by Justin Mupundu, Zambia, February 1998
THEME = EDUCATION
Zambia's civil society has little opportunity to develop itself.
So what can be done?
During the 27 years of Kenneth Kaunda's administration, it was rare to see civic
organisations managing to gather together such various interest groups as teachers,
farmers, peasants, housewives, street vendors etc. for in-service training, awareness
meetings and the like. Today, one can see a series of civic education Workshops organised
in various townships. Admittedly, "Social Capital" (i.e. Cooperation through
community action) can be developed without government influence, but the government
If people are educated, then they have the know-how to act together and develop their full potential. Obviously then, the government must be prepared to spend money on education. International organisations also have their part to play in the common effort of imparting knowledge to the people.
What sort of topics are discussed during the Workshops? A typical civic organisation is the Legal Resources Foundation, founded in 1991 by Robert Simeza and John Sangwa. One of their objectives is to create and promote the practice of human rights in Zambia. On the question of democracy, Workshops dealing with such matters as: "The quest for democracy in Zambia" and "Citizens in the democratisation process" have been led by Dr Alfred Chanda, a lecturer at the University of Zambia and president of the Foundation for the Democratic Process. Darlington Banda, another University of Zambia lecturer, lectures on "The Law of Employment and Labour Relations". Samuel Mulanfulanfu, from the Catholic Council for Justice and Peace, discusses "Why Citizens must take part in national and Local Government Elections".
These talks, and many others, have enabled Zambians to take on board opportunities for advancement, and then to act on them.
Critics have done their best during the past few years, to downplay the importance of civic education - partly because they are under the impression that democracy is already in place in Zambia, "so what more is needed?", they ask. "Civic education should now take a back seat to the "magic of democracy"". They have failed to understand that civic education empowers people to act together, to share their values and beliefs. Whereas most of Zambia's citizens are poor, civic education offers the possibility for people to develop their potential together, rather than remaining weak and powerless.
It is a fact that in Zambia, people and organisations do not always work together. The Churches, trade unions, employers, opposition parties, NGO's and the government, still have a great deal to learn, that in working together, much can be achieved. It's sad to say, but during the post-Kaunda era, not much has been done to create civic awareness. That is to say, apart from the Legal Resources Foundation which is working from the grassroots upwards, and those organisations and individuals already mentioned.
But, hasn't the government the duty to show the way ahead by encouraging community action?
END
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