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Socialist SOCIALISTPARTY ISSUE 6, DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021 A newsletter published by the Socialist Party, Lusaka, FREE OF CHARGE

The 2021 elections give us a New year, chance to change everything

Fred M’membe: Zambia’s and build a future is at stake new hope more just Election will and caring determine society Zambia’s destiny for a generation

Socialist staff reporter

IF YOU make no other new year’s resolution as we head into 2021, make at least this READY TO TRANSFORM ZAMBIA – Page 6 one: pledge to vote for the So- cialist Party on August 12 and l Meet the latest Socialist Party parliamen- tral), Ambassador Malungisha (), me (Kantashi), Mildred Ngambi (Kankoyo), usher in a new era of hope for tary candidates. Womba Nkanza (Zambezi East), Salubeni Kepson Zimba (Kabushi), Humphrey Siame Western Province: Mwisiya Imbula (Senanga Augustine (), Province: (), Bernadette Siabula (Chifu- Zambia through revolution- Central), Edna Biemba (Kaoma Central), Vivian Chunda (). Central: Dennis bu), Mercy Bwalya (Bwana Mkubwa), Flannel ary change. Ireen Ilitongo Muhosho (Luena Constitu- Mutumba (Mwembeshi), Misheck Njobo Sichilima (), Jeff Chabala (), FRED M’MEMBE, Because the Socialist Party ency), Jane Sombo Chingumbe (Mangango), (). : Nicholas Margaret Sikalonza (). Eastern incoming president, Mwenda Kulilisa (Sioma). North Western Mwansa (Kamfinsa), Faston Mwale (), Province: Doris Mweene (), is the only party that can mean- Province: Salungu Handson (Solwezi Cen- Steven Chewe (), Mupelwa Sia- Phillip Sakala (Petauke Central). offers #realchange with ingfully tackle hunger, disease, the Socialist Party’s ignorance, and poverty, by pri- policies based on jus- oritising education, health and peasant agriculture. It is the tice, equity and peace. only party that can genuinely Manifesto download tackle the problems of poor details and info about water supply and sanitation, how to join the party housing, food, roads, and jobs, across the width and breadth of are on our back page our country. Introducing the party’s mani- – Page 12 festo in June, party president Fred M’membe wrote: “The election will decide who gets to run the country for the next five years. Whichever party wins will be em- Workers powered to make decisions that could affect your employment, education, healthcare, housing and protest much more. “The election will determine our country’s destiny for a generation. against It is our individual and collective decades of neoliberal capitalist duce parliamentary candidates Dr Musumali said Zambians re- don’t want to give that power or opportunity to set our country on a experiments that have landed us in in September, Dr Musumali said quired transformation. to delegate it, as they have done revolutionary path and establish a poverty and despair.” it had become “apparent that the “Zambia requires a revolution, over the years.” pandemic more just, fair, and humane society Socialist Party general secretary people of Zambia are fed up with a and that revolution is not going to Dr M’membe said Zambia’s – a socialist Zambia. Our manifes- and first vice-president Cosmas system that has failed”. be carried out by the same people fate would be sealed by who won to takes the most radical and hon- Musumali said the neoliberal capi- “The experiment this country who have continued to betray our the elections in August. profiteers est approach to our problems, their talist system had led to a “betrayal” embarked upon since 1991 – neo- masses over the past 30 years. It’s “Your party – the Socialist Par- causes and solutions.” of the Zambian people, and its time liberal capitalism – is coming to impossible. It’s a contradiction. ty – stands a very good chance of Dr M’membe said the party’s was up. “A revolution is coming, end. This is a system that has mar- “Zambians who feel that this winning. And you must win, be- policies were the only ones that a revolution of the masses, of our ginalised our people. It has made is no longer a country, no longer cause what you can’t do for your- Global view “offer us the chance to break away people, who have been betrayed for Zambians second-class citizens, it One Zambia, One Nation, but One selves, nobody can do for you,” he said. from the torturesome path we all these years.” has made Zambians slaves in their Zambia, Two Nations, want to take – Page 10 have travelled over the last three Speaking at a briefing to intro- own country.” power into their own hands. They l Xmas sacrifices – Page 5 JUSTICE • EQUITY • PEACE We need WE CAN FIGHT THIS – Page 4 women in positions of power There is nothing normal about gender violence Clockwise from the top: Rehoboth Kafwabulula, Moddy Nonde Chisha, and Taza Sakala Socialist staff reporter not foreign to us and our Chris- tian faith. More action is needed to change the system and put in place SOCIALIST Party nation- a socialist government dedicated al spokesperson Rehoboth to promoting these noble values,” Kawabulula has urged more she said. women, particularly young “Let us be each brother’s and women, to join politics. each sister’s keeper and end the Speaking at an event as part alarming levels of violence against of the UN-backed Days of Ac- women, girls, and children. Since gender means all of us, we need tivism Against Gender-Based to challenge the attitudes that per- Violence (GBV) compaign, petuate and normalise violence which runs from November 25 and deny women’s right to safety. until December 10 every year, While we recognise that men are Kafwabulula said women con- also victims of GBV, it is impor- tinued to suffer pain and hard- tant that we do not bury the vio- ship and there was an urgent lence faced by women, girls, and need for them to take up lead- children. Chisha said one way to end ership positions. GBV was by focusing on the home “Out of the 156 members of environment. rights issue that people needed to that a lot of our comrades do not you put the sponge in juice, it will won’t respect them but you will parliament in Zambia, how many “We need to pay attention to be educated about. know what GBV is. So we need to absorb the juice. So that’s how our fear them. We need to educate our women MPs do we have? Less the injustices and the oppression “What is gender-based vio- educate them on what it is, about minds are. There are some men fellow Zambians about GBV be- than 15 per cent, and we expect to of women in the home space. We lence? It has many definitions. the dangers of GBV. who think they need to abuse their cause some of people do not know have laws that will favour us? It is need to pay attention to how we One of them is a violation of hu- “GBV is what the mind makes wives, if they don’t, she won’t re- what it is. They think this a normal not possible. There is a saying that bring our children up, the knowl- man rights based on gender. GBV of it,” Sakala said. “ I have come spect them, she won’t know her way of life, that this is the way life laws made by men are designed to edge and advice that we give comes in different forms. It might to the conclusion that GBV has no place, she won’t know that he is should be. serve their interests only, and to a them.” be sexual, emotional, and it might origin but that, rather, it is what we the head of the house.” “The perception that marriage greater extent, I think that saying is Taza Sakala, a member of the be physical. feed our minds with. If you put the But she said there was a big dif- is a shipikisha club shouldn’t be true,” Kawabulula said. Socialist Party youth league, told “Where I am coming from in sponge in water, what will it ab- ference between respect and fear. the case, that is gender-based vio- “We know our suffering, no- the forum that GBV was a human Bauleni, what I have observed is sorb? It will absorb water. And if “If someone abuses you, you lence.” body has to tell us how we have suffered. We are the ones who face gender violence and discrimina- tion whether it is in our homes, on We must remember the needs of the rural areas the streets or in the market places. We know how we have struggled, ZAMBIA needs a longer period for voter “I think they need more manpower seven hours and were only leaving at about improve people’s lives.” Pikiti also shared nobody has to tell us. In nyanja registration, more electoral manpower and to speed it up. They should also think of 16:00 hours. We entered the place and the her experience of the difficulties people face they say, tavutika, in bemba they better facilities, Margaret Pikiti, Socialist extending the period for registration.” queue was still very long. in Malole constituency. say twachula, in tonga they say Party parliamentary candidate for the Ma- She stressed, though, that more manpower “It’s quite disheartening. There was “The situation there is a bit different,” twapenga, and in kaonde they say lole constituency, says. was the priority because extending hours only one ECZ lady official attending to the she said. “In Lusaka, people might be able twayanda. We have suffered.” Speaking on Diamond TV recently, be- would only work in certain areas. people, registering with one laptop despite to catch a bus to line up to register. I don’t Kafwabulula said there was a fore the Electoral Commission of Zambia “I have travelled far and wide in Malole, a very long queue. The laptops don’t cost know how people in Malole manage to need to create a peaceful world (ECZ) granted a limited, four-day registra- Northern Province. It is very rural. People much, the price of one car can fund the walk long distances and then sit in queues that accommodated both men and tion extension which party president Fred can’t start walking home in the dark. Peo- whole country.” for many hours. It is a challenge to even get women. M’membe has said “doesn’t make sense”, ple in Lusaka can drive to go home with But she urged Zambians not to lose heart food and water, and then they have to walk Solution Pikiti called upon the ECZ to make voting extended hours, but it will be very difficult despite the challenges. long distances home again. Many people arrangements more accessible, especially in for people in rural areas to do the same. “While this might discourage people, I don’t have bicycles. In Malole, people walk Definitely, much more manpower is needed. urge them not to be discouraged because to the clinic for treatment. They walk miles, “The prominent question is rural areas. “I have been in Lusaka for the last few our country is not going on the right path. literally miles.” how do we create a world that is “Looking at the situation, I think the days and passed through a few centres and We need to be able to have a say over what She said there was a need for the leader- violence-free? The only solution time is inadequate. I don’t know how many people are registered to date considering seen the queues. Just on Sunday, I went happens to our families, children, our- ship to empathise with the plight of rural is for women to get involved in the long queues and the time it is taking,” with my family to try to register. People selves, and the generations to come. We communities and take their needs into con- politics, and we need to design a she said. coming out said they had been there for need to build justice, equity and peace and sideration when making policies. political solution to the problem. Women need to take up leader- ship positions if they are to begin to make the change for themselves Book hunt adds new chapter to literacy campaign and others. “The only way we can change Mable Tabaak tion for education declined the world is by taking power for from 20.2 percent in 2015 to 12.4 percent in 2020, and has ourselves, for our fellow women to IN AN effort to promote a culture of reading, particu- been further reduced to 11.5 say enough is enough, no more vi- percent in 2021. olence against us, there will be no larly among young people in the country, Socialist Party The donation of learning ma- more rape, there will be no more spokesperson Rehoboth Kaf- terials aligns with the Socialist battering. It is possible to create wabulula has donated books to Party’s Fred M’membe Literacy that world where we are heard.” secondary school pupils. Campaign, headed by a pool Speaking at the same event, Following a “book hunt” of passionate volunteers who Moddy Nonde Chisha, parliamen- campaign, the first delivery work tirelessly to provide free tary candidate for the was to a secondary school in learning materials, and teach constituency, said ending GBV Lusaka, with the second to a people from diverse communi- was in Zambia’s interest “and this school that had just suffered book project aimed at inculcat- small way of extending solidar- the library is non existent.” ties across the country how to will only be possible if we struggle a disaster. It was recently ing a culture of reading, as ity to the sons and daughters Under the Education 2030 read and write. and put in place a system whose flooded and many of its books, well as to assist those schools of our motherland who have Framework, Zambia committed As one of its manifesto values contribute to ending GBV”. which had taken more than 13 in dire need. We believe these dreams to make it in life, but to allocating at least 20 percent programme areas, the Socialist “The socialist values of honesty, years to collect, were de- books will go a long way to as- lack the adequate means to do of its national budget to the Party commits to free educa- stroyed. tion from nursery school at the humility, equity, and solidarity are sisting the learners pick up the so. The other schools that we education sector. “We shared over 100 books pieces,” Kafwabulula said. have visited so far either do However, under the current age of three up to university what progressive societies should that we collected as part of our “The book project is our not have adequate books, or government, the budget alloca- level. struggle for, and these values are 2 Socialist Monthly, December 2020/January 2021 WE CAN FIGHT THIS – Page 4 Third term bid will end up in the Constitutional Court Expensive campaign materials are already in circulation Ntazana Musukuma Socialist staff reporter “But one wonders where this Dr M’membe asked wherther the constitution is little more than insulating the courts ought to have apparently assured confidence is there were legitimate issues of pub- a statement of empty promises. been a matter of constitutional de- Musukuma: IT IS becoming clear that the coming from. The risk is too high lic trust, confidence in the Constitu- The democratic credentials of our sign. No court can be expected to to ignore. This means that those de- tional Court arising over the matter. courts depend on the premise that perform its checking functions with issue of ’s third- termined to stop him from contest- “All I can say is that an inde- all individuals are free and equal. interference from other branches of systemic term eligibility will have to be ing next year’s elections in the be- pendent and efficient judiciary “Society will always have some- government. decided by the Constitutional lief that it will be a violation of the will be crucial to ensuring that the one who will try to manipulate the “Judicial power should never change will Court, says Socialist Party constitution will have no choice but promises, fundamental values, and law to the detriment of society. The be a facilitator for executive inten- president Fred M’membe. to go to the Constitutional Court. principles, enshrined in the Consti- solution lies in an ordered, prin- tions. On the contrary, it has to be “It seems Mr Lungu, in his “Mr Lungu, who says the Consti- tution of Zambia are upheld. cipled, and just adjudication. Our an interrogator or scrutineer of ex- empower tutional Court cleared him to stand, judiciary was ultimately trusted ecutive power. usual character of not backing must be ready for this. And, indeed, with the most important task of all “These are definitive moments down on anything he wants, Challenge the poor he seems to be ready, confident and – ensuring that terms of the settle- when our courts need to reflect will file in nomination papers assured all will go his way. ment, or the constitution, were not upon their own trajectory, their “Every institution has its mo- SOCIALIST Party with the Chief Justice to have “Moreover, all the judges of breached.” moral alignments and, most impor- parliamentary candidate Nta- his name on the ballot paper. the Constitutional Court were ap- ments of glory and challenge. The Dr M’membe said the Consti- tantly, their duty to enhance hope. zana Musukuma has stressed “I say this because huge vol- pointed by him. In 2016, this court present are moments of challenge tutional Court was the final inter- This is because our constitution is the need for revolutionary, umes of campaign materials with came under heavy public criticism when courts have an accentuated preter of the constitution. supposed to be a document of hope. systemic change in Zambia. his name have started flowing in. It over the manner in which it ended duty to become conscious of con- “Together with the Supreme “Initially, we all hoped that Mr Appearing on Diamond won’t be easy to change this – the the election petition against him, stitutional provisions when those Court, the Court of Appeal and Lungu would do the right thing. Live TV to discuss “the state cost of doing so will be gigantic. and even the court itself was divid- in power begin to seek unending High Courts, it is tasked with the With Mr Lungu’s insistence on of Zambia’s governance”, And last-minute presidential can- ed over that matter. These are the dominion. highest duty: checking the actions contesting next year’s presiden- Musukuma said the Socialist didate changes will throw his party same Constitutional Court judges “True to their oaths of office, of both the executive and the leg- tial elections, now it all rests on Party was the real pro-poor into a quandary,” he said in a state- who will have to determine Mr judges must act without fear, fa- islature, each of which are bound the hope that judges of the Con- party with practical solu- ment from Mwika Royal Village, Lungu’s presidential candidature in vour, affection or ill will, for by the constitution. Considering stitutional Court will do the right tions to Zambia’s problems, without an independent judiciary, and appealed to all Zambians . next year’s elections.” the enormity of this responsibility, thing.” to join hands with the it to achieve revolutionary change next year. “The primary responsibil- Maradona, hero of the left on and off the pitch ity of government anywhere in the world is to look after its citizens, but Zambians have THE SOCIALIST Party joined among other socialist leaders. been neglected,” he said. the progressive world in “He once said, ‘I believe in “It is sad that Zambia’s mourning the death of Diego Hugo Chávez. I am a Chávista. economy is on its knees. The Maradona. Maradona, anti-im- Everything that he and Fidel prices of goods and services perialist, socialist and arguably do, from my point of view, is have skyrocketed. Zambians the greatest football player of the best.’ can’t afford them. We’re suf- all time, passed away on No- “As a socialist and anti-im- fering. It’s time we, the suffer- vember 25 at the age of 60. perialist, Maradona remained ing Zambian masses, opened “Maradona was a leftist both a committed supporter of Ven- our eyes and supported the on the football fields and in ezuela’s Bolivarian Revolution party that has a genuine heart politics. and progressive social move- for us, and that party is the “As a football player he tire- ments across Latin America, Socialist Party under the lessly fought against corrup- never losing hope in the poor able leadership of Dr Fred tion in the International Fed- and the oppressed to emanci- M’membe.” eration of Association Football pate themselves. Speaking about the socio- (FIFA), which he compared to “Maradona said, ‘I am from economic challenges facing a mafia,” Socialist Party presi- the left in the sense that I am the people of Chawama, and dent Fred M’membe said in a for the progress of my country, what he will do to address statement issued on behalf of to improve the life of poor them when he becomes a the politburo. people, so that we all have member of parliament next “He struggled to unionise peace and freedom. We can- year, Musukuma summarised football players and in the not be bought, we are lefties the problems in one word: “poverty”, and said he plans late 90s, Maradona, with other on the feet, we are lefties on to convert all the branches prominent stars, formed the the hands, and we are lefties the Socialist Party is forming International Association of on the mind. That has to be in Chawama into functional Professional Football Players known by the people, that we cooperatives to empower the to defend players’ rights. Death reunites Maradona, Fidel and Chavez say the truth, that we want suffering masses. “Maradona, also known as equality, and that we don’t “Through the office of MP, ‘El 10’, openly showed his sup- “He also openly defied am a defender of the Palestin- Guevara tattoo on his arm want the Yankee flag planted we’ll raise start-up capital port for left-wing, socialist and imperialism and colonialism ian people, I respect them and and a Fidel Castro one on his on us.’ and fund the various coopera- progressive movements and and was a firm supporter of sympathise with them, I sup- leg. He was a close friend and “Rest in anti-imperialist tives to empower the masses governments in the world and the Palestinian cause saying, port Palestine without fear.’ supporter of Hugo Chávez, and socialist power, Diego in practical terms. It’s shame- specifically in Latin America. ‘In my heart I am Palestinian. I “He proudly wore a Che Evo Morales and Fidel Castro Armando Maradona!” ful that the people of Chawa- ma have continued to wallow in poverty after 56 years of independence,” he said. Asked what the Socialist Four-day registration extension ‘didn’t make sense’ Party in government would do to fight corruption, Musu- IT DIDN’T make sense for the ity that things won’t go as planned l May 9, 2021: voter registration kuma said there would be sys- Electoral Commission of Zam- – our plans tend to be ‘best-case Fred M’membe with his certification and cut-off date for temic change. bia to extend the voter registra- scenarios’. And as a consequence, voter registration card those who will be turning 18 to be “The position of the Social- we budget only enough time to eligible to vote. ist Party in the fight against tion period by just four days. complete the project if everything l Presidential nominations: June corruption is systemic change, We seem to be terrible judges goes smoothly, which it never re- 14-18, 2021. from the current capitalism of how long things take, says ally does. to socialism. We have to move Socialist Party president Fred “Lastly, we don’t think about all l Nominations of MPs, mayors, away from the characteristics M’membe. the steps or subcomponents that council chairpersons will be on of capitalism, namely, greed, June 14, 2021. Ward councillor “Psychologists call this the plan- make up the voter registration pro- consumerism, individualism cess, and consider how long each nominations will be one day after and unbridled competition, ning fallacy – a pervasive tendency part of the process will take. that, on June 15, 2021. and embrace socialist values, to underestimate how long it will “When you think about painting l which are equity, humility, take to do just about anything – Petitions for nominations will a room, you may picture yourself honesty and solidarity. and it can be attributed to several run for 21 days (June 21-July 11, using a roller to quickly slap the “One simple way to fight different biases,” he said. 2021). paint on the walls, and think that first place, we will likely end up in voters is 6,407,752. The commis- corruption is to have honest “First, we routinely fail to con- hot water again down the road.” sion did not give a province-by- l Ballot printing will be the whole leaders, but sadly what Zam- it won’t take much time at all, ne- sider our own past experiences Here is a summary of the province breakdown. of July, from July 1-31, 2021, for bia has are dishonest leaders glecting to consider how you’ll while planning. things we learned from the Elec- l Important dates: there are a ALL ballots, from councillors all in office. You find that the first have to move or cover the “After a month of voter registra- furniture, tape all the fixtures and toral Commission of Zambia’s an- number of important dates the the way up to the president. The leaders who are expected to tion experience, we still can’t seem verification of ballot papers will fight corruption are them- window frames, do all the edging nouncement on the subject. Commission highlighted: to figure out how long it will take l l happen between July 29 July and selves corrupt. How does a by hand, and so on. The voter registration exercise April 2-April 6, 2021: verifica- us to reasonably complete this ex- August 4, 2021. corrupt person fight corrup- “Extending the voter registra- was extended by four days, run- tion of registration details. If any ercise. tion? It can’t work like that,” tion period for four days without ning from Thursday, December 17 of the details on your card or on the l Of course, the general election, he said. “Second, we seem to consis- addressing the poor time planning to Sunday December 20, 2020. new register are incorrect, this will the biggest day of them all, will be tently ignore the very real possibil- that landed us in hot water in the l The total number of registered be the period to correct them. on August 12, 2021. Socialist Monthly, December 2020/January 2021 3 GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE We can fight this, we can end it Kafwabulula says it is vital to address the socioeconomic causes

SIXTEEN days of don’t have that parental guid- ance they need.” activism against gender- Kafwabulula said there was a based violence (GBV) need to create a political system is an international and environment that was con- ducive to the wellbeing of all of campaign to challenge Zambia’s people. violence against women “How do we do that? We need and girls. The campaign more women in the national as- runs every year from No- sembly, we need more women on the local councils. I don’t vember 25 – Internation- think we place as much empha- al Day for the Elimina- sis on the Lusaka city council as tion of Violence against we should, because you know, really when you think about it, Women – until Decem- the counsellors are almost the ber 10 – Human Rights most important political people Day. Socialist Party there are because they live in the community. national spokesperson “But the problem we face is Rehoboth Kafwabulula that the policies we make and was interviewed by Dia- the legislation we pass are not women friendly. I’ll give you a mond TV’s Chinyimba practical example. We have this Daisy Mwansa Lusumpa voter registration going on. ECZ (Chichi Daisy) about the has been adamant that it won’t extend the time, which means party’s stand on GBV a lot of people will be disen- against a backdrop of franchised. They say, ‘Oh you rising incidents of vio- should just go and register at night. You can go to the polling lence in Zambia Socialist Party national spokesperson Rehoboth Kafwabulula being interviewed by Diamond TV presenter Chichi Daisy station at 22 hours.’ It’s not re- ally woman-friendly for women “One of the reasons is the so- only made 20 , and you a fair assessment. The more im- [organisations] that are willing to CHICHI Daisy started by ask- to go to polling stations at 22 ing whether the pressures of come home and someone tells portant question, especially for help us. cioeconomic factor. You’ll note hours. Maybe you could drive 21st century living were a fac- us in the Socialist Party, is how that in more bourgeois or urban you this 20 kwacha isn’t enough. “So really, that’s the reason we there, but if you think about a tor in the increase in incidents neighbourhoods, more uptown It’s likely that the two of you will do we end the systemic violence, have this 50/50 rule, because we young woman from Mutendere of GBV. places, gender-based violence get into a clash and that one of particularly against women? want to see communities that ac- or , how does she walk isn’t as rampant. A few months you will hit the other.” “We acknowledge that there tually reflect people’s needs. The home? Even if she’s going to “I DON’T think it would be cor- ago there was an incident where Kafwabulula said that get- is also violence against men, but Zambia we have built today is not get on a bus, how does she do rect to say it is because of the 21st a man battered his wife terribly ting to grips with GBV issues, which one is more rampant? I a Zambia that can fix young peo- that by herself at 22 hours or 23 century. Gender-based violence because she failed to budget for socioeconomic conditions and would say violence against wom- ple’s needs because the majority hours? It’s likely that she’ll be goes back way back to biblical 20 kwacha. I believe it must have people’s rights, needed a political en is more rampant, and the fact of young people, especially those raped on the way, or she could be days, and when we speak about been in one of the compounds. solution and more women in posi- is, when you look at the biology living in the compounds, are be- kidnapped. Anything could hap- this violence, it is not just be- People made memes about it. The tions of power, and that’s why the of things, it’s more likely that a ing turned into what you would pen to her. So for us, this 50/50 tween partners. It is something video made its rounds on social Socialist Party was committed to man is going to be able to beat call ma fluff. And the reason for rule is more than just saying put that has been with us for a very media. I think everyone can agree fielding no less than 50 percent a woman. So we need to find a that is because they are unem- women there for the sake of put- long time, but it’s not something that in situations or communities female parliamentary candidates way, a political solution, to deal ployed, they are frustrated, they ting them there. It’s about creat- that should stay with us. We be- where poverty is much higher, in next year’s elections, although with this very rampant problem. have a lot of problems. So they ing a space where we can reduce lieve it is something we can com- gender-based violence is a much she added that didn’t guarantee We can’t fold our arms and say, turn to alcohol and drug abuse,” the violence by having policy bat, something that we can fight, bigger problem. women would always agree with oh, let the women deal with it she said. legislation at every level that is something we can end.” “I don’t think violence is each other. themselves. Who’s going to pro- “A 55-year-old male politician friendly and conducive.” Kafwabulula explained that the something inherent in human be- “One of the things we’ve put vide leadership in that situation? is not likely to be thinking, ‘What 16 days of activism was inspired ings. I don’t think we are violent in place is that 50 percent of our Who’s going to set the ball roll- are the young people up to?’ It’s CHICHI Daisy asked Kaf- by the activism of three sisters by nature but you know, there are candidates, starting from local ing for everybody?” more likely that a young woman – wabulula what the Socialist from the Dominican Republic different circumstances that re- or even an older woman – would Party message was when it who were beaten to death and sult in us being violent. I don’t think CHICHI Daisy asked if there be thinking, ‘What are the youths came to reducing the GBV their bodies dumped at the bot- “Culturally there are some were enough facilities, such numbers. violence is up to, why are they just lounging tom of a cliff by President Rafael practices that encourage GBV, as centres, for people to go around? How can we do this for “TO BE honest we would like Trujillo’s secret police on No- and these are things we need to something inherent to for counselling or to let off them? How can we do that for it to be at zero,” she replied. vember 25, 1960. acknowledge. I’ve even heard steam when they were at risk them? So for us in the Socialist in human beings. I “So the first thing is, we need “They were not feminists as women say, ‘Oh if he doesn’t of becoming violent through Party, it’s really about creating an frustration, suffering from such, but they were fighting beat you up he’s not a man.’ don’t think we are environment where not just sur- to deal with the socioeconomic against a repressive regime that “You know, these young wom- ‘ mental breakdowns or com- challenges in the compounds. vivors of GBV, but even perpetra- violent by nature, but mitting crimes of passion. was by nature violent. It was in en don’t just pick these things tors of GBV, can go and get help. You can’t address the problem “The statistics are bad. It’s 1980 that Latin America decided from their heads. These are things there are different of violence without addressing scary,” she said. “Year in and But how do we create that space that are really engrained and part the problem of unemployment. first to commemorate this day, circumstances that year out we see numbers that for them if the people we put in and parcel of the community. But You can’t address the problem and later in 1999 the UN decided result in us being are really devastating.” power are not going to be think- to adopt the day – November 25 again, if you look at the commu- ing about it? It’s more likely that of violence without addressing – to start the 16 days of activism nities where these kinds of no- violent “WE DON’T, we don’t, and a mother will be concerned that the problem of hunger. You can’t against gender-based violence. tions are being perpetuated, they you know, I’m so glad that you her children, her male children address the problem of violence government, up to parliamentary So I think it’s an acknowledge- are the poorer ones where the ma- brought this up actually, because are just running around the bus without addressing the issues level, the cabinet, is going to be ment by the world that the ques- jority of people are uneducated, something we also need to ask stop with nothing to do. that cause people to be violent in women. tion of violence against women unemployed, where the majority ourselves is what kind of Zambia “Another thing we are ignor- the first place. “People have squabbles with has something to do with all of live in abject and dire poverty. So we have right now. The Zambia ing – and this is going to give us “And also, after violence hap- each other, people have problems us, women’s rights, and our hu- we need to look at the conditions we have to deal with, we have a lot of problems – is these young pens, we need more of these cen- with each other. It’s a human that make people violent.” men who are turning into junk- tres, and we need to realise that man rights as well. problem. I think we shouldn’t be to acknowledge, is particularly Kafwabulula said the ques- ies, who are turning into ma fluff. some men, whether young or old, expected to get along just because borne out of the political space,” tion of how violence could be genuinely need help because ei- CHICHI Daisy questioned we are women. The trouble with Kafwabulula replied. When they grow up and become ther they’re addicted to drugs or whether crimes of passion prevented needed to take into women in politics I found is that “If the politics are wrong, the older, married men, people’s hus- alcohol, or have problems from and cultural beliefs could account the frustrations that because the number is in such a economy is going to shatter. If the bands, they are going to be the their childhood that they’ve had have anything to do with stemmed from socioeconomic short supply people expect you politics are wrong, then you can’t ones beating up and abusing their women fighting back and the conditions. all to be besties. But we are from expect to have centres where you wives. to carry around with them all this rising numbers of cases of “When we deal with the so- different political biases; from can go and vent because how do “It’s these young women who time. GBV in Zambia. cioeconomic factors, it will be the green party or the red, blue or they come about? Some politi- are neglected who drop out of “So it’s about us reaching much easier to deal with all the yellow party, and maybe some- cians somewhere, whether they school because they’re pregnant out in terms of community and “I DON’T think the question other things. Imagine waking up times your parties aren’t getting call themselves counsellors or or have problems in the home, building solidarity between should be about what’s causing at 5 o’clock and going to look along, your presidents aren’t get- MPs, must sanction them and who eventually become the kind ourselves. Our entire party pro- women to fight back. I think it for a piece job here and there to ting along. The big men from the then some peers somewhere must of mothers who are just hands gramme is anchored on justice, should be about what’s causing feed your family, maybe three different parties are fighting and go about doing these particular off. Then what happens to their equity and peace, and these are us to be violent, what’s making children; you need to pay rent, expect the women to be sitting things, and the money will either children? They’ll become street things we hope can reflect in the all of us as a collective to be more electricity, all these things, and at down and hugging and kissing come from tax or a partner that children, they will maybe not get communities where we work, violent,” Kafwabulula said. the end of the day, maybe you’ve when they meet. That’s not such we have in terms of countries and the best out of life because they where we serve.” JUSTICE • EQUITY • PEACE

4 Socialist Monthly, December 2020/January 2021 REFLECTIONS Fred M’membe

Socialist Party president Government is Fred M’membe: it gets dark sometimes, but the morning comes caught up in a web of denials over our debts Socialist staff reporter or weeks to process what’s hap- fining a person’s true character,” pened and come to grips with the he said. When that responsible challenges ahead. You initially de- moment comes, what you do, or members is like that between a flower and its THE GOVERNMENT has nied the distressing problem. But as don’t do, is an indication of the This Christmas we have green leaves. This is a mutually dependent re- lationship, whereby working together produces been caught in a web of deni- your mind absorbed the possibility, type of person you really are. “Failing to accept personal to make sacrifices benefits for all. als and refusals over Zambia’s you began to approach the problem Everyone needs the help of others. People more rationally and took action by responsibility may work to your THERE’S a need for us all to realise that this may say the flower is attractive, but it still needs debts and eventual US$42.5 seeking help. advantage on occasion or in the Christmas we have to make sacrifices. It will not the support of its green leaves. As a saying million interest payment de- “But what if you had continued short term . . . however, make be possible to celebrate Christmas and end or goes in Bemba, two heads are better than one. no mistake about this, eventu- begin the year in the way we are accustomed to. fault on US$1 billion of Eu- to be in denial? What if you never Nobody is perfect. It would be ridiculous for ally a poor choice will catch up The many activities that are usually associ- somebody to say that they knew and were able robonds, Socialist Party presi- sought help? If denial persists and ated with the festive season must make way for to do anything, like some god. prevents you from taking appropri- with you and it’ll typically cause dent Fred M’membe says. more pain for you down the road the things that really matter – family and friends, An excellent leader is able to take the wisdom In a statement from Mwika ate action, it’s a harmful response. caring for one another, physical and spiritual of those he or she works with and use it to the “When faced with an over- than if you had stepped up to the Royal Village, Chinsali, Dr rejuvenation. fullest extent. whelming turn of events, it’s okay situation, took responsibility for It’s hard to think of a Christmas season when M’membe said that for a long to say, ‘I just can’t think about all it and honestly said, ‘I made a all of us across width and breadth of our country Shadow boxing into the time the country’s leaders de- of this right now.’ You might need mistake.’ When you blame oth- have needed the break more acutely. nied they had over borrowed time to work through what’s hap- ers, you give up your power to The truth is that 2020 has been a hard year for and said there was not going to pened and adapt to new circum- change things, correct wrongs.” our country. With our economy in shambles and world of light and truth Dr M’membe said failing to be a problem. stances. But it’s important to realise our politics in gridlock, and public discourse too THINGS are not what our leaders want us to accept responsibility had severe that denial should only be a tempo- often descending into rancour and abuse, it’s felt believe they are. “They were extremely defen- consequences. rary measure – it won’t change the like we’ve been living permanently under a dark It’s either they don’t want to see the truth, hear sive and sensitive to any criticism “There’s a good chance that reality of the situation. Honestly cloud. the truth and feel the truth, or they just want to of their indebtedness. They were when you avoid accepting per- All of us across Zambia have too often fo- listen to their inner demons and totally ignore totally in denial. They would even examine what you fear. the reality before them. sonal responsibility, someone cused on the differences between us, rather than brag that they wouldn’t stop bor- on what ties us together. Things are not what they have been made to will know that you’ve failed rowing,” he said. So I hope the magic of Christmas casts its believe they are. The situation is bad, it’s getting Responsibility in this way. In other words, spell for people this year, helping families and very desperate. “What are they saying today? some other person may know You cannot defeat darkness by running from friends remember what it is that unites them, not They are blaming everything on that you’re responsible for the it, nor can you conquer your inner demons by “Until you accept responsibility divides them. the coronavirus and their unpatriot- wrongdoing or poor choice, and drifting and hiding from reality. In order to defeat for your actions or failures, it’ll be ic critics, detractors who are trying I hope it reminds us that, despite the sound the darkness, you must bring it into the light. very difficult for you to develop when they see you fail to accept and fury of our national debate, the bonds of We must have light. We must live in the fierce to destroy the image of the country. self-respect or even have the re- responsibility, they’ll lose all family, community and country are still deep and full constant glare of light, where all shadows “They also attempted to change spect of others. respect for you. If this happens lasting. will be defined, sharp, unique and personal – the Constitution of our Republic on on a frequent basis, you’ll never Yes, it’s a cliché that Christmas is the season the shadow of our own singular rectitude or “It’s a simple truth that all hu- their own, by themselves, through man beings make mistakes and gain the respect of others that of goodwill. But its important for all of us that baseness. All human evils have to come out of Bill 10. They weren’t ready to you hope to have one day. we demonstrate that goodwill to each other this obscurity and darkness, where there is nothing poor choices. The same goes for listen to anyone other than their “Sometimes we don’t always year and that, for a week or so, hopefully the to dog us constantly with the shape of our own when we fail to act when we know own inner demons. They were not see the long-term effects of our acrimony can fall silent. deformity. we should. There are times when conduct. But, make no mistake, It’s also a time to thank our doctors, clinical Our souls may be consumed by shadows, ready to build sufficient consensus we all look the other way when we officers, nurses and other medical workers who but that doesn’t mean we have to behave as around the constitutional amend- accepting responsibility is a monsters. know the right thing to do is to take will be working over the Christmas holiday. I ment process they were seeking. major factor in receiving the No one seems to notice when you are down, helpful action.” hope they get a break with their families in due They thought they could mar- respect and admiration of those unless you are bleeding. But sometimes the Dr M’membe said that the dif- course. worst wounds are the ones we can’t see. shal, on their own, the two-thirds around you.” It’s also right to mention those people who will Greatness comes, not when things go always parliamentary majority required ference between being responsible Dr M’membe said the choices this year be supporting those are ill and need good for you, but when you are really tested, to amend the constitution. They and irresponsible was an indication we made were ultimately our help during the Christmas season, our religious when you take some knocks because only if you failed. And now they are blaming of how effectively we’re managing own responsibility. leaders for whom this is such a busy time, and have been in the deepest valley can you ever others for this failure.” our affairs when the opportunity to “Clearly, the rulers of our all those who are looking out for a neighbour or know how magnificent it is to be on the highest make a good or bad choice presents country are caught in their own mountain. He said the government denied a friend who needs support at this time of year. itself. web of denials of reality and And I also want to ask people to think about It gets dark sometimes, but the morning the reality of the situation and re- “Accepting responsibility is one refusals to accept responsibility their neighbours. Loneliness can be a terrible comes. We shouldn’t surrender to tyranny and fused to take responsibility for their for their decisions and actions.” thing at Christmas. So we should look out for abuse of power. We shouldn’t give up. I know decisions and actions. of the most important factors in de- it’s tough sometimes. We shouldn’t stop with the each other. Christmas is also a time to wish “Denial is a coping mechanism way things are. Let’s dream of things the way peace on earth, in our country. they ought to be. that gives one time to adjust to dis- So I wish you all a merry Christmas, and tressing situations, but staying in HIV awareness and funding let’s make sure we have peace on earth, in our denial can interfere with one’s abil- country. I’m a struggling man and ity to tackle challenges,” he said. I’ve got to move on . . . “If you’re in denial, you’re try- still as important as ever ing to protect yourself by refusing Marketing presidency PEOPLE living with HIV can living with HIV can only be WE HOPE to live long, all of us! In the ideas that to accept the truth about something only be linked to treatment, care linked to treatment, care and is selling us all short we believe and the conviction that those follow- that’s happening in your affairs. ing in our steps will carry them forward. and support services if they have support services if they have IF THERE is anything I really detest about our “In some cases, initial short-term The idea of the future society is the most impor- been diagnosed, says Socialist been diagnosed. Once a person elections, it is how they individualise the presi- tant and most noble idea that a revolutionary can denial can be a good thing, giving Party president Fred M’membe. is diagnosed, effective treatment dency. harbour. you time to adjust to a painful or An individual adopted to be a presidential Speaking on December 1, will enable them to live a long Revolutionaries have always fought for the stressful issue. It might also be a candidate is elevated above others and treated future. But to fight for the future doesn’t mean World AIDS Day, Dr M’membe and healthy life, to have HIV- as a Samson, Macgyver, a know-it-all. Everything avoiding to do everyday what must be done for precursor to making some sort of said it was a time for reflection negative children, and not have is about him or her. Elections are won or lost on the present. The future is not built in the future, it change in your affairs. on what we had achieved with re- to worry about passing on HIV their personal style, charm or oratory. The col- is built on the threshold of what we do today. “But denial has a dark side. Basic gard to the response to HIV, and to their sex partners.” lective is almost lost. And in this I draw some strength and inspira- psychology teaches us that refusing The presidential candidate is marketed like a tion from a Jimmy Cliff song, Struggling Man what we still needed to achieve. He added that people who test- commodity, a perfume or a fizzy drink. I find this sung by some young people, PS22 Chorus: to acknowledge that something He said this year’s World AIDS ed negative and were an ongoing very dehumanising. This is not in tune with our is wrong is a way of coping with Day, which had the theme “glob- risk for HIV should be linked to socialist leadership style and ethics. But I have Every man has a right to live emotional conflict, stress, painful al solidarity, shared responsibil- prevention and other services as to endure it for our party to stand a chance of Love is all that we have to give thoughts, threatening information ity”, came in the midst of another necessary. winning next year’s elections. Together we struggle by your will to survive and anxiety. You can be in denial Our socialist leadership is based on a collec- And together we fight just to stay alive global epidemic: COVID-19, and Dr M’membe said World tive rather than an individual, it is characterised Struggling man has got to move about anything that makes you feel that the public health response to AIDS Day remained as relevant by collective wisdom, not individual wisdom. Struggling man, no time to lose vulnerable or threatens your sense both was linked. today as it always had been, We are not looking for a single genius, but a I’m a struggling man of control. “The COVID-19 pandemic is “reminding us that HIV has not collective genius. It relies on collective decision- And I’ve got to move on “When you’re in denial, you threatening access to HIV pre- gone away”. making rather than individual decision-making. As the sun lights the day and the moon lights the won’t acknowledge a difficult situ- vention, testing, treatment and “There is still a critical need We believe that the individual is meaningless night without collective support. No leader should Struggling man keeps reaching for the higher ation. Refusing to face facts might care. And without strategies to for increased funding for the overemphasise their own abilities. The leader heights seem unhealthy.” meet these needs, we may see a AIDS response, to increase needs to understand the relationship between So we plan for tomorrow as we live for today Dr M’membe said that while resurgence of HIV that would awareness of the impact of HIV themselves and the collective. Like a flower we bloom and then later fade away a short period of denial might be threaten our public health re- on people’s lives, to end stigma Struggling man has got to move No leader should believe that they know helpful, continued denial could be sponse to COVID-19,” Dr and discrimination and to im- everything or be able to do everything. No- Struggling man, no time to lose body is perfect. In a collective leadership, the I’m a struggling man problematic. M’membe said. prove the quality of life of people relationship between the head and the common And I’ve got to move on . . . “For example, after a traumatic “Testing is an essential part of living with HIV,” Dr M’membe event, you might need several days the HIV cascade of care. People said. Socialist Monthly, December 2020/January 2021 5 PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES

The 26 new parliamentary candidates introduced by party general secretary Cosmas Musumali, representing constituencies in Central, Western, Copperbelt and North-Western provinces Political leadership must be anchored among the people Musumali introduces 26 new adoptees ‘ready to transform Zambia’

Socialist staff reporter should be leadership of men and have leaders from Eastern, Cen- your pocket. The choice of leader- rial resources. “None of them has tine Salubeni (Mufumbwe), Vivian women who live with the people, tral, Copperbelt and Western Prov- ship that the masses of Zambian been chosen because they have a Chunda (Mafinga), Dennis Mutum- who live for the people,” he said. inces,” he said. people are bringing to us today is fleet of vehicles that they are go- ba (Mwembeshi), Misheck Njobo COSMAS Musumali says “It should be leadership that “One of them is only 24 years about being rooted among them, ing to use for campaigns. None (Nangoma), Nicholas Mwansa Zambians today need revo- also reflects the demography of old, another one is 25, we have an- speaking their language.” Dr Mu- of them has been chosen because (Kamfinsa), Faston Mwale (Nka- lutionary change anchored Zambia. It should be leadership other who is 27, and another who sumali said. they have a chain of degrees. na), Steven Chewe (Chimwemwe), among the poor. that is youthful, leadership that is 29, and they are all female.” Out “We have 11 women among the This is a workers’ party,” Dr Mu- Mupelwa Siame (Kantanshi), Mil- is gender-balanced. It should be of the 26 parliamentary designates, 26 candidates. We have among sumali said. dred Ng’ambi (Kankoyo), Kep- Dr Musumali, Socialist Party leadership that originates among four of them are in their 20s. the candidates today people who The adopted candidates are: son Zimba (Kabushi), Humprey general secretary and first vice- the people, not one that is imposed Dr Musumali said the Social- were drivers only a few days Mwisiya Imbula (Senanga), Edna Siame (Ndola Central), Bernadette president, was speaking in Lu- from above. This is what the So- ist Party was marking milestones, ago. One of our leaders here has Biemba (Kaoma Central), Ireen Siabula (), Mercy Bwalya saka when he introduced 26 cialist Party is doing.” “setting standards that no petty worked as a bus driver, a bus con- Ilitongo Muhosho (Luena), Jane (Bwana Mkubwa), Flannel Sich- parliamentary candidates for He said the 26 adopted parlia- bourgeoisie political party can ductor. This is working class lead- Sombo Chingumbe (Mangango), ilima (Chingola), Jeph Chabala constituencies in Central, West- mentary candidates were “ready to ever achieve”. ership at its best.” Mwenda Kulilisa (Sioma), Salun- (Roan), Margaret Sikalonzo (Lu- ern, Copperbelt, and North- transform our homeland”. “The choice of our leadership is Dr Musumali emphasised that gu (Solwezi Central), Ambassador anshya), Doris Mweene (Chipata Western provinces. “These 26 leaders are from dif- not based on the size of your pock- none of the adopted candidates Malungisha (Kasempa), Womba Central) and Philip Sakala (Pet- “Zambia needs change. It’s not ferent parts of the country. We et, how much money you have in was picked because of their mate- Nkanza (Zambezi East), Augus- auke Central). any other change, but it needs transformative and revolutionary change,” Dr Musumali said. PROFILES of recently appointed representatives He argued that the current sys- tem of periphery capitalism in “My constituency, Lukulu, is Chanda said he joined the So- tion officer and voter education Zambians. Only the Socialist Party Zambia could not and would not Debby Mwangala located in Western Province with cialist Party because of its agenda facilitator. will deliver the change and trans- deliver the masses out of their dire Akamana one of the highest poverty levels to provide free education, free He said he joined the Social- formation we seek.” conditions. of 82.2 percent. These are ex- healthcare, shelter, and an im- ist Party partly because he was Dr Musumali said capitalism DEBBY Mwangala Akamana is treme poverty levels by any stan- provement in agriculture for all moved by its ideas and ideologies, had failed the masses since 1991, the Socialist Party’s MP candi- Kenan Phiri dards. As such, I count it a joy Zambians, adding that its president the values of honesty, humility, eq- and that it would continue to fail date for the Lukulu constituency. and blessing to be a part of the SP Fred M’membe had “vast experi- uity and solidarity, that “align well them. She studied her grades 11 and 12 KENAN Kalala Phiri, one of the revolutionary team with a vision to ence to provide leadership”. with my Christian faith and beliefs “You can change the petty and sat the Cambridge Secondary founders of the Socialist Party, is make Zambia a better country that “I decided to aspire for this of love thy neighbour as you love bourgeoisie political parties, [but] School Certificate in Kalabo be- its parliamentary candidate for the strives to uplift its people, particu- position in order to be an honest yourself”. He was also attracted things will get worse for the mass- fore attending Military Training Chipangali constituency. He was larly the poor.” representative for my people,” he to the party’s commitment to free es of our people. What the people Kamitonte in Solwezi. educated at Molozi Primary School Akamana said her experience as said. of Zambia need today is revolu- She holds a primary teacher’s education and healthcare and its and Chalumbe Basic School, both a teacher, a leader in the commu- “Having served in leadership tionary change anchored among certificate from Mongu Second- pledge to revamp the agricultural in Chipangali district, and Anoya nity and a single mother has meant locally and internationally, I am the poor people, the working ary School and teaching diploma sector. Zulu Boys’ Secondary School, be- she has always worked on issues ripe to be a good link between my masses of our country,” he said. in education from the University “My constituency is in the rural fore going on to study at the Zam- that affect the less privileged. people and government in terms “The type of leadership that you of Zambia. part of Zambia. We depend upon bia Institute of Management. “I envision real change in Lu- of fostering development for my choose on August 12 has to reflect Akamana has taught at both agriculture for our livelihood and He has worked in private sec- kulu with better schools, health- people. that transformative change.” primary and secondary schools in I have no doubt that when the tor industries, such as Batul In- care facilities, enough food a “2021 is a big deal for Zambi- Dr Musumali said revolution- , Western and Northern Socialist Party takes over gov- vestment, and has experience of booming agricultural sector, and ans because it is a moment to not ary change could not be brought provinces, and has also lectured ernment in 2021 leading youths at local and district decent houses with proper sanita- about by a leadership “that is at Lyambai Teachers’ College and only change the government but will be a transformed community level in the Pentecostal Assembly tion,” she said. benefiting, that is privileged; a Teachers’ Littlewoods Pre-School. to change the governance system under the leadership of Dr Fred of God in Chipangali. leadership that is parasitic in the She said she joined the Socialist as well.” M’membe,” he said. Phiri said he was a founding current environment.” Party to further the ideals of hon- Fred Chanda “I was driven to join politics member of the party because of “Those who are doing well to- esty, humility, equity and solidar- John Zulu because of the dire conditions that its ideological grounding, strong day – a small group of politicians ity and to focus on justice, equity FRED Chanda is parliamentary the people of Kasenengwa are sub- leadership, and for its beliefs and who are doing well – are going to and peace, “the three issues we candidate for Kasama Central. He PARTY candidate for the Kas- jected to every day.” values of honesty, equity, humility resist change,” he said. need in this country to bridge the holds a grade 12 certificate and enengwa constituency, John Zulu, Zulu said he was looking for and solidarity. “The opposition political par- deepening gaps between the haves diploma in missions and church is a local farmer. changes in his constituency such “The Socialist Party is unique ties, if they are not socialist-ori- and have nots, to bring stability planning and has worked as mis- He attended Chiparamba Pri- as the creation of youth resource in that it focuses on the interests ented, will be a mere continuation and to ensure that we build sys- sions pastor in the Pentecostal As- mary School in Kasenengwa Dis- centres and developing income- of the working class and the poor,” of that same exploitative capitalist tems that work for everyone”. semblies of God, Zambia; branch trict and studied higher grades generating activities such as live- he said. system, and enough is enough.” “Being a part of the SP has church senior pastor in Garden at Anoya Zulu Boys’ Secondary stock farming and growing cash “I was chosen to stand as mem- Dr Musumali stressed that helped me broaden a deeper un- Compound, Lusaka; Midlands School, Chipata. crops. “The conditions our people ber of parliament in the 2021 Zambians needed change and derstanding of my country, of how youth vice director and national Zulu is a Church of Pentecost are facing are worsening by the elections because I believe I un- that it should be reflected in the our problems have evolved over- youth camp manager under Pen- member and ordained church day. The debt crisis, falling kwa- derstand very well the problems leadership. time. The capitalist system has not tecostal Assemblies of God, and deacon and has worked for the cha and extreme poverty have that the people of Chipangali face “That leadership has to be an- uplifted workers despite their im- church administration trainer in Electoral Commission of Zambia pushed our people and patience to everyday. I believe I can also be a chored among the people. So it mense hard work,” she said. the SADC region. as both assistant voter registra- the limit, 2021 is a big deal for all part of the solution. JUSTICE • EQUITY • PEACE

6 Socialist Monthly, December 2020/January 2021 John Zulu Macleod Lunkoto Maximo Sinkonde Fred Chanda Kenan Phiri

Debby Akabana Mulenga Chiluba Martin Phiri Ntazana Musukuma Preston Chinyama

“As the Socialist Party, we have fighting poverty and HIV/AlDS, l and manifesto, focusing on justice, Musumali, Dr Ngenda Mwikisa, “This is our chance to rescue our- “I was disappointed with the a manifesto that was developed developed a passion to contribute peace and equity, “which will re- and the many other honest people selves from poverty, hunger and a poor leadership, corruption, greed, based on the pressing needs of the positively towards the lives of our duce the gap between the rich and running the party now,” he said. poor economy, and to change this injustice and degradation of Zam- Zambian people. As such, I will rural-based people who are in most the poor once we form a govern- “I want to see the country and nation from capitalism to social- bians by the and be able to play an important role cases marginalised in all aspects of ment next year”. Senga constituency become pros- ism,” he said. dumped the ruling party to join in working together with com- human endeavour,” he said. “The “I decided to run as a member perous in my lifetime, to see the the Socialist Party under the able munities to address the problems growing inequalities, poverty and of parliament for Mkaika constitu- lives of the poor improve and the Ntazana Mutungwa leadership of Dr Fred M’membe,” we face in areas of food security, hunger cannot be eradicated by our ency because I know some of the children have access to quality Musukuma he said. access to education, health, clean politicians, but by revolutionaries challenges the people in the area education.” water, housing and sanitation,” he who are the Socialist members, have been facing, such as a poor Sinkonde said the 2021 elec- NTAZANA Mutungwa Musuku- Preston Chinyama said. hence my joining this party.” road network, shortage of health tions were very important for ma is the parliamentary candidate Phiri said he believed he was He said there had been very lit- facilities and safe drinking water, Zambia “especially with neocolo- for Chawama constituency. PRESTON Chinyama is parlia- in a good position to represent the tle development in since and a lack of quality education fa- nialism alive and well”. He was educated at Kamulanga mentary candidate for the Nalolo people of his constituency because the 1970s and pressing needs in- cilities,” he said. “This is due to a “If any Zambian thinks chang- primary and Arakan secondary constituency. he lived with them and experi- cluded the development of ignored lack of proper representation for ing the faces of presidents without schools in Lusaka, gaining distinc- He was born in Kwandwana enced their daily challenges. feeder roads, providing schools our people in the national assem- changing the system of gover- tions in all nine subjects he was village in Mwana Mulena Kaiba’s “What we desire in my con- with electricity, repairing dams bly for a very long time. My wish nance, without uprooting capital- studying, and went on to attend village, the area of Chief stituency is to see good roads, safe and boreholes that had not been is to speak on their behalf and im- ism, will help this country, then David Kaunda Technical High Mushemi, and was educated at drinking water (boreholes), clin- maintained, and providing access prove their living standards. we are going nowhere. We are at a School, also in Lusaka. Mwandi Primary School in Nalo- ics, and continue to work to build to healthcare. “2021 is a big deal for Zambians crossroads, but we can’t continue Musukuma undertook com- lo, Kanyonyo primary in Mongu, the skills of small-scale farmers “Next year’s elections are a big because they will have a chance to doing the same thing and expect munity service in Chawama and Limulunga primary in Limulunga through cooperatives, schools and deal for Zambia because they will vote for leaders who are going to different results, that’s naivety.” joined Sambo-Kayukwa and Com- Royal Village, Mulambwa prima- training centers, such as the Chi- define the future of this country. bring development closer to them.” pany, where he worked as a Legal ry in Mongu, and Sesheke Second- pangali Skills Training Centre.” The capitalist parties have failed Mulenga Chiluba Assistant. He was later accepted as ary School. to solve the growing inequalities, Maximo Sinkonde a student at the University of Zam- He spent 15 years in civil soci- Macleod Lunkoto poverty and unemployment. We MULENGA Chiluba is the par- bia in the School of Humanities ety organisations and joined active must ensure the Socialist Party MAXIMO Sinkonde is the parlia- liamentary candidate for Ka- and Social Sciences. politics in 2016, “so I could look MACLEOD Lunkoto is the par- wins to solve the problems.” mentary candidate for Senga con- ñchibiya constituency in Much- He was elected chairperson on at life from a different perspective liamentary candidate for Keembe stituency in Northern Province. inga Province. the Council of Hall Representa- and serve my people and the na- constituency in Chibombo district Martin Phiri He studied at Kavumbo Primary After schooling to GCE level, tives at UNZA and received a tion in another way”. of Central Province. and Mambwe Mission Secondary Chiluba gained a diploma as a pri- commendation letter from the “I understand Western Province He was educated at Musoka MARTIN Phiri is the parliamen- schools winning a place into grade mary school teacher and was also UNZA senate for exceptional aca- and Zambian politics much bet- primary school in Keembe and tary candidate for Mkaika con- 10 at High School. He is a awarded a diploma in pastoring demic performance after scoring ter because I’m a member of the Boys’ Technical School. stituency. graduate of the Pan African School from Calvary University in Kan- not less than B+ in all his courses. Socialist Party national media bri- He worked for a while as a He went to Lupande Primary in South Africa and also a trainer sas City, Missouri. He worked as He graduated from UNZA with a gade, provincial spokesperson, as registry clerk with the Posts and School where he served as head in ideology. a volunteer teacher for 10 years, bachelor’s degree in public admin- well as a coordinator, and a partici- Telecommunications Corporation boy, and then attended St Luke’s He worked as a sales executive was a director at Mutamba Nshiku istration, going on to gain a mas- pant in different training schemes. Company before being sponsored Secondary School, where he was at Istikbal in Kitwe and also in the Secondary School for three years, ter’s degree in public administra- “The people of Nalolo constitu- to study for the Chartered Institute also a senior prefect. He studied mines with Lunga Resources Lim- served as a peer educator, the sec- tion from the university. ency and Zambia want change of Marketing at Zambia Institute media studies at Golden Gates ited before being deployed by the retary of a neighbourhood health Musukuma worked as a re- and I’m going to be a part of that of Management College in Mi- College under the Institute of Socialist Party to help mobilise committee, and was also a prayer search coordinator for various change. We are going to mobilise mosa, Lusaka. He has worked as Commercial Management and Northern Province. leader at a catholic church for 18 firms, including the Germany with courage, humility, dignity a marketing officer with the Zam- was also trained as a psychosocial Sinkonde joined the party in years. He is currently studying for International Technical Engineer- and civility,” he said. bia Postal Services in Ndola, as a counsellor through the Ministry of 2017, partly on account of its ide- a bachelor’s degree in civic and ing Consultancy, Foundation for “Among the most critical issues marketing consultant with Poilots Health under the Zambia Counsel- ology, but also because “it is the religious education at the Mpika Democratic Process, and the In- we will focus on in the early days lnternational in Pretoria North, ling Council, working as a coun- only party that will give our peo- branch of St Eugene University. ternational Institute for Democ- of the Socialist Party in govern- South Africa, director of opera- selling officer on an internship at ple real solutions to lift them out Chiluba says he was inspired racy and Electoral Assistance, ment will be adequate education tions with the Chinkumbi Com- Kapaya Clinic. of this quagmire; the destitution, by the determination and achieve- was appointed part-time lecturer for all school age groups, adequate munity Foundation in Keembe, Phiri has worked with media hopelessness, poverty, thuggery, ment of Socialist Party president at the National Institute of Pub- healthcare, agricultural revolution, national coordinator with the Op- organisations for eight years, first unbridled competition and con- Fred M’membe. lic Administration, and founded from food security to food sover- eration Young Cheetah Movement as a news reporter and assignment sumerism, greed and corruption”. “I decided to take up the posi- Nalavwe Academic and Research eignty, and infrastructure develop- in Lusaka, and as managing direc- news editor at Feel Free radio sta- “The Socialist Party puts wom- tion of parliamentary candidate to Consultancy, becoming its CEO. ment in critical areas of all human tor of Three Seasons Enterprises. tion in Chipata, Eastern Province, en and youths at the centre of its serve Kañchibiya constituency,” He served as a senior local gov- endeavours, making Nalolo con- Lunkoto said he joined the and later for Muchinga Radio Sta- programmes and values honesty, he said. “I want Kañchibiya to be ernment officer but “lost interest in stituency a humane place to live in. Socialist Party “to join hands tion as station manager and a pro- equity, solidarity and humility. I transformed like other developed public service because of a wide- “Let the working class masses with other revolutionaries to en- ducer. He is currently studying for believe in equity in teams of access communities with things like good spread system indolence marred join the Socialist Party because it able to bring about real change in a bachelor’s degree in public ad- to education, universal healthcare, roads, bridges, schools, clean wa- with corruption, and joined poli- is the people’s revolution. It is for the lives of our people”. ministration and political science clean and safe drinking water, ter and sanitation, as well as being tics to contribute towards the cre- the good of Zambia. It is for the “Having worked in rural com- at Oak University, Lusaka. sanitation and decent housing, and able to support peasant farmers.” ation of a decent Zambia charac- good of the revolution. As Dr Fred munities in Keembe with the Chin- Phiri said he joined the Social- also in the quality of the leadership Chiluba said 2021 was going to terised by hard work, honesty and M’membe says, ‘It can be dark at kumbi Community Foundation ity Party because of its ideology of Dr Fred M’membe, Dr Cosmas be “a big deal” for every Zambian. equity”. times but the morning comes’.” JUSTICE • EQUITY • PEACE

Socialist Monthly, December 2020/January 2021 7 GLOBAL VIEW

Since the financial crisis in 2008, there has been a It’s the 200th anniversary of the birth of Friedrich Engels renewed interest in Marx and Engels amid deepen- ing social divisions and worsening social conflicts. Engels has contributed substantially to the Marx- Top Marx for socialism’s ist theory, not least with his acute observation of workers’ conditions and exploitation by capital- ists. Instead of applying ‘second fiddle’ the theory rigidly, over the past century the Chinese Communist Party has combined the fundamen- tal principles of Marxism with “the reality of China”

Xinhua

IN DOWNTOWN Manches- ter, England, frock-coated and bearded Friedrich En- gels crosses his arms over the chest, contemplating at the heart of a posh, modern busi- ness district. The statue was installed three years ago in the cradle of the Industrial Revolution, which, Statue of Engels in Manchester, UK, (left) and the house where he was born in Wuppertal, Germany along with much of Europe, had dition of the Working Class in Eng- They co-authored The Commu- instead of relying on sheer mar- witnessed the darkest, most in- land. It is believed that Marx was nist Manifesto and co-founded the ket competition. Western govern- human side of capitalism. “bewitched” by the book, and the first proletarian party in the world ments are also seeking to improve Nicknaming himself “the sec- pair, who belonged to significantly aimed at changing the fate of the social welfare by enacting laws ond fiddle”, Engels worked- ar different classes, embarked on a working class. about working hours and mini- duously with his confidant Karl journey that changed the course of After Marx’s death, Engels mum wages, all testifying to the Marx. The pair explored the truth human history. shouldered the role of leading the wisdom of Marxism. and rules behind the capitalist sys- Chetham’s Library, a light- international workers’ movement, Engels once said, “A nation that tem, concluding that capital was brown medieval sandstone build- sorting out and publishing Marx’s wants to climb the pinnacles of sci- governed primarily by the pursuit ing in Manchester, testifies to the unfinished work, including Das ence cannot possibly manage with- of profit with no regard for human solid friendship between the two. Kapital, while continuing to defend out theoretical thought.” In China, life. The groundbreaking theories A stained oak desk, known as and develop Marxist theory. ever since the birth of the Commu- changed the course of history in Marx’s desk, remains almost un- A permanent exhibition in the nist Party of China (CPC) in 1921, the 19th century. a group of scholars is making a and critics of capitalism,” he said. changed in the window alcove of Exhibition Hall of Marxism Com- the party has proclaimed Marxism Two hundred years after his tremendous effort, along with in- Waterstones, a British book re- the reading room. The library, ac- munication in Beijing, China, as its flagship theory. Instead of ap- birth, the world Engels is gazing ternational partners, to collect and tailer, has reported soaring sales cording to senior librarian Fergus draws thousands of visitors each plying the theory rigidly, however, at from his pedestal is again under- proofread original scripts by Marx of the Communist Manifesto since Wilde, played a crucial role in year. The exhibits include some over the past century the CPC has going unprecedented changes; the and Engels. the global financial crisis, along forming their theories and argu- 500 publications and manuscripts combined the fundamental prin- most serious pandemic in the past Under the Marx-Engels-Gesa- with Das Kapital, Marx’s master- ments and ultimately led to their about Marxism and around 300 ciples of Marxism with the reality century, the worst global economic mtausgabe (MEGA) project, the piece of political economy, and work The Communist Manifesto photos and drawings of Marx and of China, from revolution to the recession since the Great Depres- scholars aim to publish a complete the Grundrisse, or in English, the that was published in late Febru- Engels.A white bust of bearded En- opening up. sion of the 1930s, and the ever- edition of the works, manuscripts Outlines of the Critique of Politi- ary 1848. gels is surrounded by various ver- “The essence of socialism with sions of The Communist Manifesto pronounced social conflicts since and correspondence of Marx and cal Economy. “People are going Even though Engels was often Chinese characteristics is to com- Engels, “as comprehensively true back to their classics to find solu- seen as playing a supporting role and some early versions of Engels’ bine Marxism with the Chinese the financial crisis, which have works, such as Anti-Duehring. prompted a second thought about to the original as possible”. tions and inspirations for today’s to Marx, there is no denying he reality and find a path of develop- the role of capital and a complete society,” Hubmann said. contributed extensively to the de- ment of our own,” said Tao Wen- rethink of governance. Conflicts In the autumn of 1842, Engels, velopment of Marxism. Wisdom zhao, deputy dean of the School of It is clear that the far-reaching then 22, moved to Manchester, “We shouldn’t forget that such Marxism Studies at Renmin Uni- versity of China. influence of Marx and Engels’ Gerald Hubmann, chief of the known as “Cottonopolis” and start- a supporting role was utterly vital Zang Fengyu, dean of the School contribution to the world is not ed working for his family’s textile to Marx. Had Engels not support- of Philosophy at Renmin Univer- Han Yuhai, a leading scholar at editorial department, described the Peking University, who studies Xi confined to their age. Rather, their business. In Engels’ “second home- ed him, he would probably never sity of China, has been studying meaning of their works as profound. Jinping Thought on Socialism with insights could well shed much town”, he and Marx consolidated have been able to write Das Kapi- Engels for a decade. Zang said that Since the financial crisis of 2008, Chinese Characteristics for a New light on the future path the world their friendship and started to de- tal,” Wilde said. apart from his role in developing there has been a renewed interest Era, said history has shown that needs to embark upon at a time of velop groundbreaking theories. The Historic Center of Wup- Marxism, Engels made significant in Marx and Engels amid deepen- contributions to helping translate Marxism can only maintain its vi- profound uncertainty. Little Ireland, now a red-bricked pertal’s Dr Bluma also stressed ing social divisions and sharpen- Marxist theories into practice. tality in China when it is rooted in Engels was born into an afflu- residential area in Manchester, Engels’ noble character. “In a way, ing of social conflicts, Hubmann “Engels made substantial con- the Chinese civilisation and com- ent capitalist family in a baroque looks serene and unimpressive. But he was very modest about himself said. His department also plans to tributions to helping us understand bined with Chinese practice to meet house in Wuppertal, a town at the according to Engels, the former and he knew how to be a friend by publish a scholarly version of The Marxism, socialism, as well as the the demands of the Chinese people heart of western Germany’s Ruhr residence of Irish workers was once offering all. Their friendship was Condition of the Working Class to governance of modern society. The and solve practical problems. industrial region, where he spent “the worst of the slums of the town- solid since they had the same view works by Engels in his late years commemorate the 200th anniver- ship” with appalling living condi- on world, life, and values.” In recent years, despite continu- his childhood. about socialist governance have ing sluggish growth among many sary of Engels’ birth. tions that tested the very limit of Indeed, Engels has contributed Wuppertal labeled 2020, the proved very inspiring for modern developed countries, China has “As long as the basic social human beings. substantially to Marxist theory, not bicentenary of his birth, on No- countries,” Zang said. maintained medium to high-speed problems of capitalism and this It was the tragic conditions of least with his acute observation of In the West, since the financial vember 28, “The Year of Engels”. growth, contributing about 30 misery persist, Marx and Engels workers that prompted Engels to workers’ conditions and exploita- crisis more countries are enhanc- Posters featuring a young, spirited percent to the growth of the world will remain the classical theorists write his landmark work The Con- tion by capitalists. Engels, renowned as “a thinker, a ing regulations on the economy economy. doer and a Wuppertaler”, are seen In the fifth plenary session of across the city. the 19th CPC Central Committee, One can’t help but wonder why held in Beijing in late October, Engels is still widely remembered the CPC raised a set of long-range in Germany, where Marxism is not objectives for China to basically considered a mainstream school achieve socialist modernisation of thought, and also in Manches- by 2035. Marxism has continued ter, where the statue, transported to play a guiding role in China, to Britain from a village in east- and its impact extends apparently ern Ukraine through Europe, was beyond its borders. erected in his honour. Phil Collins, the British artist Lars Bluma, a scholar at the who transported the statue of En- Historic Center of Wuppertal, said gels from Ukraine to Manchester, it was because his thinking, de- has described Engels as a writer spite being rooted in his time, “is “with whom we can engage today, beyond his time, and is still mean- with the questions he raises. He ingful and inspiring today”. isn’t to be confined to his time and In the German capital Berlin, in- forgotten”. side the Berlin-Brandenburg Acad- From the West to the East, this emy of Sciences and Humanities, Karl Marx’s oak desk in an alcove at Chetham’s Library (left) and a plaque at a site where Engels once lived, both in Manchester has proved to be more than true. 8 Socialist Monthly, December 2020/January 2021 GLOBAL VIEW CHINA WATCH US hawks to spend $350b INTEREST in China is grow- ing, yet most news and analysis outside the country is produced by mainstream media from the global north. To provide access to Chinese perspectives, the Dong in bid to destabilise China Feng Collective – researchers from various countries – offers a Democrats support Pentagon’s ‘great power competition’ China digest of news. This is an edited selection. Walter Smolarek billion is earmarked just for the Schumer and Menendez’s bill Democrats’ proposal. Explaining the Democrats and Republicans, semiconductor industry, a field in includes a host of other measures. that he wished to incorporate the “may have differences of opinion Health HQ under way which Chinese firms play a -par The senators want to single out Democrats’ bill into his own, Re- as to how best to enrich them- CONSTRUCTION has begun on DEMOCRATS in the US ticularly prominent role. Chinese government officials in- publican senate foreign relations selves and retain their power and the China-funded Africa Centre for Senate recently announced a Strengthening these industries is volved in policy towards the coun- committee chairman Jim Risch privileges, they broadly agree that Disease Control and Prevention massive spending bill to the one of the core goals of the Pen- try’s northwestern Xinjiang re- proclaimed, “This is an American China’s emergence as a significant headquarters (US$80 million) in tune of US$350 billion aimed tagon’s “great power competition” gion, offer assistance to the protest issue. This is not a partisan issue.” player in world affairs, and the de- Ethiopia.The 40,000 sqm complex, at stepping up hostility to- doctrine, which identifies all-out movement in Hong Kong, and au- But workers in the United velopment of China as a moderate- built and equipped by the Chinese wards China. confrontation with China (and thorise an additional US$125 mil- States have nothing to gain from ly prosperous society, constitutes government, will include an emer- Russia) as the overarching goal lion of military spending to assist conflict with China. “This is all an existential threat to American Introduced by leading imperi- gency operation facility, as well as guiding US military and foreign US junior partners that go along about destroying China’s peaceful dominance”. laboratory, data, resource, confer- alist war hawks Chuck Schumer policy in the 21st century. with the anti-China campaign. economic rise because the United At a time when tens of millions ence and training centres. and Bob Menendez, the legisla- US aggression against China is States wants to keep every nation of workers are unemployed, facing South China Morning Post tion is intended to shore up US constrained by the fact that the US Predatory on earth under its thumb,” argues eviction and even going without dominance in strategic sectors of corporations’ supply chains tend to Mike Wong, vice president of the food, the Democratic Party wants Rail project on track the world economy through large be heavily dependent on China’s Announcing the bill, Chuck San Francisco chapter of Veterans to give hundreds of billions of dol- CHINA is funding a US$4.7 billion government subsidies, as well as manufacturing sector. These sub- Schumer’s rhetoric was indistin- for Peace. lars in handouts to the high tech in- railway revitalisation project in Ar- bolstering ongoing efforts to po- sidies aim to break down this key guishable from Mike Pompeo or “It will seek to break every na- dustry in pursuit of their militarist gentina, tripling its freight capacity litically destabilise China. roadblock on the path to war. Donald Trump, boasting that his tion that wants to be independent agenda. (9 million tons/year) and promoting The centerpiece of the Demo- While semiconductors and other proposal, “counteracts the Chinese of the US, especially a nation like On this issue of existential im- economic recovery. Three Chinese crats’ proposal is a US$300 billion high-tech goods are valuable to Communist Party’s predatory trade China with a large economy.” portance to the future of the entire companies are contributing to the fund to subsidise science and tech- the civilian economy, they are also practices and aggressive military Noting that “anti-China atti- world, both ruling class parties in 1,813 km project, which will gener- nology development. This is likely crucial to the US military’s efforts behaviour”. tudes are truly bipartisan”, Ken the United States are unified in ate 28,000 jobs in 13 provinces, re- to mean a massive payday for to maintain a technological edge In July, senate Republicans Hammond, professor of East Asian their march towards potentially duce high freight costs and increase some of the biggest tech firms in over the Chinese People’s Libera- introduced their own anti-China and global history at New Mexico catastrophic conflict. competitiveness of exports. the country. An additional US$16 tion Army. bill, and reacted positively to the State University, said that while Liberation Global Times Stocks to be removed AFTER being sanctioned by the US The US ‘sees Latin America as a battleground for alleged military ties, several Chi- nese stocks are to be removed from major Western financial indexes. in a World War III and is planning accordingly’ Huawei, SMIC, China Mobile, China Telecom and CCCC will be Bill Van Auken ties to the US military and intelli- among the excluded companies from gence apparatus. Nasdaq, S&P Dow Jones, FTSE A PRESENTATION by the Ellis placed the question square- ly within the context of the Penta- Russell and MSCI indexes. chief of the US military’s Caixin Global gon’s preparations for a new world Southern Command (South- war between the US and China, Internet firms fined com) and a report drafted by both nuclear-armed powers. THE government has fined Alibaba the US Army War College’s “In the context of large-scale and Tencent US$76,000 for failing chief expert on Latin America hostilities with the United States to notify authorities about acquisi- have been issued back-to- . . . PRC military relationships in tions, signaling greater oversight of back, both making dire warn- the region would likely be used in internet monopolies. Though the un- all stages of the global-scope cam- ings of growing Chinese in- precedented penalty is of negligible paign necessary to wage that con- sums, recently approved laws allow fluence in the region. flict,” Ellis said. for fines of up to 10 percent of rev- Together, they amount to a “In the event of a prolonged fight enues of internet companies, which brief submitted to an incoming in Asia, the PRC could persuade or must follow new regulations on data Biden administration, arguing intimidate one or more actors in privacy, media activities and finance. that Washington must escalate its Latin America to permit the PLA Nikkei Asia drive to assert imperialist hege- to use its ports, air fields, or other mony over the lands to its south facilities in support of operations Football rules in play as part of its preparations for a against the United States. THE Chinese Football Association global confrontation with China. “If some Latin American gov- has announced new rules for the na- The head of Southcom, Admiral ernments decided to ‘bet against tional league, restricting high spend- Craig Faller, told Pentagon report- Venezuelan special forces troops deplane from a Venezuelan Air Force Chinese-made Y-8F-100 the United States’ and permit the transport aircraft close to the Venezuela-Colombia border in La FrÍa, Táchira state, Venezuela. ing and corporate influence. Sal- ers recently that US imperialism’s PRC to use their facilities for mili- ary caps will be reduced for Chinese “competitive edge [in the region] . temala in 1954, to ITT and Ana- In addition to insinuating that ing Latin American armed forces tary purposes, the accumulated (US$1.5 to $0.76 million/year) and . . is eroding, particularly when it conda Copper in Chile in 1973, and the growth of China’s economic “free equipment, free gear and free PLA knowledge of Latin American foreign (from US$24 to $3.7 million/ comes to the Chinese influence.” the role of Big Oil and US finance influence in Latin America could training with no strings attached”. military leaders, forces, organisa- year) players, with a ban on naming Faller presented this challenge capital today in the drive for regime be chalked up to fraud, bribery and He took particular umbrage at the tion, infrastructure, and operating teams after corporations. largely as a matter of China’s al- change in Venezuela. extortion, Admiral Faller insisted PLA’s failing to provide human environment would increase the Sixth Tone leged failure to “play by global Faller acknowledged that, while that Beijing’s primary interest was rights training, “the things impor- speed and effectiveness with which rules”, by which he means the rules four years ago only one govern- in developing “seaport infrastruc- tant to us”. it could establish a wartime pres- Groups buy online imposed over the course of the 20th ment in the region had signed on ture” and “deep water ports”, not- What hypocrisy. US “human ence to conduct operations against GROUP online buying is growing century underpinning US global to the Belt and Road Initiative – ing that China had “signed 40 com- rights training” did nothing to stop the United States.” among the elderly and in lower-tier hegemony. Beijing’s huge global infrastructure mercial port deals in Southcom’s the Colombian military – granted Underlying this grim perspective cities, with half of grocery shop- “I think what they’re doing [in programme aimed at linking Chi- area of operations”. These deals, he US$448 million in US aid this is the protracted attempt by US im- ping expected to go online by 2025 the region] matches what they’re charged, were primarily of military year alone – from murdering tens na’s markets to Eurasia and beyond perialism to offset the erosion of its (up from 20 percent). Organised by doing globally. It’s a full court significance. of thousands in its so-called “false by land and sea – now 19 have. global hegemony by means of es- community leaders during the pan- press to have China become the “What does it look like if China positive” campaign of deliberately China has become Latin Amer- calating militarism. This drive will demic, bulk purchasing reduces de- world’s dominant power,” said the ica’s foremost lender and investor has a strategic control of the Strait targeting civilians and then claim- only continue under an administra- livery costs and increases efficiency. admiral said. and is poised to overtake the US of Magellan, or the Panama Canal, ing that they were armed insur- tion led by Biden and the Demo- South China Morning Post “They’ve come in with the same as its chief trading partner. It is the approaches to the Gulf of Mexi- gents. Over the past half century, crats, who campaigned against type of infrastructure deals, loans, already the number-one partner of co through a Caribbean port? What similar crimes and worse have been Trump on the basis that he has been In tune with women that they have used globally to gain Brazil, Chile, Peru and Uruguay, does that look like in a global con- carried out across Latin America too “soft” on Russia and China. ONE of China’s most popular sing- influence,” he said. “They come in and is the second largest for many flict?” Faller asked. “The Panama with the direct aid of the Pentagon. ers, Tan Weiwei, has focused her with deals that no one can compete other countries. Canal is a significant global choke An even more chilling expres- The Pentagon sees Latin Amer- 3811 album on the struggles and with because US industry has to Total trade between China and point. We were concerned as we sion of the way in which the Penta- ica as a battlefield in a coming violence faced by women. The final compete fairly by law.” the region has increased from watched China working port deals gon perceives Chinese influence in World War III and is preparing track on the 11-song album, Xiao Who does he think he is kid- US$17 billion in 2002 to almost on either side of the canal. Latin America was provided by the accordingly. It is seeking to shore Juan (Pseudonym) – the name given ding? US corporations have used US$315 billion in 2019. In the “Certainly in a global Chinese US Army War College’s expert on up its ties to the region’s armed by Chinese authorities to female criminal methods to dictate terms midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, fight, that would be one of the key the Western Hemisphere, Evan El- forces, including, as in the 1960s victims of violent crimes – alludes to Latin American countries – and the recovery of China’s economy considerations: how do we defend lis, in a paper published two weeks and 1970s, through the promotion to two recent real-life cases and trig- helped overthrow governments has led to a continuation of this that canal?” Faller asked. after the November 3 presidential of military coups and dictatorships gered online discussion generating that failed to accept them since the growth, even as trade with the US, The Southcom commander also election by the Center for Strategic to confront the rising revolutionary 320 million views. beginning of the last century, from Europe and Japan has fallen off denounced the Chinese People’s and International Studies, a Wash- challenge from the working class. Sixth Tone the United Fruit Company in Gua- sharply. Liberation Army (PLA) for provid- ington-based think tank with close wsws.org Socialist Monthly, December 2020/January 2021 9 GLOBAL VIEW Workers rally over pandemic profiteers Global protests follow rampant exploitation An elderly farmer shouts slogans while others block a major highway during a protest at the Delhi-Haryana state border, India. Keith Jones ernment’s law to criminalise film- ing the country’s police, who rou- against all forms of social protest. Auto Workers to compel them to mass protests across the US that It is the ruling class fear of the tinely employ violence to suppress l In the US, numerous strikes and work under unsafe conditions amid united working people of all eth- incipient political radicalisation AS THE last month of 2020 worker and left-wing protests and demonstrations have been mounted the pandemic. nicities and redounded around the of the working class that is caus- began, working class resis- to terrorise poor, predominantly by nurses and other workers at hos- The years 2018 and 2019 wit- world. ing it to turn ever more openly to tance was erupting through- immigrant, neighbourhoods. Stag- pitals and nursing homes to fight for nessed a global resurgence of class Now, nearly a year after the rul- authoritarian forms of rule and to out the world in opposition to gered by the size of the protests, the higher pay, increased staffing and struggle after decades in which it ing classes’ criminally negligent rehabilitate the ultra-right. A major the mercenary response of the government now claims it will re- personal protective equipment. In had been suppressed by the cor- response to the pandemic began motivating factor in many of the think the measure. The mass anger recent struggles was the imposi- ruling class to the COVID-19 the Chicago area, for example, 700 poratist trade unions, social demo- to produce mass death in countries is driven by the impunity the police poorly paid caregivers and support crats, other establishment “left” around the world, social struggles tion of new measures to criminalise pandemic, its concerted drive enjoy. Not a single officer has been staff have been striking at 11 for- parties and their pseudo-left ac- are erupting anew. But they do so workers’ struggles and expand the to intensify capitalist exploi- charged for assaulting Yellow Vest profit nursing homes. It is only the complices. under radically changed condi- repressive powers of the state. tation, and its evisceration of protesters, including for attacks sabotage of the unions that has pre- From France, Spain, Algeria, tions. The breakdown of democracy is democratic rights. that left protesters maimed. vented the unification of these man- Iran and Sudan to South Africa, The pandemic has vastly accel- epitomised by developments in the l On November 26, workers l In Spain, thousands of doctors ifold struggles into a broader move- Mexico, Chile and Colombia, mass erated the global crisis of world US, where Trump is seeking to nul- across India staged a one-day and nurses protested in Madrid ment prioritising the fight against strikes and protest movements capitalism. lify the outcome of the presiden- general strike to protest the Hindu on November 29 against cuts to the pandemic and the protection of erupted, frequently in open rebel- The wealth of the ruling elite has tial election and build up a fascist supremacist BJP government’s healthcare in the midst of a dev- workers’ lives over the profits of the lion against the unions and “left” soared to unprecedented heights movement. But this is a universal socially incendiary economic poli- astating “second wave” of the healthcare industry. parties. since March due to the endless process. In Spain, recently retired cies. The strikers also demanded COVID-19 pandemic. Rejecting lAutoworkers are resisting the In the US, there was a wave of supply of cash funneled into the army officers have been secretly emergency aid for the hundreds of attempts to stoke nationalism, they transnational auto giants’ drive to teacher strikes that pitted the rank markets by the central banks and urging the king to carry out a coup millions of impoverished workers chanted, “Fewer flags and more increase profits by slashing jobs, and file against the union appara- other organs of the capitalist state. by illegally dismissing the elected and toilers who have been left to nurses”. intensifying the pace of work, and tus, and in the autumn of 2019 the Workers’ incomes, meanwhile, government. fend for themselves amidst an un- In neighbouring Portugal, child forcing workers to maintain pro- first national strike of autoworkers have plunged due to job losses and The critical question is the infu- precedented health and socioeco- educators and primary and second- duction at full throttle as the pan- in decades. the meagre, and in many parts of sion of the growing global upsurge nomic catastrophe. ary school teachers announced a demic rages. Workers at GM and the world, nonexistent relief pro- of the working class with a socialist A ten-week COVID-19 lock- national strike for December 11. Kia plants in South Korea have If workers are to grammes governments promul- and internationalist programme. down last spring was accompanied Teachers are angry over the refusal mounted a series of four-hour prevail, they gated in tandem with the initial Workers around the world face of the government to protect them common conditions and problems. by no serious mobilisation of soci- strikes to demand higher wages must transform their COVID-19 lockdown measures. ety’s resources to halt the spread of from infection in schools and years and job security. GM workers The resulting social misery is de- Arrayed against them is a global the virus, while the tens of millions of austerity. rejected a union-endorsed agree- objective unity in liberate. It serves as a bludgeon to financial oligarchy and its transna- of workers rendered jobless over- l In Chile, 60,000 public health ment that would have maintained the process of world compel workers to return to work tional corporations, which use the night were denied social support. workers, who have been on the a year-long wage freeze and aban- ‘ under unsafe conditions. global labour market to systemati- production into a This was followed by a premature front line of the fight against doned their other key demands. The pandemic has also fatally cally drive down wages and work- return to work that has resulted in the pandemic, launched an in- In India, 3,000 workers who conscious strategy undermined the political and moral ing conditions. They are deter- mass infections and deaths. definite strike on November 30 walked off the job at Toyota’s Bi- and coordinate their authority of the ruling elites and mined to make working people pay In the name of “reviving” the to oppose threatened healthcare dadi, Karnataka assembly plant their governments. This is above for the crisis of world capitalism, economy, Prime Minister Naren- cuts and demand payment of on November 9 and were then struggle in a global all true in the US, whose capitalist beginning with the drive to keep dra Modi has doubled down on the long-promised bonuses and bet- locked out are continuing to defy counter-offensive class is the wealthiest of all. But the them churning out profits amid the “pro-investor” policies that have ter working conditions. Decades a government back-to-work order. European bourgeoisie has no less pandemic. made India one of the most socially of underfunding have left Chile’s The workers are resisting the com- A key factor in precipitating brazenly prioritised profits over hu- If workers are to prevail, they unequal countries in the world. The public health system so dilapi- pany’s demand that they increase last spring’s government-ordered man lives. European governments, must transform their objective uni- BJP government has accelerated dated that at the height of the pan- monthly output and are fighting COVID-19 lockdowns was ruling whatever their political complex- ty in the process of world produc- its privatisation drive, rewriting demic, last May and June, work- the victimisation of 40 workers. class fear that wildcat worker job ion, whether avowedly right-wing tion into a conscious strategy and India’s labour laws to promote pre- ers had to sew their own masks. In the US, autoworkers have action, as in North America’s auto like that headed by Boris John- coordinate their struggle in a global carious contract-labor employment, The strike is part of a broader work- formed a growing network of rank- industry, to demand action to halt son in the UK or comprised, as in counter-offensive against the re- making most workers’ job actions ing class mobilisation against the and-file safety committees at major the spread of the virus would spark Spain, of social democrats and “left lentless assault on jobs, wages and illegal, and pushing through a “re- country’s hated ultra-right billion- auto assembly and auto part plants mass social unrest. populists” (Podemos), have pur- public services and for workers’ form” of India’s agriculture sector aire president, Sebastián Piñera, to defeat the conspiracy between The Memorial Day police mur- sued homicidal back-to-work and power. that puts small farmers at the mercy for unleashing police state violence the automakers and the United der of George Floyd provoked back-to-school policies. wswg.com of agribusiness. Drawing support from workers across India, the one-day protest Record gains for the rich, abject misery for the poor strike dealt a blow to the relent- less campaign of Modi and his Eric London of households worldwide reported income single book. Save the Children estimates support the banks and corporations this BJP to promote reaction, and split loss since the beginning of the pandemic. “conservatively” that 10 million poor year, already massively outpacing the size the working class by inciting anti- Extending these percentages to the world children will never return to school when of the bank bailouts of 2008-2009. In the Muslim communalism. THE MONTH of November was record- population, that means 5.25 billion people the pandemic is over because long-term US, this year’s corporate bailout amounted Also on November 26, hundreds setting in the spread of the pandemic. Sev- are substantially poorer in November than poverty will force them to work instead of to over 12 percent of GDP, double the 2009 enteen million people tested positive for they were in January. Of these, 1.05 billion study. Rates of teen pregnancy and family bailout, which cost less than 6 percent of of thousands of Greek workers shut the coronavirus worldwide and more than people lost 100 percent of their income, violence are increasing. GDP. In Japan, Germany, Australia, the UK, down much of the country’s public 272,000 died of the virus, almost equal to 1.7 billion people lost over 75 percent, and Workers in the “wealthier” countries Canada and France, governments similarly sector. The strikers, who included the total number of soldiers killed in World another 1.7 billion lost between 56 and 75 are by no means spared from the devasta- doubled, tripled or quadrupled the size of teachers, healthcare workers, doc- War I’s deadliest battle, the five-month percent. The same survey reported that 3.7 tion. According to US Labour Department the bailout. tors and transit workers, were Battle of the Somme. billion people, or 70 percent of respon- data, there are now more high-paying jobs This has made the rich obscenely richer. protesting against a law that will While billions of people prepare for a dents who suffered economic loss, had not than there were in January, while there are According to a November report from abolish the eight-hour day and sig- winter of hardship and disease, the global received any government support. 25 percent fewer jobs that pay under $15 Inequality.org, “Between March 18 and Oc- stock markets are celebrating their best The degree of social misery represented an hour. Official figures still put the total tober 13, the total wealth of 644 US billion- nificantly curtail the right to strike month in 33 years, with the Dow Jones In- by these figures is almost unfathom- unemployed at over 10 million. aires increased from $2.95 trillion to $3.88 and demonstrate. To halt the spread dustrial Average hitting 30,000 for the first able. Ninety percent of respondents in This money did not “disappear,” it was trillion, a rise of 31.6 percent”. The wealth of COVID-19, the strikers also de- time in November. the survey said they had reduced access funneled into the bank accounts of the of the 10 richest people increased by $141 manded the mass hiring of health- As the deaths pile up in every country, to healthcare compared with a year ago. super-rich. The bipartisan CARES Act billion, or by $46,850 each minute. care staff and the confiscation of the ruling class is taking advantage of the Almost two-thirds of respondents – around transferred on average US$1.6 million each So much for the claim, repeated in every private clinics. pandemic to orchestrate an unprecedented 4.3 billion people – are having difficulty to 43,000 wealthy Americans whose income language by capitalist politicians from right l On November 28, hundreds of transfer of wealth from the working class providing their families with basic food. was already over $1 million – a total $135 to so-called left, that “there is no money” to thousands joined protests across to the rich. More than 25 percent of parents say their billion handout. provide the world working class with food, According to a recent survey by the children do not have any learning materi- The major imperialist countries provided full income, healthcare and books. France to oppose the Macron gov- non-profit Save the Children, 75 percent als at all for distanced learning, not even a a total of $10 trillion in fiscal stimulus to wsws.com

10 Socialist Monthly, December 2020/January 2021 GLOBAL VIEW Struggle and hope in the battle against COVID-19 and injustice Vaccine nationalism leaves poor countries fighting for affordable access

Vijay Prashad the end of 2022. The struggle be- tween “vaccine nationalism” and the “people’s vaccine” mirrors the THE TOTAL level of global fight between the north and the indebtedness now sits at an south over questions of debt and astronomical US$277 trillion, vast areas of human development. Precious resources need to go an increase of US$15 trillion towards testing, tracing, and iso- since 2019. lation, to break the chain of infec- This amount is equivalent to tion of the virus; they need to go 365 percent of the global gross towards building up the public domestic product. health infrastructure, including The debt burden is highest in training healthcare profession- the poorest countries, where coro- als who would need to give the navirus defaults have begun; Zam- two-dose injection to billions of bia’s default being the most recent. people; they need to be used for the The various programmes to sus- building of regional pharmaceuti- pend debt servicing payments, such cal production; and certainly they as the G20 Debt Service Suspen- need to go towards the immediate sion Initiative, and the various aid relief for people, including income programmes, such as through the support, food provision, and social International Monetary Fund’s CO- protection against the shadow pan- VID-19 Financial Assistance and demic of patriarchal violence. Debt Relief initiative, are certain Talking to doctors and scientists to fall short. The G20 package has such as Yogesh Jain and Prabir only covered 1.66 percent of debt Purkayastha about the vaccine, payments, since it has failed to cor- I was reminded of a 2002 visit to ral many private and multilateral Palestine that Mahmoud Darwish lenders into its agreements. had organised for writers, includ- The debt burdens are catastroph- ing Wole Soyinka, José Saramago, ic for countries that simply do not and Breyten Breytenbach, when he have the capacity to pay off their greeted them with the following obligations, particularly during the meditation on hope. coronavirus recession. Last month, We have an incurable malady: UNCTAD’s Stephanie Blanken- hope. Hope in liberation and in- burg told Tricontinental: Institute dependence. Hope in a normal life for Social Research that “debt where we are neither heroes nor write-offs in the most vulnerable victims. Hope that our children will developing countries will be in- go safely to their schools. Hope evitable, and everybody recognises that a pregnant woman will give this, but the question is on what birth to a living baby at the hospi- terms this will happen”. tal, and not a dead child in front The IMF urges countries to bor- of a military checkpoint; hope that row since interest rates are gener- our poets will see the beauty of the ally low. But this provokes another colour red in roses rather than in important question: what should blood; hope that this land will take governments do with the money up its original name: the land of they would borrow? love and peace. Robust Affection What the differential impact The International Day of Soli- of the pandemic has shown us is darity with the Palestinian People that countries with a robust pub- was on November 29. We, at Tri- lic health system – including sig- continental: Institute for Social Re- nificant numbers of well-equipped search, affirm our solidarity with public health workers – have been the struggle of the Palestinians for better able to break the chain of the emancipation. We want to put on infection than countries that have record a call for the release of all cannibalised their public health Palestinian political prisoners, in- systems. Since this is a largely cluding Khitam Saafin, president recognised fact across the political of the Union of Palestinian Wom- Images of pestilence and struggle. (Top): Public health elimination team for the elimination of “Four Pests”, China, 1958. (Above, left): spectrum, it behoves countries to en’s Committees, and Khalida Jar- Kamal Nicola, Palestine, Sumud [steadfastness], Palestine Red Crescent Society, 1980. (Right): Yoshitoshi Tsukioka, Japan, Smallpox spend more of the new money on rar, a leader of the Popular Front Demons, New Forms of Thirty Six Ghosts, 1890. rebuilding their public health sys- for the Liberation of Palestine. tems. But this is not what is hap- It is disheartening to see “vac- ments to purchase enough doses to ty rights during the pandemic will sector pharmaceutical firms to dis- Physicians for Human Rights Is- pening. cine nationalism” eclipse the hope cover 230 percent of its population stifle innovation. tribute the vaccines in their coun- rael wrote a short note in The Lan- It is welcome news that there around the development of the vac- and could eventually control 1.8 In reality, a few major vaccine tries either free of charge or for cet called “Battling COVID-19 in are now vaccine candidates from cine. The rich countries, with 13 billion doses (about a quarter of the producers (Pfizer, Merck, Glaxo- an affordable price, or that private the occupied Palestinian territory”. a range of firms and countries, in- percent of the world’s population, world’s near-term supply). SmithKline, and Sanofi) monopo- sector firms make vaccines and They describe the efforts of the cluding the two m-RNA vaccines have already secured 3.4 billion India and South Africa have lise the development of vaccines, deliver them at affordable prices. dedicated Palestinian healthcare from Pfizer and Moderna, as well doses of the potential vaccines; the made a reasonable proposal to the which are often produced using The need to diversify production workers as being “hampered by as Gamaleya’s Sputnik V and Sino- rest of the world has pre-committed World Trade Organisation (WTO) public subsidies (Moderna, for in- comes because there is simply not the unique restrictions faced by the vac’s CoronaVac. Reports from vaccine orders of 2.4 billion doses. for the waiver of intellectual prop- stance, received US$2.48 billion enough deep-freeze courier capac- Palestinian health system”. This these and other vaccine candidates The poorest countries, with a erty rights in relation to the preven- in public funds towards the vac- ity to transport the vaccines around includes the separation between show positive results, which raises population of 700 million people, tion, containment, and treatment cine). Innovation in areas such as the world. East Jerusalem, Gaza, and the West hope that we will soon have some have no agreements for the vaccine. of COVID-19; this would mean a pharmaceuticals is often publicly The issue of public sector phar- Bank, the “restrictions that Israel kind of effective vaccine against They depend on the Covax vac- suspension of the Agreement on funded but privately owned. maceutical capacity is a very press- imposes”, and imprisoned nature COVID-19. cine, developed in partnership be- Trade-Related Aspects of Intellec- On May 14, 140 world leaders ing one, since over the past five of the entire Palestinian population. Scientists are wary of the claims tween the World Health Organisa- tual Property Rights (TRIPS). signed a pledge that demanded all decades the IMF has pushed coun- The three million Palestinians in made by the private pharmaceutical tion, the Vaccine Alliance (GAVI), Most of the poorer nations are tests, treatments, and vaccines, be tries to privatise the public sector the West Bank and East Jerusalem companies, which have released and the Coalition for Epidemic arguing for equitable and afford- patent-free and that the vaccines and rely upon a handful of multi- have access to only 87 intensive press statements but have not made Preparedness Innovations (CEPI). able access to medicines and medi- be distributed fairly without cost to national drug companies. It is time, care beds with ventilators (with the findings of their clinical trials Covax has agreements to secure cal products during the pandemic, the poorer nations. Several coun- say the heads of governments who much lower numbers for the two public. Some of these questions in- about 500 million doses, which which the WHO has backed in the tries, including China, have joined signed the document, to reverse million Palestinians in Gaza), while clude whether the vaccines prevent would be enough to vaccinate 250 WTO’s TRIPS council. This pro- this approach. that trend and rebuild public sector Israel enforces a water and electric- infection, whether they prevent million people and cover about posal has been opposed by the US, The idea is that the formula for pharmaceutical production lines. ity crisis on the Palestinians. mortality, whether they prevent 20 percent of the populations of the UK, Japan, and Brazil. They one or more vaccines can be up- The way things are going, two- The situation is deplorable. transmission, and, finally, what the poorest countries. In contrast, make the illusionary argument that loaded to a public site where gov- thirds of the world’s population Struggle and hope are its antidotes. would be the duration of protection. the US, by itself, has made agree- a suspension of intellectual proper- ernments can direct their public will not have a vaccine before Tricontinental

Socialist Monthly, December 2020/January 2021 11 DR FRED M’MEMBE INCOMING PRESIDENT

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