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Realize the Dream of a Better Zambia through Real Change
The Vision
The vision of the UPND is to create a united and prosperous Zambia with equal opportunities across ethnic, religious and gender considerations, living in harmony in a free democratic society.
The Mission
The UPND seeks to foster accelerated national development through the mobilization and sustainable use of the available and potential human and natural resources for the empowerment of every Zambian citizen.
Preamble
1 Our United Party for National Development (UPND) team will work tirelessly to realize the dream of a prosperous Zambia anchored on mutual understanding, love and national unity for speedy economic and social development, with a targeted economic growth rate of ten per cent (10%) per year. This will be achieved through running a mixed economy, particularly promoting increased but properly structured private/public local and foreign investments in sectors such as agriculture, mining, construction, energy, tourism, manufacturing, infrastructure, telecommunications, pensions, insurance, financial and other services many of which have in the past decades been neglected. Among measures necessary for the achievement of high but sustainable growth, would be maintenance of macro economic stability (lower inflation, lower interest and stable exchange rates). The UPND believes that as a country we should realize that we cannot share poverty. The only sustainable way of helping the vulnerable and weak members of our society is through strong economic growth supported by effective social programmes.
1.1 We will take positive and clear steps to move Zambia forward into a middle income country, with equitable distribution of wealth among our citizens in all parts of the country so as to achieve overall poverty reduction, within a decade. The country now than ever before needs visionary leadership and economic management skills for development and social progress, as we are mainly not in a military or legal but rather economic crisis
2.0 Government
The hallmark of our approach would be to have small efficient government of 15 ministries characterized by good planning, prudent management (economic, efficient and effective utilization of public including donor resources) supported by a vigorous but professional fight against corruption. Economic, business and social projects/programmes will be negotiated/structured within an average period of six (6) months and not thirty-six (36) months or more as is the case currently. Further UPND shall:
• Run an open Government that will view and treat advise from and work with the various stake holders in civil society in areas of policy and programme implementation as true partners in development;
• Ensure that all agreed or approved projects and programmes are implemented rigorously in an efficient, effective and timely manner;
• Ensure that Government retains particular oversight and involvement (where necessary in partnership with the private/public sectors) in resources/assets such as energy-uranium, electricity, oil and gas for strategic and revenue for developmental reasons;
• Provide clear and effective guidelines for domestic and external debt contraction, utilization and control in order to practice what may be termed as ‘responsible borrowing’. We will hence, re-align any necessary borrowing from consumption to investment and other productive activities in order to enhance the country’s capacity to pay back loans.
3 Legal Framework.
We need to realize our shared dream as a people with respect to many aspects such as
• Enhancing constitutionalism, democracy, separation of powers, independent Electoral Commission, gender equality, etc,
• Provide for independent judicial and parliamentary systems and reform them so that they can deliver fair/timely justice and legislation to the people.
• Ensure adoption of Independent Broadcasting ACT,
• Adoption of 50+1 electoral requirement for presidential candidate, a presidential running mate and parliamentary approval of cabinet ministers
3.1 Agriculture
The UPND seeks to ensure affordable food supply for all through improved agriculture by doing the following:
• provide subsidized fertilizer and seed to the vulnerable
• provide affordable and readily available agricultural loans to farmers;
• promote efficient crop, livestock and fish production through improved farming methods and disease control for increasing rural incomes for farmers,
• invest more in the meteorological services so as to improve accuracy of weather forecasting essential for agricultural planning, management and disaster preparedness.
• improve forestry management by controlling of deforestation and soil erosion. Planting of more indigenous trees will be undertaken.
• promote effective water development and conservation through efficient utilisation of current water resources, construction of more boreholes, canals, pipelines, dams and weirs to support crop irrigation schemes, livestock production, fish farming and transportation of goods and passengers;
• Rehabilitate existing depots/storage facilities and build new ones closer to farmers;
• provide viable producer prices and pay farmers early for their produce and undertake timely distribution of farming inputs;
• promote agro processing industries to create more jobs for citizens;
3.2 Communication
The UPND will provide sound communications infrastructure as follows:
• Roads, railways, waterways, airways, bridges electrification, and telecommunications,
• Develop other rural and urban infrastructure in order to open up these areas to development especially in industry, agriculture, tourism, commerce etc.
3.3 Education for All
The UPND shall provide:
• Free universal and quality education for all from primary school up to college and university level alongside private education.
• The teaching of technical and industrial skills such as agriculture, brick laying, plumbing, etc, and other trades shall be promoted to support self employment;
• improved education facilities, and easy access to school and adult literacy special education facilities to the disabled;
• Better pay, housing, training, retraining and other conditions of service to teachers, lecturers and other education staff;
• Two technical schools per province, one for boys and other, for girls
• A National University of Science and Technology.
3.4 Health Care for All
• Free quality medical care for the poor alongside private medical facilities for those who can afford to pay
• Improved and modern medical facilities (rehabilitation and building of more clinics and hospitals supported by good technical, research and development capabilities) closer to the people.
• readily available and safe medicines in clinics and hospitals and not the current habit of only giving prescriptions to those seeking medical care;
• vigorous fight against Malaria and HIV/AIDS, in particular, improved management and increased funding for prevention, treatment and care;
• improved but affordable medical schemes and insurance;
• better pay, housing, training, retraining and other conditions of service for
all medical personnel.
3.5 Land.
Land belongs to Zambians. The UPND will offer improved land management and delivery system and will guarantee access to land to Zambians including those who live outside the country to build houses, factories and industries on, grow food and for other productive use such as security for loan financing.
• Better land use planning (master and specific use plans including roads and bridges), quick processing (approval or rejection) of applications, adequate monitoring and control of plan implementation.
• In consultation with traditional authorities make more land for development while ensuring land security for rural populations.
3.6 Labour and Social Services
We shall support better and sustainable labour and investment relations by
• Fostering a genuine tripartite partnership involving workers (labour), employers (investment) and Government.
• Ending or discouraging practices such as casualisation.
3.7 Sports
• Invest in sports infrastructure in schools, communities and larger society and develop personnel training to restore country past glory in sports
3.8 Industrialisation and Employment.
UPND will promote a rapid of industrialisation in all sectors of the economy to promote employment through job creation. This will be done through:
• Setting up a business development for start up business and capitalisation of existing ones for all Zambians wishing to enter business.
• Working with business to promote raw material processing with particular emphasis on increasing Zambian exports through regional and international trade to support growth objectives. As a consequence, Government shall provide market access enable businesses to exploit regional and other international trade opportunities;
• Improving Zambia’s business climate to promote private and public investments for growth;
• Aggressively and tirelessly working to redress various constraints to business development and social progress. This shall include cutting to minimum the current excessive bureaucracy in various Government/public institutions, set minimum delivery standards for efficiency such as licence or permit issuance within a set time frame, foster attitude change among staff to facilitate and promote the concept of partnership.
• According priority for employment for the youth, women and disable in all companies on a principle of equal pay for equal work.
• Welcoming and granting work and other relevant permits to individual and corporate citizens of the World who have specialist skills or bring into the country substantial investment to support success of an operation, job creation and sustenance for Zambians.
3.9 Public Service.
• Depoliticise the public service, bring back professionalism in the service and strengthen public institutions for improved delivery.
• Improved salary and conditions of service to all public service workers including men and women in uniform.
• Enable workers be able to acquire their own houses, cars and other assets through affordable loan schemes.
• UPND will form leaner and efficient government of 15 ministries.
3.10 Finance and Economic Planning
Fair and balanced corporate and lower personal taxes so that
• Zambians can have more money to spend on basic necessities;
• promote savings and investment culture among our citizens.
• For example, the tax free income band will be increased to a level above the food basket cost for an average household of six (6) people.
3.11 Local Government and Housing.
Implement a well designed and focused decentralisation programme in collaboration with traditional leaders, local authorities, etc, in order to empower local communities, and enhance local government.
• Increase the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to more than K4 billion
per constituency. Such allocation of development resources to provinces, districts, constituencies and wards will encourage local economic expansion; create jobs in addition to enhancing revenue generation at these levels.
• Youth and Women Development funds will be set up to generate local level business development and employment
• Councillors will be salaried officials and paid gratuity at end of service like MPs currently do.
• better housing/palaces and lighting for traditional authorities
• higher allowances for chiefs and their retainers.
• Replace the current narrow Chief’s Act with a Royal Establishment Act (REA) in order to broaden coverage to the whole royal establishment’s development programmes and activities including traditional ceremonies.
• Improve town (urban) and country planning and capacity for implementation, monitoring and control. There is need to promote beauty, orderliness, appropriateness, standards, functionality and futuristic considerations in our village, farming, residential, commercial and industrial developments.
• Housing appropriate for all through suitable but affordable housing schemes.
• Upgrading of shanty compounds to acceptable standards.
• Priority access to and ownership of trading places in markets will be accorded to Zambians through marketeers’ associations.
• Cheaper business loan schemes for the youth, women, for the disabled and other citizens in order to promote self employment and entrepreneurship development among our people.
• Adequate and sustainable pension schemes/arrangements for all public and private sector workers.
• Salary and retirement benefits to public (including those in uniform), council and other workers should be paid on time.
• Social support schemes to the old, orphaned children, and disabled and other vulnerable citizens.
3.12 Water and Sanitation.
We will provide clean water supply and good sanitation for all citizens.
• Markets, working places, compounds and other residential areas should be kept clean, have proper drainage, reliable water supply and working toilets.
3.13 Government Contracts.
Preferential treatment (through legal, regulatory and other measures) to
• Zambians and Zambian companies in award of service and supply contracts
• Zambians living abroad will be assisted to invest in Zambia and tap their network of contacts so as to increase investment flows into the country.
3.14 Mining
Appropriate taxation of all mining and other extractive industries in order to benefit both Zambians and investors.
• Realign tax regime to international standards such as mineral royalty, corporate tax and windfall tax;
• Support Zambians to own shares and businesses in mining and other companies through joint ventures with foreign capital providers.
• The precious and semi-precious mining sub-sector (emeralds, etc) will be restructured so that it can add meaningful value and income to the Zambian economy including creating more jobs for citizens
• Issuance of new artisan, small and large scale reconnaissance, prospecting and mining licenses shall favour Zambian individuals and entities while foreigners shall provide capital in joint venture agreements.
• invest in more mineral processing facilities and manufacture of final products in order to add value and create more jobs;
• Provide bonuses to workers in line with corporate performance.
3.15 Energy
Resolve the energy crisis in order to minimise electricity outages or cuts to Zambian homes, schools, colleges, industries, mines, farming enterprises and other areas. This would be achieved through:
• Improved planning and management;
• Adequate maintenance of generation, transmission and distribution assets;
• Increased investment in new hydro power stations (small and large) given the great generating potential our country has. This is necessary so as to meet domestic demand and the huge export opportunity.
• Rural electrification as part of development process. Rural areas should have access to facilities such as electricity, internet and telephones.
3.16 Clean and sustainable environment.
Institute clear measures to reduce carbon emissions or green house gases in order to halt global warming and the current Adverse changes in weather patterns that consequently affect food production.
3.17 Clear foreign policy which acknowledges that the World has become a global village.
The policy will focus on
• Achieving mutual respect, non interference in the internal affairs of other countries.
• Taking active interest in areas of common interest such as peace, development, democracy, and economic cooperation with neighbours and other states’
• Strategically exploiting economic and social relationships arising from Zambia’s contribution to the liberation struggle in the Southern Africa region.
• Actively participating through quality interaction in the affairs of regional African bodies such as the African Union and other World bodies like United Nations.
4.0 Need for a Solution
• For too long, we have been living with the problem or paradox of a potentially rich country on one hand and extremely poor citizens (70%) on the other.
• We need to solve this problem, but then why are we not doing so?
• The missing link is knowledge and quality based leadership in the management of our country’s public resources and affairs.
• This resourceful, prudent and quality leadership should not be viewed from the point of view of tribe or ethnicity but rather capability. We are all children of God and should co-exist, love and accommodate each other.
5.0 Unity of Purpose
In the past Zambians have always achieved unity of purpose:
• In the 1950s and early 1960s Zambians of all ethnicities united to deliver political independence.
• In the early 1990s Zambians of all ethnicities united to deliver multi-partism.
• Going forward, we need to unite to deliver economic and social independence to our people. This is the theme around which the people of
Zambia should rally behind the UPND.
