BY ANDREW B.C NJOVU
THE 7th National Development Plan is said to be a building block which was drafted to meet the aims, objectives and goals provided in the Vision 2030. The Vision 2030 is in itself “a long term plan that expresses the aspirations of the Zambian people, which is to live in a strong and dynamic middle income industrialised nation that provides opportunities for improving the wellbeing of all the people.”
WHAT IS MEANT BY “PROSPEROUS MIDDLE INCOME” COUNTRY?
This is explained on page 51 of the 7th National Development Plan Document under “Zambia at a glance in 2030” and the document says:
1. That the country will have a diversified, private sector driven competitive economy, providing equal opportunities for employment entrepreneurship and investment. Key words: diversified, private sector driven, providing equal opportunity for all 2. That the country will be free from hunger, poverty and other forms of deprivation. Key words; free from hunger, poverty and deprivation
3. That the country will have an educated society with youthful economically productive and innovative population as a major asset for the country’s productive base.
Key words; Educated society, youthful economically productive, innovative population
4. That the country shall be a healthy society with low disease burden and low mortality rate. Key words; Healthy society, low disease burden, low mortality rate
5. That the country shall be a peaceful, tolerant, resilient and cohesive society with positive aspirations.
Key words; Peaceful, tolerant, resilient, cohesive society, positive aspirations 6. That the country shall be a modern country with cities, towns, provincial areas that are secure with planning, providing basic amenities and linked by good roads and accessible by other types of transport system
Key words; Cities, Towns, provincial areas, secure with planning, basic amenities , good
roads, accessible by other types of transport system
7. That the country shall have a thriving democracy based on political diversity, respect for human rights and freedoms and the rule of law.
Key words; thriving democracy, political diversity, respect for human rights, rule of law
8. That the country shall be a country served by modern, productive, efficient and performance oriented public service.
Key words; Modern, productive, efficient, performance oriented, public service.
9. That the country shall have a culturally diversified, friendly, neighbourly people, well integrated into the African Union and international community.
Key words; culturally diversified, friendly neighbourly people, well integrated, international community.
10. That the country will have a rich bio – diversity where humans and natural habitants mutually co-exist.
Key words; Rich bio diversity, humans and natural habitats, mutually co- exist
In a nutshell both the 7th National Development Plan and V2030 documents give us that beautiful picture which is more or less heaven on earth.
I am not an economist so I shall not discuss all the clusters except cluster No 7 which gives us a picture of a thriving democracy.
This is my area of competence and will attempt to be factual. But before I do that, let me applaud the government for unpacking the VISION 2030 as provided on page 52.
This is important because it helps us to follow the programme both the 7th NDP and V2030 as it unfolds, through the National Performance Framework with four strategic objectives and nine key results areas.
I think through this National Performance Framework, citizens can raise concerns on the way as we soldier on towards V2030.