VICE President Mutale Nalumango says voting out the current government will not automatically end poverty, stressing that political leadership alone cannot be blamed for persistent poverty in African nations.
Ms. Nalumango said Zambians should not put all their hope for economic change in switching administrations, as poverty has remained widespread despite frequent changes in governments across the continent.
She was speaking during the official opening of the Regional Poverty Reduction and Climate Resilience Conference in Lusaka yesterday.
“Even if you vote us out, you will still remain poor,” she said. “Poverty is not just a leadership problemist’s systemic.”
She expressed concern that Zambia’s high poverty levels continue despite the country recording positive Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth.
According to the Zambia Statistics Agency, poverty stood at 60 percent in 2022, with urban poverty becoming more pronounced.
Ms. Nalumango noted that the current growth trajectory is not translating into better livelihoods for citizens and called for a new economic model that is inclusive, sustainable, and capable of building secure livelihoods for both rural and urban populations.
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She also challenged academicians and policymakers to move beyond producing theoretical documents and instead develop practical, actionable strategies to combat poverty and climate change.
And British High Commissioner to Zambia, Rebecca Terzeon, echoed similar concerns, stating that climate change is increasingly pushing more people including those previously not considered poor into poverty.
Ms Terzeon reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to Zambia through continued support to social protection programs like the Social Cash Transfer initiative. She said the UK is proud of its long-standing partnership with Zambia and welcomed the government’s efforts to prioritize social welfare. Ms Terzeon revealed that insights from the Lusaka conference would shape Zambia’s 9th National Development Plan and contribute to upcoming discussions at the G20 Summit in Qatar. Meanwhile, Minister of Community Development and Social Services, Doreen Mwamba, added that the conference’s objectives are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 1 and 2, which focus on ending poverty and hunger.
