A problem has recently emerged in Zambia regarding the uncontrolled consumption of alcohol by the general public.
What is more worrying is that, youths who are not legally allowed to take alcohol, are amongst the consumers. The legal minimum age for consumption of alcohol is 18 years.
In our towns and cities the availability of alcohol for sale is common. Anyone can walk into many bottle stores and bars to buy beer or spirits without questions asked.
The latest problem has been the availability of spirits that are sold in 60ml plastic satchets commonly known as to "Tu jilijili". These are even sold on the streets.
Empty satchets of spirits, thrown after consumption, is a common sight on roadsides and footpaths.
The long term effect on the country, amongst its citizens, are health problems associated with alcohol abuse, such as liver cancer and mental illness.
The short term effect is, an increase in criminal activity amongst the citizens, most of whom are youths.
What are authorities doing to address this problem ?
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
Solar Energy Alternative
With the increased unreliability and ever increasing tariff charges from power utility companies, it has become necessary to look at alternative sources of energy. One of these is solar energy.
In Africa, there is an abundant supply of sunshine to enable a steady supply of energy for most of the time throughout the year.
The use of solar power is, therefore, an attractive alternative to mains power.
The initial capital cost for installation of a solar energy plant is, however, higher than of other types of energy sources such as hydroelectric systems.
With advancement of technology, the installation cost is steadily decreasing.
A number of companies, dealing with Solar Energy retail Business, have been established around the World.
In Zambia the solar energy industry is still in its infancy.
Business houses should therefore be encouraged to invest more in this type of energy source.
Reference:
http://energy.sourceguides.com/businesses/byP/solar/byB/dist/dist.shtml
In Africa, there is an abundant supply of sunshine to enable a steady supply of energy for most of the time throughout the year.
The use of solar power is, therefore, an attractive alternative to mains power.
The initial capital cost for installation of a solar energy plant is, however, higher than of other types of energy sources such as hydroelectric systems.
With advancement of technology, the installation cost is steadily decreasing.
A number of companies, dealing with Solar Energy retail Business, have been established around the World.
In Zambia the solar energy industry is still in its infancy.
Business houses should therefore be encouraged to invest more in this type of energy source.
Reference:
http://energy.sourceguides.com/businesses/byP/solar/byB/dist/dist.shtml
Saturday, April 17, 2010
When Sin Numbs the Mind
During the Easter celebrations of 2010, I attended an inter-denominational ecumenical service at one of the churches in Kitwe.
During the delivery of the homily, the preacher's theme was on "How Sin Numbs the Mind".
The story of the creation of man by God, in the Book of Genesis of the holy Bible, tells us that man was initially born without sin.
This remained so for sometime, until the serpent (Satan) tempted Eve, the wife of Adam, to eat the forbidden fruit of the Garden of Eden. Later on, Adam was made to eat the same fruit. God was angry with Adam and Eve and he chased them from the Garden of Eden. (Genesis 3).
God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to come and live a human life.
He was crucified as a condemned criminal and nailed on the cross at Calvary. He died on the cross and was kept in a tomb, whereupon, He rose from the dead after three days.
The Christian faith's foundation is in the belief that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Saviour.
This is the forgiveness of our sins at the cross, where Jesus Christ took away all mankind's sin.
The crucifixion, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ marked the beginning of our new covenant with God.
When a man is born again, satan will find a way to deceive him, just as he did to Eve and Adam. Satan disguises himself as an angel of light in order to deceive man.(2 Corinthians 11,14.). He is a liar, destroyer and a killer.
When man commits a sin, there is always a "voice" which tells him that what he is doing is wrong. This voice is the word of God. Conscience is a feeling of shame when you do something immoral.
Consider a pickpocket who snatches wallets from unsuspecting people. On the first occasion of doing it, he will have a feeling of shame and fear.
As time goes on, he gets used to the vice and his mind becomes numb to the shame of doing it. Later on, he becomes so daring that he even uses force to snatch property from people without shame.
When he starts his criminal life, the voice of God (conscience) is loud and he has a feeling of shame. As he continues in the vice, the voice becomes fainter and fainter until it is no longer "audible" to him.
This is true for any other sin such as adultery, murder and cheating.
The Bible tells us that "we should not be deceived: God can not be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction ; the one who sows to please the Spirit (of God) will reap eternal life" ( Galatians 6 , 6 -7).
"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature." (Galatians 5 , 16) For the price of sin is death.
Man has the ability to reject sin through the word of God, which is sharper than any double edge sword. (Hebrew 4,12)
One should not be like an "unintelligent horse or mule which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle" (Psalm 32, 9)
Scripture from the NET Bible
http://bible.org/netbible/
During the delivery of the homily, the preacher's theme was on "How Sin Numbs the Mind".
The story of the creation of man by God, in the Book of Genesis of the holy Bible, tells us that man was initially born without sin.
This remained so for sometime, until the serpent (Satan) tempted Eve, the wife of Adam, to eat the forbidden fruit of the Garden of Eden. Later on, Adam was made to eat the same fruit. God was angry with Adam and Eve and he chased them from the Garden of Eden. (Genesis 3).
God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to come and live a human life.
He was crucified as a condemned criminal and nailed on the cross at Calvary. He died on the cross and was kept in a tomb, whereupon, He rose from the dead after three days.
The Christian faith's foundation is in the belief that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Saviour.
This is the forgiveness of our sins at the cross, where Jesus Christ took away all mankind's sin.
The crucifixion, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ marked the beginning of our new covenant with God.
When a man is born again, satan will find a way to deceive him, just as he did to Eve and Adam. Satan disguises himself as an angel of light in order to deceive man.(2 Corinthians 11,14.). He is a liar, destroyer and a killer.
When man commits a sin, there is always a "voice" which tells him that what he is doing is wrong. This voice is the word of God. Conscience is a feeling of shame when you do something immoral.
Consider a pickpocket who snatches wallets from unsuspecting people. On the first occasion of doing it, he will have a feeling of shame and fear.
As time goes on, he gets used to the vice and his mind becomes numb to the shame of doing it. Later on, he becomes so daring that he even uses force to snatch property from people without shame.
When he starts his criminal life, the voice of God (conscience) is loud and he has a feeling of shame. As he continues in the vice, the voice becomes fainter and fainter until it is no longer "audible" to him.
This is true for any other sin such as adultery, murder and cheating.
The Bible tells us that "we should not be deceived: God can not be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction ; the one who sows to please the Spirit (of God) will reap eternal life" ( Galatians 6 , 6 -7).
"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature." (Galatians 5 , 16) For the price of sin is death.
Man has the ability to reject sin through the word of God, which is sharper than any double edge sword. (Hebrew 4,12)
One should not be like an "unintelligent horse or mule which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle" (Psalm 32, 9)
Scripture from the NET Bible
http://bible.org/netbible/
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Embracing ICT in National Development
The Zambian Government recently announced that it will adopt Information Communication Technology (ICT) as a major tool for national development.
The Government's ICT sector policy is "A Zambia transformed into an information and knowledge-based society and economy supported by consistent development and pervasive access to ICTs to all by all citizens by 2030".
The ICT policy was launched on Wednesday, March 28th 2007 at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka under the theme "ICT for accelerated wealth and job creation". (Zambia ICT Policy - http://www.widnet.org.zm/news.php?id=23 )
Since the launch of the policy, there has been a marked improvement in the growth in ICT investment in the country, which has recorded over 32 percent penetration rate growth in last few years , compared to 0.02 percent some 14 years ago. ( Lusaka Times - http://www.lusakatimes.com/?p=23496 )
A number of Government , Non-Governmental Organisations and Business Houses are now using ICT in running their day to day operations. This has seen a marked improvement in the dissemination of information and increased speed of processing transactions.
According to a Zambia Country Report by Shafika Isaacs of May 2007, ( www.infodev.org/en/Document.436.pdf ) , the penetration levels of ICTs in Zambia's education institutions remains low, with those schools that are equipped mostly utilizing second-hand and refurbished computers. The integration of ICTs in learning and teaching practice has been limited, although the introduction of computer studies as a school study subject has begun to change this.
The situation in the educational sector has not changed very much since the report was written.
The recent commissioning of the fibre-optic cable from Namibia, which connects the country to the rest of the world with high capacity and fast internet, should see a marked increase in the application of ICT in the educational sector.
With the availability of high capacity and fast internet, establishment of e-learning tools such as Electronic Libraries , Teleconferences and live Interactive Video Classrooms and Seminars are now possible.
The availability of internet in the country is now spreading to all areas of the country. However,there has been some complaint from customers , that despite the connection to the fibre-optic cable, the speed and availability of the internet has continued to be slow and erratic. This is frustrating for those who require a reliable internet connection for such use as Teleconferences and Seminars. There is a need for the Internet Service Providers concerned to upgrade their terminal equipment.
The fibre-optic cable gives a high capacity and fast internet connection, however, this benefit would not be realised with low capacity and outdated terminal equipment. It is more like driving a low-capacity engine vehicle such as a Fiat 127 or a Mini Cooper on the M20 Highway!
There are cases where, as many as 10 customers share connection to the internet via a single router. This has resulted in congestion and slow speeds during peak hours.
Customers who can afford single connections, should be encouraged to do so. However, single connections are more expensive than shared connections.
Introducing ICT into the country is a major undertaking, but it represents a good investment in the future productivity of the country's workforce and a down-payment on the country's future prosperity.
It will require a major commitment of resources, but the country will benefit from the change for many years to come.The challenge to the local business community is, therefore,to increasingly participate in ICT in order to realise the Government's ICT sector policy.
The Government's ICT sector policy is "A Zambia transformed into an information and knowledge-based society and economy supported by consistent development and pervasive access to ICTs to all by all citizens by 2030".
The ICT policy was launched on Wednesday, March 28th 2007 at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka under the theme "ICT for accelerated wealth and job creation". (Zambia ICT Policy - http://www.widnet.org.zm/news.php?id=23 )
Since the launch of the policy, there has been a marked improvement in the growth in ICT investment in the country, which has recorded over 32 percent penetration rate growth in last few years , compared to 0.02 percent some 14 years ago. ( Lusaka Times - http://www.lusakatimes.com/?p=23496 )
A number of Government , Non-Governmental Organisations and Business Houses are now using ICT in running their day to day operations. This has seen a marked improvement in the dissemination of information and increased speed of processing transactions.
According to a Zambia Country Report by Shafika Isaacs of May 2007, ( www.infodev.org/en/Document.436.pdf ) , the penetration levels of ICTs in Zambia's education institutions remains low, with those schools that are equipped mostly utilizing second-hand and refurbished computers. The integration of ICTs in learning and teaching practice has been limited, although the introduction of computer studies as a school study subject has begun to change this.
The situation in the educational sector has not changed very much since the report was written.
The recent commissioning of the fibre-optic cable from Namibia, which connects the country to the rest of the world with high capacity and fast internet, should see a marked increase in the application of ICT in the educational sector.
With the availability of high capacity and fast internet, establishment of e-learning tools such as Electronic Libraries , Teleconferences and live Interactive Video Classrooms and Seminars are now possible.
The availability of internet in the country is now spreading to all areas of the country. However,there has been some complaint from customers , that despite the connection to the fibre-optic cable, the speed and availability of the internet has continued to be slow and erratic. This is frustrating for those who require a reliable internet connection for such use as Teleconferences and Seminars. There is a need for the Internet Service Providers concerned to upgrade their terminal equipment.
The fibre-optic cable gives a high capacity and fast internet connection, however, this benefit would not be realised with low capacity and outdated terminal equipment. It is more like driving a low-capacity engine vehicle such as a Fiat 127 or a Mini Cooper on the M20 Highway!
There are cases where, as many as 10 customers share connection to the internet via a single router. This has resulted in congestion and slow speeds during peak hours.
Customers who can afford single connections, should be encouraged to do so. However, single connections are more expensive than shared connections.
Introducing ICT into the country is a major undertaking, but it represents a good investment in the future productivity of the country's workforce and a down-payment on the country's future prosperity.
It will require a major commitment of resources, but the country will benefit from the change for many years to come.The challenge to the local business community is, therefore,to increasingly participate in ICT in order to realise the Government's ICT sector policy.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice
In this post, I would like to share with you the following story from the Bible of how King Saul was punished by God for not obeying His instructions, which were given to him by Samuel.
In our human judgement, we sometimes make false assumptions which we think could please God. Saul was scared of his soldiers. In order to appease them, he made a decision based on the false assumption that God would, after all, be pleased with a sacrifice.
"Here is what the Lord of hosts says: 'I carefully observed how the Amalekites opposed Israel along the way when Israel came up from Egypt." (1 Samuel 15:2).
"So go now and strike down the Amalekites. Destroy everything that they have. Don't spare them. Put them to death - man, woman, child, infant, ox, sheep, camel, and donkey alike.'"" (1 Samuel 15:3).
"However, Saul and the army spared Agag, along with the best of the flock, the cattle, the fatlings, and the lambs, as well as everything else that was of value. They were not willing to slaughter them. But they did slaughter everything that was despised and worthless." (1 Samuel 15:9).
"Then Samuel got up early to meet Saul the next morning. But Samuel was informed, "Saul has gone to Carmel where he is setting up a monument for himself. Then Samuel left and went down to Gilgal."
When Samuel came to him, Saul said to him, "May the Lord bless you! I have done what the Lord said."" (1 Samuel 15:12-13).
Samuel replied, "If that is the case, then what is this sound of sheep in my ears and the sound of cattle that I hear?"" (1 Samuel 15:13-14).
"But the army took from the plunder some of the sheep and cattle - the best of what was to be slaughtered - to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal."" (1 Samuel 15:21).
"Then Samuel said, "Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as he does in obedience? Certainly, obedience is better than sacrifice; paying attention is better than the fat of rams." (1 Samuel 15:22).
"For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and presumption is like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king."" (1 Samuel 15:23).
"Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned, for I have disobeyed what the Lord commanded and what you said as well. For I was afraid of the army, and I followed their wishes. Now please forgive my sin! Go back with me so I can worship the Lord."" (1 Samuel 15:24-25).
"Samuel said to him, "The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to one of your colleagues who is better than you! The Preeminent One of Israel does not go back on his word or change his mind, for he is not a human being who changes his mind."" (1 Samuel 15:28-29).
How many times in our lives, have we been forced to make decisions contrary to expectation?
God can never be bribed by human greed. Amen !
Scripture taken from the NET Bible : -
http://bible.org/netbible/
In our human judgement, we sometimes make false assumptions which we think could please God. Saul was scared of his soldiers. In order to appease them, he made a decision based on the false assumption that God would, after all, be pleased with a sacrifice.
"Here is what the Lord of hosts says: 'I carefully observed how the Amalekites opposed Israel along the way when Israel came up from Egypt." (1 Samuel 15:2).
"So go now and strike down the Amalekites. Destroy everything that they have. Don't spare them. Put them to death - man, woman, child, infant, ox, sheep, camel, and donkey alike.'"" (1 Samuel 15:3).
"However, Saul and the army spared Agag, along with the best of the flock, the cattle, the fatlings, and the lambs, as well as everything else that was of value. They were not willing to slaughter them. But they did slaughter everything that was despised and worthless." (1 Samuel 15:9).
"Then Samuel got up early to meet Saul the next morning. But Samuel was informed, "Saul has gone to Carmel where he is setting up a monument for himself. Then Samuel left and went down to Gilgal."
When Samuel came to him, Saul said to him, "May the Lord bless you! I have done what the Lord said."" (1 Samuel 15:12-13).
Samuel replied, "If that is the case, then what is this sound of sheep in my ears and the sound of cattle that I hear?"" (1 Samuel 15:13-14).
"But the army took from the plunder some of the sheep and cattle - the best of what was to be slaughtered - to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal."" (1 Samuel 15:21).
"Then Samuel said, "Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as he does in obedience? Certainly, obedience is better than sacrifice; paying attention is better than the fat of rams." (1 Samuel 15:22).
"For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and presumption is like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king."" (1 Samuel 15:23).
"Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned, for I have disobeyed what the Lord commanded and what you said as well. For I was afraid of the army, and I followed their wishes. Now please forgive my sin! Go back with me so I can worship the Lord."" (1 Samuel 15:24-25).
"Samuel said to him, "The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to one of your colleagues who is better than you! The Preeminent One of Israel does not go back on his word or change his mind, for he is not a human being who changes his mind."" (1 Samuel 15:28-29).
How many times in our lives, have we been forced to make decisions contrary to expectation?
God can never be bribed by human greed. Amen !
Scripture taken from the NET Bible : -
http://bible.org/netbible/
Monday, April 5, 2010
Mistaken Identity
Cattle rustling is one of the biggest headaches that local peasant farmers face.
In Zambia, this crime now attracts a minimum of seven years imprisonment, with hard labour.
The cattle rustlers usually strike at night when the cattle is kept in kraals or sometimes taken away after attacking the herdsmen.
Some criminals have been caught red handed, and have received the wrath of the owners, which in some incidents has resulted in the deaths of the culprits at the hands of "instant justice" mobs.
In some communities of Africa, cattle is form of wealth, which is comparable to that of millionaires in Western societies. A man's status would be determined by how many herds of cattle one has and not necessarily how much money he has in the Bank.
Cattle has been used as a means for payment for various services rendered, which include dowry settlement and payment for being treated of an ailment by a witchdoctor.
With the development of the countries from a traditional to urban setting, cattle has become an input in the Butchery industry found in urban areas.
The cattle slaughtered in the Butchers are either purchased from commercial ranches, or from the traditional herdsmen found in rural areas.
Due to increased population in urban areas, the demand for cattle has outstripped the supply.
This has resulted in some criminal elements taking advantage of the situation, by involving themselves in cattle rustling. In some instances as many as thirty herds of cattle would be stolen in a single theft.
This new development has resulted in cattle owners to take some drastic measures to stop this scourge.
One of the methods is for one man armed with a shot gun to spend a night in the cattle kraal to wade off any would be attackers.
Alternatively, the cattle herd would be kept very near the village, this however, is not often done due to the strong stench of the dung of the animals.
After taking these measures, the number of incidents reduced drastically. The rustlers had to go to out flung areas where they were not known.
In one of their missions, a group of five rustlers travelled a very long distance deep into the bush to look for cattle.
After crossings a number of isolated grassy plains they were informed that across one stream there were some "cattle", which apparently was just roaming about, without herdsmen.
They got a shock of their lives when the "herd of cattle" they were told about turned out to be wild buffalo.
The men had not seen buffalo before. As they approached the animals they realised that the cattle was not what they had seen before.
The animals were not amused to be disturbed by the men.
They charged at them and in the process two of the men were impaled to death by the sharp horns of the male buffalo. Three others managed to escape by climbing up a tall tree.
The story of the men's death spread very widely across the neighbourhood. Castle rustling activities in the area were thwarted for sometime.
In Zambia, this crime now attracts a minimum of seven years imprisonment, with hard labour.
The cattle rustlers usually strike at night when the cattle is kept in kraals or sometimes taken away after attacking the herdsmen.
Some criminals have been caught red handed, and have received the wrath of the owners, which in some incidents has resulted in the deaths of the culprits at the hands of "instant justice" mobs.
In some communities of Africa, cattle is form of wealth, which is comparable to that of millionaires in Western societies. A man's status would be determined by how many herds of cattle one has and not necessarily how much money he has in the Bank.
Cattle has been used as a means for payment for various services rendered, which include dowry settlement and payment for being treated of an ailment by a witchdoctor.
With the development of the countries from a traditional to urban setting, cattle has become an input in the Butchery industry found in urban areas.
The cattle slaughtered in the Butchers are either purchased from commercial ranches, or from the traditional herdsmen found in rural areas.
Due to increased population in urban areas, the demand for cattle has outstripped the supply.
This has resulted in some criminal elements taking advantage of the situation, by involving themselves in cattle rustling. In some instances as many as thirty herds of cattle would be stolen in a single theft.
This new development has resulted in cattle owners to take some drastic measures to stop this scourge.
One of the methods is for one man armed with a shot gun to spend a night in the cattle kraal to wade off any would be attackers.
Alternatively, the cattle herd would be kept very near the village, this however, is not often done due to the strong stench of the dung of the animals.
After taking these measures, the number of incidents reduced drastically. The rustlers had to go to out flung areas where they were not known.
In one of their missions, a group of five rustlers travelled a very long distance deep into the bush to look for cattle.
After crossings a number of isolated grassy plains they were informed that across one stream there were some "cattle", which apparently was just roaming about, without herdsmen.
They got a shock of their lives when the "herd of cattle" they were told about turned out to be wild buffalo.
The men had not seen buffalo before. As they approached the animals they realised that the cattle was not what they had seen before.
The animals were not amused to be disturbed by the men.
They charged at them and in the process two of the men were impaled to death by the sharp horns of the male buffalo. Three others managed to escape by climbing up a tall tree.
The story of the men's death spread very widely across the neighbourhood. Castle rustling activities in the area were thwarted for sometime.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Keeping Up Appearances
There are some people in our society who walk with their heads high in pomp pretending to the whole world that all is well with them.
One might have come across some individuals who are always clad in immaculate suits and driving posh cars. However, on visiting their homes, one is greeted by squalor and want.
There is a story of a man who was holding a senior position in one of the private companies.
He invited a very close friend to him for lunch at his home.
After being nourished by a king-size meal, the visitor was told to take a seat on one of the Sofas in the living room.
It was time to go away. The visitor was in the process of standing up, when one leg of his trousers was caught up in a protruding spring.
The trousers was torn by the spring which had dislodged from its position due to wear and tear.
At the time of sitting on the Sofa , he was not aware of this state of affairs.
On realising what had happened, the man vehemently apologised to his friend.
He blamed his wife for not buying new furniture as she was allegedly given money to do so recently.
After a year, the man visited the same family, to his surprise he noticed that the same Sofa was still in their living room, in the same state it was before !
Another man, who was living in a similar style, collapsed suddenly at his home.
He was rushed to the Hospital casualty section. He was taken to the resuscitation room.
In order to attend to him, the nurses had to remove his clothing, which included his under garments.
After removing his immaculate suit, shirt and trousers, the nurses had a tough time to remove his underpants.
It was only after sometime that they realized the underwear's elastic had elongated, and in order to prevent it from falling off the man's waist, it was secured with a safety pin used by mothers for baby napkins.
This safety pin had been part of the napkin set for the man's first born son, who was born some twelve years old back !
During hospital visiting hours, his wife was very embarrassed when she was given the worn out underpants by one of the nurses. She requested her to bring the husband a new pair at the next visit.
These two stories may sound funny, but we have people in our society, who would rather show to the outside world that they lead very high standards of living in their homes . They do this at the expense of depriving their families of the essential needs of their lives. Some children have been known to starve, whilst their parents are always dining out.
Living beyond one's means of life in order to maintain the "status quo" has lead some people to be in great debt and some have even been involved in criminal activities which have landed them in jail.
One might have come across some individuals who are always clad in immaculate suits and driving posh cars. However, on visiting their homes, one is greeted by squalor and want.
There is a story of a man who was holding a senior position in one of the private companies.
He invited a very close friend to him for lunch at his home.
After being nourished by a king-size meal, the visitor was told to take a seat on one of the Sofas in the living room.
It was time to go away. The visitor was in the process of standing up, when one leg of his trousers was caught up in a protruding spring.
The trousers was torn by the spring which had dislodged from its position due to wear and tear.
At the time of sitting on the Sofa , he was not aware of this state of affairs.
On realising what had happened, the man vehemently apologised to his friend.
He blamed his wife for not buying new furniture as she was allegedly given money to do so recently.
After a year, the man visited the same family, to his surprise he noticed that the same Sofa was still in their living room, in the same state it was before !
Another man, who was living in a similar style, collapsed suddenly at his home.
He was rushed to the Hospital casualty section. He was taken to the resuscitation room.
In order to attend to him, the nurses had to remove his clothing, which included his under garments.
After removing his immaculate suit, shirt and trousers, the nurses had a tough time to remove his underpants.
It was only after sometime that they realized the underwear's elastic had elongated, and in order to prevent it from falling off the man's waist, it was secured with a safety pin used by mothers for baby napkins.
This safety pin had been part of the napkin set for the man's first born son, who was born some twelve years old back !
During hospital visiting hours, his wife was very embarrassed when she was given the worn out underpants by one of the nurses. She requested her to bring the husband a new pair at the next visit.
These two stories may sound funny, but we have people in our society, who would rather show to the outside world that they lead very high standards of living in their homes . They do this at the expense of depriving their families of the essential needs of their lives. Some children have been known to starve, whilst their parents are always dining out.
Living beyond one's means of life in order to maintain the "status quo" has lead some people to be in great debt and some have even been involved in criminal activities which have landed them in jail.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Our Cultural Wealth
Culture is defined as "The tastes in art and manners that are favoured by a social group".
In Africa, and Zambia in particular, the various social groups are identified by a particular culture. A social group may be a particular tribe or number of tribes living in one geographical area.
The Lozi people of the Western Province, for example, are known for their "Kuomboka" ceremony, whilst the Luvale people of the North Western Province are known for their "Likumbi lya Mizye" ceremony.
There are other traditional ceremonies that are celebrated by other social groups in the country.
These ceremonies date back several generations, and have become part of the culture of the people.
These traditional ceremonies used to be celebrated by the local people in the past. However, with the integration of various social groups into one country and faster means of travelling, these ceremonies have become national and international events.
Thousands of people travel from other parts of the country and the world to come and witness them.
This has brought business to the local people where these ceremonies are held. This, in terms of providing accommodation, transport and food to the visitors.
A number of Lodges and Restaurants have sprouted in the local towns and cities where these ceremonies are held. This brings good business for their owners. The only setback is, these businesses only thrive during the time of the events, which in most cases last for a few days or hours.
Various traditional organizing committees have been formed by people living in urban areas to foresee the successful execution of these ceremonies. Fund raising functions are usually organized to raise funds which goes towards paying for the various functions of the ceremony.
These committees usually comprise of people who hail from the areas where the ceremonies are held. These are usually supported by some well wishers who come from other parts of the country, and in some cases, international organizations do assist.
The amount of money raised for these functions is usually insufficient to meet the cost of running them.
As a result of urbanization, a lot of people have migrated from their original ancestral areas into urban areas in search of jobs and business. Over the years, a lot of people have lost touch with their traditional way of living. Only people who were born and brought up in the places of their forefathers are conversant with these traditional ceremonies.
There is therefore, a need for their publicity using modern means of communication such as educational e-books and commercial websites.
Commercial websites would go a long way in ensuring that these ceremonies become known throughout the whole world. Other businesses such as those dealing in selling of curios and crafts from these areas would benefit from this. This will help to enhance and maintain these traditions which are in danger of losing publicity as years go by.
Citizens should look at the feasibility of establishing businesses that promote their traditional customs. This would go a long way in tapping the wealth that is in our rich African culture.
In Africa, and Zambia in particular, the various social groups are identified by a particular culture. A social group may be a particular tribe or number of tribes living in one geographical area.
The Lozi people of the Western Province, for example, are known for their "Kuomboka" ceremony, whilst the Luvale people of the North Western Province are known for their "Likumbi lya Mizye" ceremony.
There are other traditional ceremonies that are celebrated by other social groups in the country.
These ceremonies date back several generations, and have become part of the culture of the people.
These traditional ceremonies used to be celebrated by the local people in the past. However, with the integration of various social groups into one country and faster means of travelling, these ceremonies have become national and international events.
Thousands of people travel from other parts of the country and the world to come and witness them.
This has brought business to the local people where these ceremonies are held. This, in terms of providing accommodation, transport and food to the visitors.
A number of Lodges and Restaurants have sprouted in the local towns and cities where these ceremonies are held. This brings good business for their owners. The only setback is, these businesses only thrive during the time of the events, which in most cases last for a few days or hours.
Various traditional organizing committees have been formed by people living in urban areas to foresee the successful execution of these ceremonies. Fund raising functions are usually organized to raise funds which goes towards paying for the various functions of the ceremony.
These committees usually comprise of people who hail from the areas where the ceremonies are held. These are usually supported by some well wishers who come from other parts of the country, and in some cases, international organizations do assist.
The amount of money raised for these functions is usually insufficient to meet the cost of running them.
As a result of urbanization, a lot of people have migrated from their original ancestral areas into urban areas in search of jobs and business. Over the years, a lot of people have lost touch with their traditional way of living. Only people who were born and brought up in the places of their forefathers are conversant with these traditional ceremonies.
There is therefore, a need for their publicity using modern means of communication such as educational e-books and commercial websites.
Commercial websites would go a long way in ensuring that these ceremonies become known throughout the whole world. Other businesses such as those dealing in selling of curios and crafts from these areas would benefit from this. This will help to enhance and maintain these traditions which are in danger of losing publicity as years go by.
Citizens should look at the feasibility of establishing businesses that promote their traditional customs. This would go a long way in tapping the wealth that is in our rich African culture.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
The Cost of Poor Service
Service is defined in the dictionary as "work, or doing work for another or for a community, etc".
According to Wordweb online Dictionary and Thesauras ( http://www.wordwebonline.com/ ), one meaning of a Service is "a Company or Agency that performs a public service ; subject to government regulation".
A number of companies and organisations are engaged in providing services and amenities such as education, water, electricity , communication facilities, sewerage removal and medical care to the public .
These companies and organisations are commonly referred to as service providers.
The quality of the service provided by a number of the service providers has been a source of concern .
One area where public has been given a raw deal is in the availability of a reliable electrical power supply. In recent years, there has been power cuts on a regular basis.
Supply of water by water utility companies in some areas has seen disruptions on a regular basis. The quality of the water supplied also leaves much to be desired.
It is common in some areas, to open a "domestic water" tap and see muddy water coming out of it for some time before clear water is seen.
The muddy water is metered and paid for. The users have no choice but to let it flow to the drain or keep it in containers to let it settle before use.
The availability of internet is erratic in some parts of the country. Even those customers subscribing to broadband internet, do not always get the specified speeds that they pay for.
The availability of medicine in a number of medical institutions is erratic. It is only those who can afford to pay private institutions who get a better service.
In the education sector, it is now "fashionable" for parents to pay for private tuition of school going children in order for them to get good marks in their examinations.
What has happened to the standard of teaching in some schools ? The answer is anybody's guess.
Let us consider an example, where a parent pays, say $250 per term, for a child who attends a boarding school. During school holidays, the parent pays $20 per subject for the child to get "extra tuition". The tuition would be from a member of staff from a similar school where the child attends! For four subjects, $80 tuition fee has to be paid. The total cost of education per child comes to $990 per year, instead of $750. This is 32% more than what should be paid.
There is nothing wrong with extra tuition for school children who are slow learners. What is worrying is where this tuition has become the norm rather than the exception. What happens to the children whose parents can not afford extra tuition if their schools can't provide quality tuition ?
Let us consider another example of a water utility company who supplies low quality domestic water. If a family pays $40 per month for it and, say $5 worth of that water is not suitable for use. This comes to $60 worth of water per year thrown into the drain.
These two examples given above, results in a total figure of $300 extra expenditure per annum. This money, which is paid unnecessarily reduces the quality of life of the family. It is also good breeding ground for corruption as people are forced to find other means to make ends meet .
If the total amount of money lost by the public, in terms of loss of business, or having to pay extra is calculated, it will be in millions of dollars for the whole country.
The question is, what has gone wrong for us to reach this state of affairs?
A number of service providers are dogged by various problems ranging from poor management styles , lack of capital input and lack of competition.
Authorities are urged to put measures, to ensure that the public does not subsidize non-performing companies and organisations, at the expense of national developement.
According to Wordweb online Dictionary and Thesauras ( http://www.wordwebonline.com/ ), one meaning of a Service is "a Company or Agency that performs a public service ; subject to government regulation".
A number of companies and organisations are engaged in providing services and amenities such as education, water, electricity , communication facilities, sewerage removal and medical care to the public .
These companies and organisations are commonly referred to as service providers.
The quality of the service provided by a number of the service providers has been a source of concern .
One area where public has been given a raw deal is in the availability of a reliable electrical power supply. In recent years, there has been power cuts on a regular basis.
Supply of water by water utility companies in some areas has seen disruptions on a regular basis. The quality of the water supplied also leaves much to be desired.
It is common in some areas, to open a "domestic water" tap and see muddy water coming out of it for some time before clear water is seen.
The muddy water is metered and paid for. The users have no choice but to let it flow to the drain or keep it in containers to let it settle before use.
The availability of internet is erratic in some parts of the country. Even those customers subscribing to broadband internet, do not always get the specified speeds that they pay for.
The availability of medicine in a number of medical institutions is erratic. It is only those who can afford to pay private institutions who get a better service.
In the education sector, it is now "fashionable" for parents to pay for private tuition of school going children in order for them to get good marks in their examinations.
What has happened to the standard of teaching in some schools ? The answer is anybody's guess.
Let us consider an example, where a parent pays, say $250 per term, for a child who attends a boarding school. During school holidays, the parent pays $20 per subject for the child to get "extra tuition". The tuition would be from a member of staff from a similar school where the child attends! For four subjects, $80 tuition fee has to be paid. The total cost of education per child comes to $990 per year, instead of $750. This is 32% more than what should be paid.
There is nothing wrong with extra tuition for school children who are slow learners. What is worrying is where this tuition has become the norm rather than the exception. What happens to the children whose parents can not afford extra tuition if their schools can't provide quality tuition ?
Let us consider another example of a water utility company who supplies low quality domestic water. If a family pays $40 per month for it and, say $5 worth of that water is not suitable for use. This comes to $60 worth of water per year thrown into the drain.
These two examples given above, results in a total figure of $300 extra expenditure per annum. This money, which is paid unnecessarily reduces the quality of life of the family. It is also good breeding ground for corruption as people are forced to find other means to make ends meet .
If the total amount of money lost by the public, in terms of loss of business, or having to pay extra is calculated, it will be in millions of dollars for the whole country.
The question is, what has gone wrong for us to reach this state of affairs?
A number of service providers are dogged by various problems ranging from poor management styles , lack of capital input and lack of competition.
Authorities are urged to put measures, to ensure that the public does not subsidize non-performing companies and organisations, at the expense of national developement.
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