LUSAKA, Jan. 2 - Development Partnership International-Zambia chapter (DPI) would like to announce that  we have welcomed the rejection of the International Monetary Fund-IMF taxes in the national budget suggestions for the year 2007, which was announced by President Mwanawasa on the eve of the year 2006

We, however, fear for the pronouncements because of doubts and anxiety that have already been driven into the Zambians by the government due to the recent announcement by government regarding the sale of one national parastatal, the Zambia National Commercial Bank-ZANACO to Rabobank. How genuine is the government announcement rejecting IMF budget suggestions by President Mwanawasa.

DPI is left in a state of fear and doubt over the announcement by the president over the IMF saga because almost three years ago, President Levy Mwanawasa made a public announcement that government would not privatize ZANACO. This was after government had come under intense general public pressure not to sale the bank which also provides services to the people in rural areas through the outlying branches.

The general public had cited poverty among the people who lost employment to privatization and sales of ZCCM and other national assets into private hands by the regime of former President FTJ Chiluba, as some of the reasons that forced them not to accept the intention by President Mwanawasa and his administration to dispose ZANACO on IMF prescribed policies.

It is evident that the privatization of the mines and other parastatals on IMF economic policies, has brought destitution among the Zambian people in the last 15 years.

Thousands of Zambians have had been delivered into abject poverty, drug and alcohol abuse, disease and HIV/AIDS, families have broken apart and threatening generation of vulnerable people commonly known as street people has been hatched while masses of productive lives are being lost on the way due to results from these hardest western policies.

However, DPI has hope that not all is lost for this beautiful country, Zambia. It is our hope this time that at the moment, our only Head of State, President Levy Patrick Mwanawasa will not disappoint the expectant millions of poverty striken Zambians by seriously attending to his promises to the people as was shown in his end of the year 2006 national speech.

 DPI would therefore, wish to request the government to display their rejection of the slavery IMF designed 2007 national budget by presenting an implementable 2007 national budget.

We expect the implementable 2007 national budget that must cover and address the daily problems and challenges that deny the already impoverished and socially insecure 80 percent Zambians space to identify their future  and national destination.

Already, there is a posing catastrophe in the nation despite the positive efforts the government has undertaken by showing commitment in the direction of promotion of socio-economic development and empowerment of the youth in order to improve their livelihood, though the constituency youth development fund.

We say there is a posing catastrophe because, at the moment , there is a bright danger of a total collapse in our future expectation from our 68 percent national youth from the 10.9 million population in this country which is abundantly so rich in resources.

The problems and challenges of mass youth unemployment which have engulfed our most productive population into drug and alcohol abuse, social misbehaviour and organized crime and increased risks for HIV/AIDS infection are some clear examples of the already available catastrophic battles requiring concerted national efforts to join President Mwanawasa to deliver his festive sentiments through national budget that shall address the very basic needs of the people.

Therefore, DPI, joins President Mwanawasa in rejecting the IMF 2007 national budget suggestions due to their slavery designs which would in turn lead Zambia into national extinction.

In the 2003, concerned Zambian youths ably organized themselves to peacefully and, we,  successfully protested against IMF and World Bank over debt cancellation and attainment of HIPC. We have been told about the debt cancellations and HIPC attainment. But , we have not yet begun to see and enjoy the fruits of the announced debt cancellations and HIPC attainment for which we were told to tighten belts and sacrifice. It is not a surprise that the IMF is now but again almost very successful with their usual imposition of harsh Western economic policies in form of budgetary suggetions on poor and defenceless Zambian people.

We wish, therefore, to urge all the Zambian voices that have already spoken against the slavery budget suggestions of the IMF like Global Justice Zambia, Trade Unions, the Church movement and the Civil Society groups  not to slumber but to continue with a good spirited fight on government to avoid the IMF high taxes propaganda with which they-IMF are about to re-colonize Zambia once more.

Zambians have to keep abreast that if those higher taxes were to implemented through the 2007 national budget, there will be trebled multiplicity of unemployment and poverty levels in the country coupled with the highest organized and most sophisticated crime. The situation will give birth to our loss of national dignity, hopelessness confused focussless nation. Let everyone of us stand-up and take on the challenge to guard for ourselves into a brighter future because there is still hope.

By Richard Musauka.

Acting DPI Media and Strategy Coordinator 
www.developmentpartnership.com
Cell: 099272761