet tality industry and as a teacher. had failed to run the country in the Silishebo, for Nalikwanda, was a going on to gain a pre-school di- a better Zambia for generations to no attention has been given to help Hamayobe says she went into poli- interests of the majority. female bricklayer. ploma at Chipata Skills Training come.” peasant farmers graduate to com- tics “to join the many Zambians “People need to know that under “We have a young comrade Institute. mercial farming. Only when we who believe in and are driving this the Socialist Party, the people will who sells tomatoes and about three He said he was attracted to the Michael Chimponda have the right agricultural policies progressive movement”. govern for themselves. trained teachers who are unem- Socialist Party because of the will we see the area realise its full “The Socialist Party believes in “To my fellow women: I encour- ployed and sustaining themselves “humble and honest” leadership MICHAEL Bwalya Chimponda potential.” collective governance where all age you to join the revolutionary through peasant farming. None of of Fred M’membe. “We are lack- is the parliamentary candidate for He said healthcare was another members and communities are in- movement now because it is our these comrades can be called a big ing a good leader in Zambia and it Lubansenshi constituency, and pressing issue. “When I see a volved in decision-making, mean- time to liberate ourselves from the fish. It’s not the big fish who needs is good that we have found him,” says it was his childhood dream pregnant woman covering 20km ing power belongs to people,” she stress we encounter every day in change,” Dr Musumali said. he said, adding that he knew Dr to eventually play a part in revolu- or more just to access maternity said. “It has given us an opportuni- order to feed our families. Women “It’s not the elite of this country M’membe to have leadership skills tionary politics. services my heart bleeds,” he said. ty as ordinary people to participate are key to national development.” who seek better lives for themselves from his days on The Post news- “My decision to be a part of the “Poverty levels, especially in rural in a politics that makes a difference and their children. The poor have paper. revolutionary movement stems areas, make it feel like it’s the end to the lives of poor and disadvan- Kenmax Hamoonga been betrayed for too long and in Banda said key socialist policy from my childhood, right back to of the world. I see families going taged people.” the Socialist Party they are standing areas included providing free edu- grade two,” he said. two or three days without a proper She said constituency issues in- KENMAX Hamoonga describes up and saying enough is enough. cation from grade one up to univer- “I chose to make a difference in meal and I break down in tears. cluded youth unemployment and a his Dundumwenzi constituency as They want to lead themselves.” sity level, creating jobs, and put- the way the leadership and gover- “The solution to all these, and lack of infrastructure. “long suffering” and says the So- He said the poor wanted to be ting in place a financial system that nance of the nation was looked at many more, local problems is to let ”Despite Siavonga being a tour- cialist Party has the answers to its part of the change process that was supported the working masses. and struggled to co-exist with other the people govern with me as their ist attraction there is no proper problems. going to take place in the country in He said pressing issues in his political parties, yet their agendas leader. Together we will change the infrastructure, no proper road net- “I joined the party because of August this year. constituency included a lack of have all been totally different, until narrative,” he said. work linking producers and con- my passion to struggle for equity, “The Zambian Parliament will dams, inadequate healthcare facili- the Socialist Party came to light. sumers. Marketeers are subjected justice and peace, and a better Dun- never be the same with this crop of ties and poor roads. Now I feel we are pursuing a com- Phides Hamayobe to harsh weather conditions, yet dumwenzi and Zambia,” he said. “I people. The time for the suffering “My message to the people of mon goal with a common agenda to they form part of a group that ac- love my country and want to rep- masses to delegate political power Kapoche constituency and Zambia help the masses, poor Zambians.” PHIDES Hamayobe, parliamenta- counts for the economic develop- resent the voiceless to address the is gone,” Dr Musumali said. at large is: let’s join this party and Chimponda said major issues ry candidate for Siavonga constitu- ment and growth of Siavonga. everyday challenges they face and “Zambia is entering a new phase, work together with the socialist were expensive education with low ency, attended Mazabuka primary They need proper shelter.” bridge the gap between rich and it is a new challenge, but full of government. Let’s put our hands standards and agriculture. “With and Rusangu secondary schools Hamayobe said the country poor. hope. We are setting a path for the together and develop our country proper leadership Lubansenshi before employment as an account- needed to turn its back on selfish, “Our main struggles in Dun- rest of Africa and humanity.” because, as our president says, constituency can be a food basket ing clerk, working in the hospi- greedy and corrupt leaders who dumwenzi include, but are not JUSTICE • EQUITY • PEACE

6 Socialist Monthly, March/April 2021 Barbra Maramwidze Mirriam Kapenda Musoka Hastings Felistus Kuku Peter Banda Ruth Luapula

Juliet Mwape Kenmax Hamoonga Michael Chimponda Mumembe Nyambe Paul Chilenga Phides Hamayobe

limited to, bad roads, poor health- “The road network is poor, as “There is a lack of empower- said. “Provide quality education “The party has a clear jobs strat- “The Socialist Party is the only care and education facilities. The is water and sanitation,” she said. ment for the youth and women in for every child and set up recre- egy that is aligned with three key one with the ideology to be able to Socialist Party, through it’s three “Healthcare is bad and there are the district and I intend to work ational centres.” programme areas; health, educa- help women, including supporting key programmes – health, educa- high levels of poverty, with early hard to form cooperatives and lob- Luapula said that with Socialist tion and agriculture.” marketeers to be members of par- tion and agriculture – is committed marriages the talk of the day. by for funds from the central gov- Party support women could make Maramwidze said her message liament.” to creating jobs as well as ensuring “I am a born and bread of Liuwa ernment and well wishers to fund a huge contribution to Zambia’s fu- to the Zambian people was that She said clean drinking water, access to quality clean water and constituency and I face the same projects. ture, “So let’s join hands and make the time had come for change. “It’s education, poor road networks, and sanitation for all,” he said. challenges that my fellow youths “Let’s vote for the Socialist a difference by participating.” about time we changed the way we employment were major issues in Hamoonga completed Grade 12 and parents do. Party under the leadership of Fred live, the way we think and the way her constituency. at Canisius Secondary School. He “It is time for a revolutionary M’membe for real change and bet- Barbra Maramwidze we vote. Let’s say no to oppres- “The Socialist Party is the only studied for a diploma in commu- movement, and the Socialist Party ter living,” Kuku said. “And wom- sion, no to exploitation. solution to the challenges we are nity development at Monze Com- is the way to go because of its val- en: let’s wake up and turn up in SOCIALIST Party parliamentary “My message to female voters facing because education will be munity Development College, and ues of honesty, humility, solidarity good numbers to vote and support candidate for Matero constituency is: let us for once stand together free for all up to university level, for a secondary education diploma and an equitable life.” the party.” Barbra Chekuda Maramwidze is an and support each other.” there will be universal access to at University. entrepreneur, qualified accountant, healthcare services, and agricultur- He has worked as a community Felistus Kuku Ruth Luapula and actress by profession. Juliet Mwape al diversification will provide more development facilitator with World “I joined SP because I am tired food for our country.” Vision Zambia for 18 years. FELISTUS Kuku is the parliamen- RUTH Luapula is the parliamen- of complaining about issues and JULIET Mwape is the parliamenta- tary candidate for con- tary candidate for Chililabombwe have decided to stand up and be a ry candidate for constitu- Mumembe Nyambe Musoka Hastings stituency. and was educated in the constitu- part of much-needed change”, she ency. Born in district, she Kuku attended Mapachi primary ency before obtaining a certificate said. went to Ntatumbila primary and MUMEMBE Musweu Nyambe, MUSOKA Hastings, parliamentary and Nkulwashi basic schools, go- in occupational health and safety at “The key pressing issues in my Mwenzo girls’ secondary schools. parliamentary candidate for the candidate for Zambezi West con- ing on to complete GCE exams at the University of Zambia. constituency include sanitation, Mwape has a diploma in modern Lwena constituency, was born in stituency, hails from Sefu village, Kabompo secondary and Kabu- She says she joined the revo- lack of water, bad road infrastruc- management and administration Mongu district and attended Ma- Northwestern Province. He attend- lamema day schools. lutionary movement because the ture with many impassable, lack of from Cambridge International Col- lengwa primary and Lukona high ed Nyathanda basic and Sanjongo She said she had joined the So- country needs change. “Socialism proper drainage systems, blocked lege, and is currently pursuing a schools. secondary schools and has worked cialist Party because she wanted to is the way to go in this revolution,” sewers, multiple leaks leading to bachelor’s degree in public admin- She studied accounting at ZCAS as a teacher at Lindumbi Primary work for the people to help address she said. bad smells, and high levels of un- istration at the University of Africa. and NIPA colleges and has worked School for six years. some of the challenges affecting Lupaula said hardships in her employment among young people. Her jobs have included clerk of for Adolescent Reproductive Health Hastings said he joined the So- development in the district. constituency included unemploy- There are so many youths wasting works at the economic expansion Advocates as a logistics officer in cialist Party because of its ideology “The township roads are in a bad ment, poor roads, education, teen- on the streets despite having good in outlying areas programme, sec- Kaoma district, and assistant ac- and manifesto. “It is the best for the state,” she said. “I will work with age pregnancies and early mar- qualifications. retary to Chinsali District Council, countant in Mongu. poor masses,” he said. “I live with the local council to use part of the riages. “The Socialist Party has a com- and administrative assistant at the Nyambe said Zambia needed to my people and I know their every- CDF to improve them.” She said she’d like to see em- prehensive manifesto that guides National Assembly of Zambia vote out capitalism and replace it day hectic struggles. Only social- There was also a lack of elec- ployment contracts currently given us on how we will address the Mwape said she joined the So- with a socialist agenda because if ism will get us out of the misery, tricity in the Kabulamema and to foreigners and people from out- challenges in my constituency cialist Party because of its values it continued on the capitalist path the anguish, the poverty we face Chikenge areas of Kabompo. “I side the constituency given to local and across the country. Key pro- – justice, equity and peace – and of greed, corruption, individualism every day. will engage the rural electrifica- people. grammes include education, health its support for women’s liberation. and unbridled competition, Zambia “The roads in my constituency tion authority through the govern- “Also give road projects to local and agriculture. The manifesto also “The current situation in our “would perish”. are impassable, people lack decent ment to have these areas electri- people as this will help create jobs addresses issues of sanitation, wa- country is what has made me play “I am a victim and survivor of the houses, water and sanitation. Hun- fied,” she said. and make maintenance easier,” she ter, infrastructure and housing. a part in this revolution,” she said. endless struggles we have in West- ger is another challenge and we ern Province, which has the highest also lack of medicines in hospitals. poverty level of 82.2 percent,” she “My message to the people is: Bricklayer Lubinda builds on humble foundations said. “If I don’t stand up and fight let’s not just change the govern- for our collective liberation then I ment but also the system of capital- SOCIALIST Party general secretary and first to bricklaying in 2004. “I was doing power am destroying my today and tomor- ism that has failed us.” vice-president Cosmas Musumali said the Lubinda electrical at Mongu Trades Training Institute, row, and that of others. Our people candidate adoptions were “an example as to Silishebo but because I had the desire to become a are dying because they don’t have Mirriam Kapenda what people’s democracy looks like”. bricklayer, I shifted from the class of elec- health centres nearby and medi- “If democracy has to make sense, then it trician students,” she said. “I joined the cines. Our youths are into drugs has to be the government of the majority, for bricklaying class at Mongu Trades. That was MIRRIAM Musangu Kapenda is because they lack of employment.” the majority. Power, democracy, cannot be in 2004 and the course was for six months, Nyambe said areas of strategic the parliamentary candidate for delegated to another group, another class of sponsored by World Vision. Liuwa constituency. people that do not understand your pain, your “I thought instead of just going for a importance included constitutional She went to Mishulundu prima- suffering, and your aspirations,” he said. course that will make me sit in an office reform, education, and focusing ry, Kuuli basic and Kalabo second- “The example we are showing is that if you waiting for a salary at the end of the month, I health services on the needs of ary schools before studying for a have carpenters, we want to see carpenters would do something where I can earn money women and children. primary teaching certificate at Nk- in parliament, if you have bricklayers among every week or two.” “Women should be the leading ana College of Education in Kitwe. the workers of Zambia, we want to see those Silishebo said her profession, plus being target group in all programmes de- bricklayers in our parliament. Marketeers play humble professions set for parliament. She nominated to stand for parliament, showed signed to reduce poverty and disad- Kapenda says she joined the a huge role in our lives, we want to see those is to stand for Nalikwanda constituency in just how unpredictable life can be. Socialist Party because of the chal- in parliament.” Mongu district, Western Province. “No one knows where life will lead them,” vantage,” she said. “We can change lenges her community had faced Dr Musumali cited 39-year-old Lubinda Mother-of-four Silishebo said she started she said. “Whatever comes your way, learn our situation if we work together ever since independence. Silishebo, a bricklayer, as an example of the out training to be an electrician but switched and do it.” and make collective decisions.” JUSTICE • EQUITY • PEACE

Socialist Monthly, March/April 2021 7 GLOBAL VIEW CHINA COVID-19: WATCH INTEREST in China is growing, yet most news and analysis out- side the country is produced by mainstream media from the glob- al north. To provide access to workers Chinese perspectives, the Dong Feng Collective – researchers from various countries – offers a China digest of news. This is an labour to edited selection. Friends team up CHINA, Russia and Venezuela have announced the formation of a new bloc to defend the UN found- ing charter against US unilateral- save lives ism. The “Group of Friends”, in- cluding Cuba, Bolivia, Angola, Iran Ruling elite hits back at and 10 others, calls for principles of multilateralism, non-interference in countries’ internal affairs and peaceful conflict resolution. worldwide strike wave Amazon workers in Staten Island, New York, protesting over unsafe working conditions last year Newsweek Jerry White United States would take the form near Ann Arbor, Michigan, and owned news media did everything Amidst these developments, of a rebellion against the trade the Toledo Assembly Complex in it could to black out reports of the the World Socialist Web Site and Over the moon unions, which kept workers in the Ohio, where rank-and-file workers spreading resistance of workers, the Socialist Equality Parties AFTER recent moon mission suc- JUST over a year ago, an plants despite the spread of the stormed into the UAW offices to the World Socialist Web Site pro- throughout the world advanced a cesses, China has signed an agree- early manifestation of oppo- deadly disease. denounce the union officials. In the vided detailed accounts of the programme to stop the pandemic. ment with Russia to build and op- sition by the working class to While United Auto Workers early afternoon, the Big Three au- strike wave. The SEP (US) state- On February 28, when the death erate the International Scientific the homicidal response of the union sent its top staff home to work tomakers announced the closure of ment, of March 14, “Shut down toll was just 3,000, the Internation- Lunar Station. The station will be ruling class to the COVID-19 remotely, UAW warned workers their plants, claiming this had been the auto industry to halt the spread al Committee of the Fourth Inter- on and/or orbit the moon, serving for numerous remotely-operated re- pandemic began with a series against “spreading rumours” about done out of concern on the part of of coronavirus!” was viewed more national issued a statement calling outbreaks in the plants and instruct- the companies and the UAW for the than 130,000 times. for a “globally coordinated emer- search projects toward future pros- of wildcat strikes in Italy. ed them to wash their hands and safety of the workers. The initial action of the working gency response to the coronavirus pects of human bases on the Moon. Over the next week, strikes “avoid contact with others within The following day, Thursday class, which in the US included 260 pandemic”, including the mobilisa- The Verge spread to other European coun- two to three feet, if possible”. Work- March 19, wildcat strikes erupt- strikes and job actions triggered by tion of the social and scientific re- tries and to North and South ers labouring shoulder-to-shoulder ed at call centres across Brazil, the pandemic and involving a wide sources of the entire world to stop Chipping in America. At the time, the deadly inside the factories denounced the with workers at Italian-owned Ima- variety of workers between March the disease. CHINA is raising tax-break criteria disease was surging in northern statements with contempt, with one Viva declaring, “We are not going 1 and May 31, forced the par- On March 17, when the US for domestic chipmakers, a prior- Italy and cases were rising in the Indiana worker saying that both the to die in our cubicles.” The strike tial lockdowns of businesses and death toll was 170, the National ity for the national economy after US and around the world. Italian UAW and the company “don’t give occurred three days after the com- schools, saving countless lives. Committee of the SEP (US) pub- US sanctions. State-backed semi- Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte a damn about any one of us or our pany’s 2,800 workers in Palermo, These actions were of immense lished a statement titled, “How to conductor investments (US$21.5 resisted any emergency mea- families”. Italy, struck after a confirmed case significance, but they remained fight the COVID-19 pandemic: a billion) grew fivefold in 2020, but sures, even as the death toll ap- By Monday, March 16, Warren of COVID-19, forcing the closure largely uncoordinated. While programme of action for the work- some projects failed due to lack proached 500. Truck Assembly Plant workers in of in-person operations. workers were striving to impose a ing class”. It is an undeniable fact of experience. The increased stan- dards for receiving aid includes a Conte would soon deploy army suburban Detroit downed tools in There were a number of signifi- policy that would save lives, they that if the policies advanced by minimum number of patents, R&D trucks to transport the dead in Ber- the paint shop, where at least four cant aspects to this wave of strug- were not led by a network of inde- the International Committee of the spending and staff education level. gamo to crematoriums. On March workers would die from the dis- gles. First was its global character. pendent workers’ organisations or Fourth International had been im- Nikkei Asia 9, he finally announced a partial na- ease. Earlier the same day, 5,000 The pandemic is an inherently guided by a clear political perspec- plemented, hundreds of thousands tional lockdown. However, bowing workers at the Vitoria Mercedes- global crisis, and the COVID-19 tive and programme. of lives would have been saved. to the demands of the major indus- Benz plant in the Basque Country, virus did not and does not respect The ruling class responded by A year later, the working class is Working on retiring trialists’ association, Confindustria, Spain, walked out against unsafe international boundaries. Workers going on the offensive. In late at a crossroads. All over the world, CHINA is to gradually raise its re- Conte allowed factories and other conditions. throughout Europe and the Ameri- March, the US Congress, with the remaining restrictions are being lift- tirement age as life expectancy in- large workplaces to remain open. On Tuesday, March 17, FCA cas were responding in an effort to near unanimous support of Repub- ed even as experts warn of a “hur- creases, the population ages, and The strike wave began the fol- transmission workers in Tipton, save lives over the profit interests licans and Democrats, passed the ricane” surge of the pandemic. pension deficits rise (US$103 bil- lowing day when thousands of Indiana, just outside Kokomo, re- of the corporate and financial elites. CARES Act, which financed an The working class must forge a lion). The retirement age for men autoworkers at Fiat Chrysler’s Po- fused to operate their machines, estimated US$4 trillion handout to new political leadership and build (60) and women (50-55) has re- migliano plant in Naples, forced along with Lear seating workers Struggles Wall Street and major corporations. rank-and-file committees, indepen- mained unchanged since 1950s, to stay on the line to produce in Hammond, Indiana. The same The limited financial assistance to dent of the unions, to prepare strike while life expectancy has nearly luxury Alfa-Romeo cars, walked day, Detroit bus drivers conducted Second, these struggles were workers included in the CARES action to close schools and all non- doubled (40-77.3 in 2019), the out spontaneously to protest over a sickout. That evening, the UAW emerging when the pandemic was Act was used to buy the ruling essential production, and demand country faces a declining birth rate, unsafe conditions. announced it had a deal with the still in its early stages. On March class time to embark on a system- full compensation for workers and and the elderly population has in- The following day, Fiat Chrysler Big Three automakers for rolling 10, the worldwide death toll from atic campaign to reopen the schools small businesses until the popula- creased from 200 to 460 million. Autombiles (FCA) announced the temporary closures. Having no the pandemic stood at about 6,500. and workplaces, with the support of tion is widely vaccinated and the Global Times temporary closure of the Pomi- faith in the UAW, a few hours later By the end of March, it had risen the unions, based on the slogan that pandemic is under control. gliano plant, along with factories workers at Sterling Heights Assem- sharply to 45,000. In the US, the “the cure can’t be worse than the This must be combined with the Tech coal goals in Melfi, Atessa and Cassino. Man- bly Plant (SHAP) in suburban De- first recorded death came at the disease”. fight for a socialist programme, LED by Huawei, tech giants are agement made it clear, however, troit – one of the largest auto plants very end of February, and the wild- This was accompanied by the including the expropriation of the focusing on transforming the coal that production would resume by in the US – halted production. cat strikes at auto plants broke out promotion of fascistic forces de- pandemic profiteers, a radical re- industry to improve workers’ safety March 14 after the plants had been By Wednesday, March 18, as the national toll approached 100. manding an end to lockdowns, in- distribution of wealth, and massive and develop a “digital China”. Hit “sanitised”. the morning shift at SHAP was One year later, the global death cluding the April 30 storming of the infusion of resources needed for by sanctions, Huawei is diversifying Over the next three days, wildcat continuing the job action and toll stands at a staggering 2.6 mil- Michigan state capitol by armed testing, contact tracing, vaccina- operations and applying 5G tech- strikes spread across Italy; to the was joined by workers at the Jef- lion people, including more than right-wing militias, a dress rehears- tion, and other health care measures nology, automated machinery and steel mills in Bergamo, Brescia and ferson North Assembly Plant in 538,000 in the United States alone. al for the January 6 coup attempt in necessary to wipe out COVID-19. smart sensors to help reduce fatal Genoa; the Liguria shipyards and Detroit, the Dundee Engine Plant Third, while the corporate- Washington D.C. wsws.org work accidents and limit exposure the Electrolux factory in Treviso; to toxic coal dust. car parts plants in Cormano; Ama- South China Morning Post zon warehouses in the provinces of China boosts vaccination aid programme Piacenza and Rieti, and the poultry Going for growth and meat processing facilities in CHINA is continuing to expand its “China provides vaccines to developing to other countries, some Western critics CHINA expects 6 percent growth the Po Valley. aid and support for other countries, countries as a responsible big country. It is labelled its efforts as ‘vaccine diplomacy’ in 2021, relying more on industry The opposition of workers especially the developing and least trying its best to conduct vaccine coopera- aiming at expanding the country’s political and household consumption than tion with other countries in various ways,” influence. developed ones, in getting access to the financial and real estate sectors. quickly spread internationally. the agency says. “Such attempts to stigmatise or politicise On Thursday, March 12, Royal COVID-19 vaccination, the country’s of- “Chinese companies are running full- China’s vaccine development blatantly dis- Measures to increase consumption Mail workers walked out at sev- ficial state-run press agency reports. steam to produce more vaccines in light of respects the country’s scientists and health include raising incomes, lowering eral London facilities over safety It says a shipment of 200,000 doses of the limited number of doses available for professionals. Such unfair remarks against spending on housing, and expand- conditions. Across the Atlantic in Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines donated by export, including completed vaccines, con- China are not helpful for building up the trust ing domestic consumer goods in- Canada, Fiat Chrysler workers at China has arrived in Zimbabwe, with Peru centrates, and semi-completed products. The in global communities in the battle against dustries. receiving 700,000 more doses of Sinopharm the Windsor, Ontario, plant halted latter will be processed further in recipient the pandemic, diminishing the light at the Nikkei Asia vaccines after a previous first shipment. countries. end of the tunnel. production the same day that FCA China is providing vaccine aid to 53 de- “China’s determination to provide vac- “The COVID-19 pandemic has reminded management acknowledged the veloping countries, according to the Foreign cines to others originates from its flagship the world in the most powerful way that we Military on target first COVID-19 case at a North Ministry, which says the country has also de- vision of ‘building a community with a are interconnected, and nobody wins unless CHINA’S defence budget (US$209 American plant, a facility in Indi- cided to provide 10 million COVID-19 vaccine shared future for humanity’. everybody wins. billion) has maintained steady ana. Production was resumed the doses to the COVAX global initiative to meet “It addresses the question of how the “The international community has long growth, with an increase of 6.8 following day only after the inter- the urgent needs of developing countries. international community should face been cleaved by deep disparities in wealth, percent for 2021. Chinese military vention of the Ontario labour min- The agency says these moves prove that turbulence and change and collectively education, and access to vital necessities, spending accounts for 1.22 percent China “walks the talk” as it pledged to make face global challenges. It calls for sticking such as electricity and clean water. The ister and the Unifor union. of its GDP, lower than the global av- its COVID-19 vaccines a global public com- together through thick and thin and building provision of COVID-19 vaccines must not As in Italy and the UK, the ac- modity once they were developed and put a world that is open and inclusive. aggravate the situation,” it says. erage of 2.6 percent. tion by workers in Canada and the into use. “As China started to provide vaccines Xinhua CGTN 8 Socialist Monthly, March/April 2021 GLOBAL VIEW Remembering Rosa: one of the most important Marxist leaders 150 years ago, on of armed clashes in Berlin. As a result, Luxemburg was vilified as March 5, 1871, Rosa “Bloody Rosa” in the bourgeois Luxemburg was born in press. the small Polish town Like the Bolsheviks, Luxem- burg and Liebknecht demanded of Zamość. Despite her political power for the workers’ premature and violent and soldiers’ soviets, but were death at the age of 47, frustrated by the conservative so- cialist establishment and the army. she was, together with Amid the revolutionary strug- Lenin and Trotsky, one gles, the Spartacus League formed the Communist Party of Germany of the most important (KPD) in Berlin at the end of revolutionary Marx- 1918. Rosa Luxemburg wrote the ist leaders of the 20th party programme and presented it to the delegates. It explicitly for- century mulated the goal of overthrowing bourgeois class rule. The alterna- tive was not reform or revolution, ROSA Luxemburg is remem- the programme stressed. Rather, “The World War confronts society bered for her political and with the choice: either continua- revolutionary skills, playing tion of capitalism, new wars, and a key role in the founding of imminent decline into chaos and the Polish Social Democratic anarchy, or abolition of capital- Party and Spartacus League, ist exploitation . . . in this hour, a movement that became the socialism is the only salvation for humanity. The words of the Communist Party of Germany. Communist Manifesto flare like a She went on to develop a fiery menetekel above the crum- humanitarian theory of Marx- bling bastions of capitalist society: ism, stressing democracy and socialism or barbarism.” revolutionary mass action to The government was deter- achieve international socialism. mined to prevent the socialist revo- Luxemburg combined personal lution. On January 15, 1919, Rosa courage, an unbreakable fighting Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht spirit and unwavering principles were, on the explicit orders of with an outstanding intellect and Reichswehr Minister Gustav No- extraordinary theoretical and rhe- ske, brutally murdered. The crime torical abilities. She was highly was carried out by the Freikorps educated, spoke German, Polish, “Garde-Kavallerie-Schützendivi- Russian and French fluently, and sion”, which had been brought to understood other languages. She Berlin by Noske to militarily sup- was capable of tremendous passion press the uprising. They kidnapped and possessed a fascinating per- the pair and took them to their sonality that attracted both workers headquarters at the Hotel Eden, and intellectuals. where they were interrogated and She loved and was familiar with abused. Luxemburg was subse- literature. At the age of six, she be- quently struck to the ground with gan writing for a children’s news- rifle butts in the entrance to the ho- paper, began translating Russian tel and bundled into a car, where poetry into Polish shortly thereaf- she was shot. Her body was thrown ter, and wrote her own poems. into the Landwehr canal, where it Like all great progressive figures was found only several weeks lat- in world history, Luxemburg was Clockwise from the top: Communist and rights activist Clara Zetkin with Rosa Luxemburg at the Polish Socialist Party congress in er. Karl Liebknecht was executed either persecuted and slandered by Magdeburg in 1910; portarit of Rosa Luxemburg; her funeral on June 13, 1919 by three shots fired at close range her opponents, or embraced and in the Berlin Tiergarten. falsified by false friends. Attempts Party, which was to become the Luxemburg denied categorically important tool of the proletariat but Luxemburg immediately went The murders were fully en- have been made to co-opt her as a nucleus of the future Polish Com- in 1899 in Sozialreform oder Revo- – Western as well as Russian – in into opposition. In an alliance dorsed by the state, and the officers feminist, portray her as an advo- munist Party. The national issue lution? (Reform or Revolution?), attaining a socialist victory. The with Karl Liebknecht and other directly involved were acquitted cate of a non-revolutionary road to became one of Luxemburg’s main in which she defended Marxist mass strike, the spontaneous result like-minded radicals, she formed by a military court in May 1919. socialism, and misuse her as a key themes. To her, nationalism and orthodoxy and the necessity of of “objective conditions”, would the Spartakusbund, or Spartacus The murder of Karl Liebknecht witness against Bolshevism. national independence were re- revolution, arguing that parliament radicalise the workers and drive League, which was dedicated to and Rosa Luxemburg was a heavy Rosa Luxemburg was the gressive concessions to the class was nothing more than a bourgeois the revolution forward. In contrast ending the war through revolu- blow to the international work- youngest of five children of a enemy, the bourgeoisie. She con- sham. to Lenin, she deemphasised the tion and the establishment of a ers’ movement. With Luxemburg lower middle-class Jewish fam- sistently underrated nationalist as- Karl Kautsky, the leading theo- need for a tight party structure, proletarian government. The or- leading the KPD, German and ily in Russian-ruled Poland. She pirations and stressed socialist in- retician of the Second Interna- believing that organisation would ganisation’s theoretical basis was even world history would prob- became involved in underground ternationalism. This became one of tional, agreed with her, and revi- emerge naturally from the struggle. Luxemburg’s 1916 pamphlet Die ably have turned out differently. activities while still in high school. her major points of disagreement sionism consequently became a For this she was repeatedly chas- Krise der Sozialdemokratie (The There is much to suggest that the Like many of her radical contem- with Vladimir Lenin and his theory socialist heresy both in Germany tised by orthodox communist par- Crisis in German Social Democ- KPD would have taken power in poraries from the Russian Empire of national self-determination. and abroad, although it continued ties. racy), written in prison under the October 1923 had it possessed an who were faced with prison, she to make headway, especially in the Released from her Warsaw pseudonym Junius. experienced leadership. Human- emigrated to Zürich in 1889. There Powerful labour movement. prison, she taught at the Social ity may well have been spared she studied law and political econ- The Russian Revolution of Democratic Party school in Berlin Overthrow Adolf Hitler, whose rise occurred omy, receiving a doctorate in 1898. In 1898, after marrying Gus- 1905 proved to be the central ex- (1907–14), where she wrote Die above all thanks to the paralysing In Zürich she became involved tav Lübeck to obtain German perience in Luxemburg’s life. Akkumulation des Kapitals (The In this work she agreed with of the working class by the disas- in the international socialist move- citizenship, she settled in Berlin Until then she had believed that Accumulation of Capital) in 1913. Lenin in advocating the overthrow trous “social fascist” policy of the ment and met Georgy Valentinov- to work with the largest and most Germany was the country in which In this analysis, she described im- of the existing regime and the Stalinised KPD. Stalin’s own rise ich Plekhanov, Pavel Axelrod, and powerful constituent party of world revolution was most likely perialism as the result of a dy- formation of a new International would have faced bitter opposition other leading representatives of the the Second International, the So- to originate. She now believed it namic capitalism’s expansion into strong enough to prevent a re- from within the Communist Inter- Russian social democratic move- cial Democratic Party of Germany. would catch fire in Russia. underdeveloped areas of the world. newed outbreak of mass slaughter. national. ment, with whom, however, she Almost at once, she jumped into She went to Warsaw, partici- It was during this time also that she The actual influence of the Sparta- Rosa Luxemburg’s heritage soon began to disagree. the revisionist controversy that di- pated in the struggle, and was im- began to agitate for mass actions cus group during the war, however, – her internationalism, her orien- Together with a fellow student, vided the party. prisoned. From these experiences and broke completely with the es- remained limited. tation to the working class, her Leo Jogiches, who was to become a In 1898 the German revision- emerged her theory of revolution- tablished Social Democratic party Released from prison by the revolutionary socialism – has been lifelong friend and sometime lover, ist Eduard Bernstein argued that ary mass action, which she pro- leadership of August Bebel and German revolution (November defended and developed by the she challenged both the Russians Marxist theory was essentially out- pounded in 1906 in Massenstreik, Kautsky, who disagreed with her 1918), Luxemburg and Lieb- world Trotskyist movement, rep- and the established Polish Socialist dated and that socialism in highly Partei und Gewerkschaften (The incessant drive toward proletarian knecht immediately began agita- resented today by the International Party because of their support for industrialised nations could best be Mass Strike, the Political Party, radicalisation. tion to force the new order to the Committee of the Fourth Interna- Polish independence. Consequent- achieved through a gradualist ap- and the Trade Unions). The Social Democratic Party left. They exercised considerable tional. It is a crucial weapon in the ly, she and her colleagues founded proach, using trade-union activity Luxemburg advocated the backed the German government influence on the public and were struggle for socialist revolution. the rival Polish Social Democratic and parliamentary politics. This mass strike as the single most at the outbreak of World War I, a contributing factor in a number Britannica, wsws.org, edited

Socialist Monthly, March/April 2021 9 GLOBAL VIEW Top court frees Lula to run for president Charges against Brazil’s former leader dropped

Chris Banks, S. Rodrigues challenging the fascist incumbent president Jair Bolsonaro in 2022. Since 2014, right-wing judicial Supporters carry former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva through the streets of São Paulo after his release from jail IN A major victory for left and law enforcement authorities and progressive forces, all in Curitiba functioned as tip-of- pared to take up the charges that before the SFT related to the mat- investigation into money launder- attacks on workers and oppressed criminal convictions against the-spear in a politically motivated Operation Car Wash judge Sérgio ter. In his calculus, granting Lula ing. The investigation soon turned people in the country. Brazil’s former president persecution of Lula. Moro did not act with the impar- this victory would protect Moro its sights toward the Workers’ Par- Bolsonaro’s Trump-style op- Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva In order to stop him from run- tiality required of a judge. and Operation Car Wash. ty and Lula, who was accused of position to the most basic public Leaked private messages be- As it stands, Fachin’s move did corruption based on outrageously health measures to address the pan- have been struck down by the ning in 2018, they imprisoned Lula for alleged corruption just as tween Moro and prosecutors pub- not sit well with some of the other flimsy evidence. demic has led to more than 270,000 Supreme Federal Tribunal, he was set to win the presidential lished by The Intercept in June members of the Supreme Federal Lula was in prison from April deaths, the second highest in the Brazil’s highest court. This election by a landslide. 2019 revealed that they worked Tribunal. Justice Gilmar Mendes is 2018 until November 2019. A world. He has taken aim at labour restores the political rights of Fachin’s ruling confirms what together to rig the trials and secure pushing forward with the hearings global movement emerged de- unions and the gains they have Brazil’s most popular politi- has been known all along: the the conviction of Lula on politi- on Moro overruling Fachin’s deci- manding his freedom, and as more won for the working class. Police evidence of the sham nature of the forces and vigilantes are murdering cal figure, including his right right-wing judicial machinery in cal grounds. The scandal severely sion. The outcome of this internal damaged the credibility of Moro, conflict in Brazil’s highest court Operation Car Wash prosecution black and indigenous Brazilians in to run for president in 2022. Curitiba had no right to prosecute Lula. the prosecutors and Operation Car remains to be seen. became public the pressure grew. huge numbers. Bolsonaro has pro- The possible return of Bra- Wash as a whole. Lula, a former metalworker moted vile, open bigotry and vio- zil, the world’s seventh largest Vigorous If the SFT were to find that union leader, served two terms as Damage lence against LGBTQ people. His economy and South America’s Moro was partial against Lula, president from 2003 to 2011. The government facilitated the rapid largest, to the progressive camp The scope of Operation Car not only the case against Lula but Workers’ Party that he co-founded The campaign led to a break- acceleration of the destruction of in Latin America is of great sig- Wash investigations conducted many others under the Operation oversaw an historic period of eco- through in court when a judge or- the Amazon rainforest. nificance, both regionally and in Curitiba was strictly limited to Car Wash could be annulled. Fur- nomic growth and poverty reduc- dered his freedom, but did not clear The political coup against Dil- globally. cases involving the state-owned thermore, much of the evidence tion that lifted millions out of pov- him of the criminal convictions that ma Rousseff in 2016 and Lula’s The SFT ruling was issued by a Petrobras oil company. Lula’s obtained against Lula under legal erty. When he left office he enjoyed prevented him from running for imprisonment in 2018 were the single member of the court, Justice defence team and his supporters authorisations granted by Moro an approval rating in the mid-80s. president. The restoration of his le- most severe attacks on Brazilian Edson Fachin, who reversed the vigorously pointed out from the would also become void, dashing Workers’ Party candidate Dilma gal rights mark another victory for democracy since the end of the convictions after finding that the beginning that Lula’s case did not any hopes of the right wing secur- Rouseff won the next two elec- the movement to free Lula. military dictatorship in 1985. The federal court in the city of Curitiba meet that criteria. ing a conviction against Lula in a tions. Much of the damage wreaked consequences were severe for not did not have jurisdiction to try the Why did Fachin, one of the most retrial. Having lost four elections in a by Moro and Operation Car Wash only the Workers’ Party, but the cases. He said they could be retried consistent defenders of Operation In declaring that Moro had row, Brazil’s traditional right-wing cannot be undone. Lula was almost entire Brazilian left. The new le- from scratch in the jurisdiction of Car Wash within the Supreme Fed- no jurisdiction over Lula’s case, parties were in a panic. Unable to certain to win the 2018 election. gal breakthrough is a major step Brasília, the capital. This could be eral Tribunal, concede such a vic- Fachin argued that his decision win at the ballot box, they turned to His imprisonment made him ineli- in overcoming these setbacks and a highly time-consuming process tory for Lula? rendered the debate over Moro’s the country’s legal system to eject gible to run and paved the way for wresting the country from the grips that even if successful may not be Fachin’s ruling came just as the partiality irrelevant and immedi- the left from office. “Operation Car Bolsonaro’s victory whose govern- of Brazil’s right-wing elites. quick enough to block Lula from Supreme Federal Tribunal pre- ately moved to quash all 14 cases Wash” was launched in 2014 as an ment unleashed a tidal wave of Liberation ICC set to investigate 2014, 2018 Israeli Gaza war crimes

Hajira Asghar illegal Israeli settlement of oc- Israel, instead focusing all of cupied Palestinian territory in its nine legal efforts since 2016 the West Bank. on African nations. With this THE International Criminal This critical investigation latest development, however, Court is to officially investi- by the ICC into the illegal an- the ICC has shown a capability gate war crimes in Gaza. nexation of Palestinian land of holding powerful Western After years of non-member marks a new avenue for justice nations accountable despite status at the United Nations, in the pursuit of accountability threats and harassment toward the Palestinian territories outside of US-Israeli domi- its members. successfully petitioned for nated international institutions While the sanctions had signatory status with the ICC that have long undermined been placed during the Trump allowing Palestinian Author- administration, the Biden ad- Palestinian grievances. ity officials to file an official ministration’s open failure to While the Palestinian territo- complaint against Israel as repeal them reveal a continued a last resort in pursuit of ac- ries are signatories to the ICC commitment to obstruct any countability. statute, Israel is not. Regard- form of justice for Palestine. The scope of the probe is less, the ICC investigates in- Secretary of State Antony expected to cover allegations ternational crimes committed Blinken recently tweeted in of Israeli war crimes in Gaza by individuals, not states. defence of Israel, claiming the during the 2014 war, the 2018 Top Israeli figures like Prime United States firmly opposes Great March of Return clashes, Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the investigation into the as well as the question of and Benny Gantz, who are now “Palestinian situation”, and whether or not Hamas rocket subject to criminal charges for that the Biden administration fire constitutes war crimes. their role in the coordination of would “continue to uphold our During the 2014 Gaza war war crimes in Gaza and the il- strong commitment to Israel Palestinian demonstrators gather east of Gaza City in the Gaza Strip in 2019 during a protest mark- legal settlements, immediately alone, more than 2,000 Pales- ing the 71st anniversary of the “Nakba” or “Catastrophe” in 1948 and its security, including by tinians were killed. Hundreds came out in denunciation of opposing actions that seek to of other Palestinian protes- the probe as anti-Semitism in officials to limit international “specially designated nation- moved to sanction ICC of- target Israel unfairly”. tors, journalists and medics an attempt to deflect from their travel to avoid detention, the als” blacklist. ficials, including banning entry As the ongoing investiga- were shot, maimed, and at- crimes. United States quickly came A similar situation occurred into the United States and tion develops, various Israeli tacked during the 2018 border In a recorded statement, out in defence of Israel by earlier in 2020, as the ICC freezing their assets. officials are in fear of criminal clashes. Netanyahu openly claimed that announcing sanctions against pledged to investigate the Criticisms of the ICC itself charges, and the Palestinian Apart from the investiga- the state of Israel was “under various ICC officials. This United States for war crimes have arisen in recent years for cause for justice takes a long tion into war crimes, the probe attack”. As internal coordi- included placing ICC Prosecu- in Afghanistan. The Trump its failure to take on nations overdue step forward. aims to address widespread nation began among Israeli tor Fatou Bensouda on the administration immediately like the United States and Liberation 10 Socialist Monthly, March/April 2021 GLOBAL VIEW Privileges of power and property protected by bullets and teargas Billions of people lack basic household, sanitation and healthcare facilities

Vijay Prashad motes “Islamo-leftist” ideas and thereby, according to the Minister of Higher Education, “corrupts so- STENCILLED in red on the ciety”. In the name of order, free- walls of Santiago, Chile, is dom of speech is easily set aside a statement of fact: “Your and the fragility of the formal na- ture of democracy is exposed. The privileges are not universal” attack on NewsClick, alongside (tus privilegios no son univer- the investigation of academics in sales). This is a factual decla- France, reveals the yawning gap ration because the privileges between democratic ideals and the of power and property are not practice of statecraft. shared across the gaping class Despite the US$364 billion prêt garanti par l’État (PGE) pro- divide. gramme to provide relief for the Consider the fact that before French population, there is a seri- the pandemic struck last year, ous long-term problem of inequal- more than three billion people – ity and joblessness. Rather than fo- or half the world’s population – cus on this, the French government had no access to healthcare. This has whipped around to fight an illu- data appears in a 2017 World sionary adversary – Islamo-leftists. Health Organisation (WHO) re- In the same way, faced with port that tracks important matters mass dislocation and social suffer- such as access to basic household ing deepened by the pandemic, the sanitation (lacked by 2.3 billion Indian government is prosecuting people) and medical care for un- a war against farmers and media controlled hypertension (suffered platforms that are sensitive to the by one billion people). issues raised by the farmers. Both these formal democracies retain An Oxfam report from January their constitutions and their laws, this year, called The Inequality Vi- Aleksandr Deyneka (USSR), Unemployed in Berlin, 1932 their elections and their public rus, points out that, “the pandemic hearings – all part of the panoply could cause the biggest increase in which are known to inflate the ill- and as anti-national. When this did Because of the pandemic-triggered jobs of modern democracies. They fail, inequality since records began, as effects of capitalist policy. If any- not work, the government went af- however, to actually listen to the it precipitates a simultaneous and thing, these organisations have a crisis, it is likely, the United Nations notes, ter reporters and media houses that suffering of the people, let alone substantial rise across many coun- tendency to minimise the perils of amplified the farmers’ struggle. that half-a-billion more people will sink into the demands made by the people. tries”. privatisation and corporate-based Many who have reported on, par- They remain insensitive to the pos- Before the pandemic, the World policies, urging on further cuts to poverty by the end of the decade. World Bank ticipated in, or shown solidar- sibility of a more viable future for Bank calculated that about two bil- public systems. numbers concur ity with, protestors have been ar- ‘ our societies. lion people “remain in poverty, that During the tenure of Gro Har- rested – such as in the cases of During the period of the military is, living below the standards their lem Brundtland at the helm of the To be anxious about inequality the strong words about the prob- journalist Mandeep Punia, worker dictatorship in Pakistan, the com- own societies have set for a digni- WHO (1998-2003), the organisa- is insufficient. A range of possible, lems posed by austerity, more aus- rights activist Nodeep Kaur and munist poet Habib Jalib wrote: fied life”. Because of the pandem- tion encouraged the creation of commonsense reforms are being terity will be demanded, and more activist Disha Ravi, who created ic-triggered jobs crisis, it is likely, Private-Public Partnerships (PPPs) demanded by people’s organisa- social disorder will be produced. and shared a toolkit to support the the United Nations notes, that half- and Product Development Partner- tions across the world, which in- Rather than focus attention on farmers. Kahin gas ka dhuan hae kahin a-billion more people will sink into ships (PDPs). The WHO’s empha- clude: the actual problems that the plan- Finally, in an act of lawfare, golian ki baarish poverty by the end of the decade. sis on the private sector – alongside l Free Universal Healthcare. This et’s people face and acknowledge the government conducted a 113- Shab-e-ehd-e-kum nigahi World Bank numbers concur. pressure from the International has been achieved in poorer coun- the democratic demands coming hour raid against NewsClick, one tujhay kis tarah sarahein “And with the pandemic,” write Monetary Fund to cut public sector tries like Costa Rica and Thai- from people’s organisations and of the key media houses to cover Teargas smoke is in the air, World Bank analysts, “the newly funding – accelerated the haemor- land as well as in socialist states manifestations, government after the protests; accusations of money- poor are more likely to live in con- rhaging of public health systems in and should, therefore, be the objec- government has taken refuge in laundering tried to sully the name bullets are raining around. gested urban settings and to work many of the poorer countries. tive of every country on the planet. undemocratic behaviour. For ex- of NewsClick, which has earned How can I praise you, the in the sectors most affected by When the WHO should have led l A People’s Vaccine. Momentum ample, the farmers and agricultural the trust of millions of readers and night of the period of myopia? lockdowns and mobility restric- the fight to deepen public health toward the availability of a people’s workers in India continue their viewers with its frontline reporting tions; many are engaged in infor- systems and to create regional and vaccine is growing, which should months-long protest against three that lifted up the sentiments and de- Your privileges are not univer- mal services and not reached by ex- national pharmaceutical produc- include not only open access to all anti-farmer laws pushed through mands of the agriculturalists. sal, since your privileges earn you isting social safety nets.” These are tion systems, the agency produced patents for the COVID-19 vaccine, by the extreme right Indian gov- Meanwhile, India’s Ministry – the few – the vast bulk of social the billions who will slide deeper PPP platforms, such as the under- but also the creation of pharma- ernment. The government of Prime of Education released an order on wealth; when the people put for- into debt and despair, with educa- funded Global Alliance for Vac- ceutical production facilities in the Minister Narendra Modi knows January 15 that required any online ward our views, you fire teargas tion and healthcare slipping away cines and Immunisations (GAVI). low-income states and in the public that its commitment to big capital conference or webinar that might and bullets. You believe that your from them as hunger rates rise. Along with other agencies, GAVI sector. – personified in the wealthy Adani discuss India’s “internal matters” myopia will allow your night time Nothing of what is written above is now spluttering forward to pro- These two basic measures could and Ambani families – prevents and those that receive foreign spon- to last forever. is an exaggeration. All of it comes vide COVID-19 vaccines to low- be easily financed by the money it from any serious negotiation sorship to seek prior government We praise the hopes and strug- from researchers and analysts at income countries. The people who now exported to service odious with the farmers and agricultural approval. gles of the people, whose desire to mainstream organisations, such produced global austerity, a desert debts. But such logical solutions workers. Instead, the government Similarly, the French govern- advance history will cut through as the World Health Organisation of possibilities, only now recognise that would provide immediate re- has tried to portray the farmers and ment started a process to investi- your repression. and the World Bank, neither of the perils of the inequality virus. lief to people are set aside. Despite agricultural workers as terrorists gate academic research that pro- Tricontinental

Jagdish Swaminathan (India), Untitled, 1974 José Balmes (Chile), Lota el Silencio, 2007 Socialist Monthly, March/April 2021 11 DR FRED M’MEMBE INCOMING PRESIDENT

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