Faced with the current state of our economy there is need to reflect on what has gone wrong to our promising young nation. A nation that was fourth richest in Africa at the time of independence in 1964. With a per capital income higher than South Korea. The answer lies on who took over the mantle of leadership in our country in these intervening years. One cannot separate political philosophy and economic policies the two are intertwined.
In the next series I would like to share with you my in depth analysis of the leadership qualities of all our presidents from time of independence to this day and how this impacted on the economy.
We start off with our founding father: Dr Kenneth David Kaunda.
Dr Kenneth David Kaunda, President 1964-1991
KK was the first president of Zambia at her independence in 1964. He had the good fortune of inheriting a very strong economy, regarded as rated the fourth richest country in Africa. By the time he left power 27 years later, the country was the fourth poorest in the Africa. Zambia had the ignominy of having the highest debt per capita in the whole world at the end of KK’s rule.
So what went wrong?
At the height of the Cold War in 1968, Kenneth Kaunda made a historic speech at Mulungushi declaring Zambia to be a “socialist state.” In line with the popular ideology that existed in Africa and eastern parts of Europe at that time, KK nationalised 80% of the economy, sweeping up everything from mines to agriculture to even controlling buses and taxis. He made these sweeping changes to the nation on a whim, passing the decision to convert Zambia to a socialist model without cabinet approval or a parliamentary mandate.
Fall of the economy
By the late-1980s, Zambia’s economy was suffering greatly, with shortages of many basic products leading to increasing political tensions. Industrial production had plummeted, and copper production hit all time lows against worldwide low prices for the national commodity, falling from the second highest producer in the world at 700,000 metric tonnes a year to 250,000 tonnes.
Employment figures by the time KK left office had gone below the 300,000 mark from 450,000 at time of independence. To compound the problem, population on the other hand had doubled from 4 million to 8 million. This development, as one would expect, resulted in major social problems in the country.
Analysts recently pointed out that the opportunity costs of nationalisation (money lost) was in the region of $46 billion – resources that should have circulated in the economy for the benefit of us all had we taken the right route.
Hypocritical support
It is not surprising that up to today, KK still commands popular support in our country. This can only come about if one suspends faculties in ethical and critical thinking areas.
The supporters tend to point out that KK introduced a university and free education. But look at the figures at primary education, where education mattered most. At grade seven level an average of 135,000 pupils used to sit for examinations to proceed to secondary school. Only 35,000 were accepted and 100,000 thrown into the streets at such a tender age of 12. This was due to inadequate school places. And this sad state of affairs went on for 27 years, producing an army of close to 3 million uneducated youths in the streets, representing almost 50% of the population by 1991.
KK did not build any schools until the World Bank came to our rescue in mid 80s and constructed a few schools countrywide. So the question is, given these alarming figures of dropouts at this tender stage of human development, was building a university actually a priority in our country? A gross miscalculation of an educational policy that only appealed to the “ME” Factor syndrome.
The Parastatals who occupied 80% of the economy used to contribute only 20% to the nations tax coffers. It was the much despised private sector that used to contribute 80% to our income. A stark reminder to KK’s supporters and those people clamouring for a return to the fictitious “glory days” .To the people that give unqualified support for KK, I pose this question: “What is more dehumanising? Lack of political freedom or poverty?”
Personal management style of KK
Any observer can conclude that Kaunda was a complete joke in terms of his ability to manage the economy. In 1980, the Economist magazine equated his managerial skills to that of a conductor in an orchestra. At the slightest sound of good music cabinet posts were moved around like musical chairs: “Play good music, and you’re promoted! – from teaching to finance minister”. He basically toyed with the economy. We lost count how many times the economy was controlled and decontrolled. At one time after cancellation of auctioning in 1986 the Kwacha exchange rate was actually announced from state house!
In yet another unprecedented act of folly, KK commandeered the only DC10 Zambia Airways had for a staggering 40-day government trip to the Iron Curtain-paradise of Yugoslavia. The plane remained rooted at Belgrade airport for the entire duration of the trip. KK took with him 40 party cadres for a trip that would be a contender in the Guinness book of records as the worst abuse of public resources. Zambia was by now a pariah economy in the eyes of the international community, suspended from all international financial institutions. But Kaunda wasn’t yet finished hurting Zambia.
Kaunda’s Darkest Moments
By the time KK was forced out of office by the Movement for Multiparty Democracy, the economy had all but collapsed. The rural areas bore the blunt of his misrule. Rural areas endured more than 15 years of severe shortages of essential commodities. There was no marked distinction in living standards with early man as things like soap, salt, basic clothing, were completely absent for many years.
Inflation reached dizzy heights of 400% during his rule. Cumulatively the Kwacha lost more than 10,000% of its original value of one Kwacha to a pound at the time of independence.
It was during these difficult times that many Zambians got to know Kaunda as a ruthless authoritarian. He had ceremoniously declared opposition parties to be illegal all the way back in 1968, leaving very little room for competition. Those who disagreed with him felt immediate consequences – more than 1,000 political prisoners were locked up during his reign, held without trial in dismal prisons. Other times, violence was used to maintain order. For example, Kaunda ordered the army to slaughter a religious sect led by Lenshina in Northern Province, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of people, merely because the group had refused to recognise his presidency in 1964.
A number of political opponents also met mysterious deaths including a high ranking church leader. The army was also ordered once again to slaughter poor Zambians who wanted to sell mealie–meal (smugglers) to their brothers in Congo. A show of force by KK to mask shortages of mealie meal caused by his own disastrous agriculture policies. Estimated deaths more than 100 poor villagers were shot in cold blood along the border areas with Congo…
Where did Kaunda come from?
All this evil emanated from a man we Zambians warmly welcomed from outside our country. For keen historians, Kaunda’s birth place remains a mystery to many. There is no one in the country who can attest meeting young Kenneth at Primary school level or at any Secondary school in Zambia. The “Munali secondary school claim” by KK has been dismissed by all who attended that school during that period.
But People remember him as a teacher in Mufulira. And that KKs father who had come earlier from Malawi was a missionary at Lubwa mission. Young Kenneth like many youthful Malawians in search of greener pastures, the region was borderless at that time, sneaked into the country as a young adult following his father’s footstep. And the rest is history…
My grade for Kaunda’s performance as First Republican President of Zambia:
Political: 1/10
Economy: 1/10
The post Grading Zambia’s Presidents: Kenneth Kaunda appeared first on Zambia Reports.