MONTHLY Socialist SOCIALISTPARTY ISSUE 10, APRIL/MAY 2021 A newsletter published by the Socialist Party, Lusaka, Zambia FREE OF CHARGE The August elections give us a chance to SocialistYou, staff reporter the poor, SOCIALIST Party president Fred M’membe change told a presentation of parliamentary and local government candidates that it was the majority who should be ruling Zambia. everything “Who are the majority in this country? They say democracy is majority rule. If it’s the poor who are the majority, why don’t they rule? This year, and build a you, the poor, should rule,” must rule he said. Dr M’membe was speaking more just at Kingfisher Garden Court in Lusaka at the unveiling cer- emony for 34 parliamentary and three local government and caring candidates. He asked them, “Was Jesus rich or poor? Were his society disciples rich or poor? When choosing a chief, did they choose the rich or the wise? yourselves “Does having money Fred M’membe says majority can end poverty amount to being wise? Is leadership about money?” Dr M’membe said that, for the most part, those who ruled lived well but those who were governed suffered, add- ing that the poor had not ruled Zambia since independence. “They use you like a ladder when climbing on to a wall and when they are at the top they drop the ladder,” he said. And he warned what would happen if the poor did not take control in the August elections this year. “If you, poor people, don’t rule, pov- erty will not end,” he said. “This year, for the first time FRED M’MEMBE, in our history, we will have a Parliament dominated by the incoming president, poor. We will have a Parlia- offers #realchange with ment where the poor have a direct voice, where the poor the Socialist Party’s are speaking for themselves, where the poor are represent- policies based on jus- ing themselves.” tice, equity and peace. Dr M’membe said the wealthy and their political par- Manifesto download ties had made themselves rich details and info about by exploiting the poor. “You have been repre- how to join the party sented by the rich for too long. But what have they done are on our back page for you? They have enriched themselves. What you can’t – Page 12 do for yourselves, nobody Socialist Party president will do for you. You have sent Fred M’membe speaks at a abakankala to represent you, presentation of parliamen- but they have not represented you. This time, go and repre- tary candidates (above) at sent yourself.” Kingfisher Garden Court Buying off Dr M’membe told the can- in Lusaka didates that no other political party would adopt them. “How many of you have election K2,000 or K5,000 to pay for adoption? These other politi- cal parties you see all have owners,” he said. candidates “These political parties you have voted for [in the past] are owned by the rich, you have just been used. ‘shames “But your party, the Social- ist Party, is for the poor. You can’t be adopted in the politi- cal parties owned by the rich.” Zambia’ Dr M’membe told the can- didates to go out and educate people who were used to vot- ing for people with money, to Musumali vote for themselves this time More reports, photos – Pages 5-7 instead. – Page 3 JUSTICE • EQUITY • PEACE ON THE FRONT LINE Barbra Chekuda Maramwidze (above) helps oversee the supply of water to Matero residents. Right (clockwise from top left): Christine Musole, Hope Kalenge, Biggie Mukubola and Margaret Sikalonza We’re not playing the game of the quick fix . we want real change Candidates deal with injustice and suffering on a day-to-day basis Christine Nawa Musole Today, despite the degrees and be dehumanised and humiliated “What am I going to do? have been holding on to the nicipal Council could help end Parliamentary candidate diplomas to our names, a number to such an extent. The party be- Should I stay at home and say, ‘I UPND, which has been a failed the more urgent land problems by Mongu Central constituency of us continue to languish on the lieves in equity for all; equity of don’t have a job?’ No. I’m proud party for more than 19 years, but not allocating plots where there streets. water supply, sanitation, shelter of selling charcoal because that’s they have now seen the sun rising was a danger of houses being THE GAME of fixing, prom- The Socialist Party is clear and nutrition, among other needs. what puts food on the table,” she from the east and come to realise submerged in the rainy season. ises of fixing things, will about the change it proposes “It is our fundamental goal to said. that joining the Socialist Party is “The lives of the poor are ne- take this country nowhere. under the humble leadership of ensure that every household has Milenge is in Luapula Province, the only solution. The constitu- glected, mostly poor people are It will be the same circle of Dr Fred M’membe. The SP has access to clean and safe water. and Kalenge is hoping to repre- ency faces many challenges, in- helpless.,” she said. capitalist-oriented approaches put forward a vision through its The Socialist Party says no to so- sent her rural constituency, popu- cluding roads, healthcare and “Many houses here in Luan- manifesto to qualitatively change education,” he said. shya have cracks or have fallen that yield similar results to cial inequality and believes that lated by mostly Ushis. this country and move it back on Her constituency is beset by the “I joined the party because due to the heavy rain on the Cop- the ones we have seen before, no one should be discriminated track. Our change agenda speaks against because of where they usual rural hardships, including of my zeal, zest and enthusiasm perbelt . that is, uplifting a few bwanas to how we will ensure free health- come from, whether ku or kwa.” poverty, poor roads and substan- to strive for justice, equity and “It’s been a month now since here and there, and leaving the care, free education, transforma- Maramwidze said the short- dard hospitals and schools. She is peace for my constituency. Once we engaged the Disaster Man- rest of us behind, leaving the tion of peasant agriculture, new ages prompted the party and the hoping to fight for improvements in power, this party will not bribe agement and Mitigation Unit, and majority of us to wonder what approaches to mining – a min- community to take action to find and equity once she is elected to or issue cash or material things to they came and brought sacks of happened, and then back again ing sector that takes a diversified a lasting solution to the injus- the Zambian parliament. impress the people in the nation, mealie meal. We were left won- to the same circle of poverty, approach – and all these sectors tice by supplying a maximum of “We need to work together to but will instead concentrate on dering whether the mealie meal hunger and frustration, writes creating multiple jobs for many 30,000 litres of water every day. achieve our goals,” she said, add- its three key programmes: educa- was for reconstruction of the Christine Nawa Musole, par- Zambians. This is real change. “By taking this action we are ing that people should vote wise- tion, health and agriculture.” fallen houses or whether fami- liamentary candidate for Mon- We invite Zambia’s young men ensuring members of our com- ly and never allow anyone to buy Mukubola said the Socialist lies were supposed to sleep in the gu Central constituency. and women, as well as all well- munities don’t have to waste time their support. Party was committed to creating bags.” We need to look to true alter- meaning Zambians, to join the in long queues for water, but are jobs as well as providing access Sikalonza said maize was not natives. We need real change, not revolutionary movement for real able to devote their time to other Biggie Mukubola to clean water and sanitation for the problem as there was still fixing. When you fix something it change today. activities, such as youths study- Parliamentary candidate every Zambian, adding that its enough left from last year’s sea- breaks, you fix again, again, again ing, women working, and men Dundumwenz constituency literacy programme was already son. and again, and it still breaks. Barbra Chekuda providing for their families.” “proof enough” that it would ful- “People need cement and Maramwidze A broken system can’t be fixed She said the Socialist Party BIGGIE Mukubola says his Dun- fill its promises. bricks or even tents, not mealie Parliamentary candidate dumwenz constituency in the meal,” she said. “We are still and is not sustainable. And that Matero constituency vowed to work with the people of is what capitalism and capitalist- Matero to ensure such inequali- Kalomo District of Southern Margaret Sikalonza waiting for help from the govern- oriented parties have been doing THE SOCIALIST Party in Ma- ties were brought to an end. Province is an example of every- Parliamentary candidate ment, although we understand to our country. This has led us tero is supplying up to 30,000 thing that is wrong with the ag- Luanshya constituency that this is not a battle for the nowhere except into deepening litres of water a day to help deal Hope Kalenge ricultural sector in Zambia, and government alone.