Zambia’s “rapidly weakening economy” Cause for Concern: Jesuits

As a way forward, the leadership of Research, Education and Advocacy team that promotes study and action on issues linking Christian Faith and social justice in Zambia and Malawi calls on the government to learn from past experiences and find lasting solutions to the recurring economic crisis. 

“This is not the first time Zambia has found herself in a debt crisis. Government must learn from these experiences and come up with a lasting solution to avoid finding ourselves in this same bad place over and over again,” says Fr. Alex says on behalf of JCTR leadership. 

JCTR leaders want the Edgar Lungu-led Government to “pursue fiscal consolidation and stop further borrowing.” 

“Government must put in place a transparent debt contraction mechanism and a robust and workable debt management and debt sustainability strategy,” JCTR officials say.

They also call for the “adoption of transformative and servant leadership model at all levels of governance in our society.”

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“The maturity of our independence and democracy will be measured by the degree of our leaders’ willingness to drive a common good agenda rather than a self-enrichment agenda,” they further say.

They note that “from the 2021 national budget, it is evident that funds allocated to the social sector have shrunk significantly thereby affecting the ordinary person’s access to health, education, clean water and sanitation.”

Referencing the social sector budget that has been revised downwards, the officials of the Jesuit research institution say, “This will further compromise human development and undermine promotion of human dignity and attainment of the common good.”

“All the wealth and resources divinely endowed on Zambia is meant for the benefit and the welfare of all the Zambian people without any discrimination,” they add.

They note that while Zambia has enjoyed a reputation of peace over the last 56 years, there are concerns about “the rate of political violence threatening this long-earned reputation.”

JCTR leadership in Zambia urges the government to take the lead in sensitizing citizens to reject all forms of violence in the society

Magdalene Kahiu is a Kenyan journalist with passion in Church communication. She holds a Degree in Social Communications from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). Currently, she works as a journalist for ACI Africa.