foreign investment: whose interest, the youths or oldfolk?

“We have attempted to seek government support over these heartless Chinese investors who think human life can be compensated with as little as bags of mealie-meal or few funeral emoluments in times of death, but no assistance has come forth. We are paid surviving wages. Some wages cannot even buy a minister’s pair of shoes. Our trade unions have failed to defend the dignity of the Zambian labour. And Chinese job seekers under the auspices of investors have taken advantage of it. They are abusing our rights, but nobody seems to care,” lamented a Mr Banda.

Whose interest is being promoted here; the young people or those who want to eat now and leave the rest wallowing in abject poverty? Are the leaders concerned with the welfare of their children or future leaders as they call them? Future or current leaders?

This provocative quotation provides an entry-point into ascertaining the relationship between the Zambian government and its citizens vis-à-vis foreign investment. The perception of Mr Banda might ring many bells in people’s heads. In trying to address some of the concerns like those of Mr Banda, the Economic Association of Zambia (EAZ) organised a public hearing dubbed; “What have we learnt about foreign investment? Does it matter where it comes from?”

As protocol commands it, EAZ gave the floor to a government official to give the view of the state to some investor-worker concerns that trouble many Zambians’ minds as they eke for survival under difficult situations.

Representing government, permanent secretary (PS) for the Ministry of Commerce and Industry Davidson Chilipamushi urged the people to stop lamenting about investment from certain countries as all investor regardless of where they come from are driven by the self interest of sustaining their economies. “And what is our interest? Is it not creating employment and wealth?” wondered Mr Chilipamushi.

“It is to everybody’s knowledge that poverty levels have been increasing in the country despite the current 7% economic growth estimates. In this sense, foreign investment is required irrespective of where it comes from.”

To this end, the PS said it was for government to ensure that there was a legal framework in place that would oblige investors to respect human rights as they conduct their business. And the PS said government was revising the labour laws to ensure that investors were in possession of an investor law book and investor policy before they were allowed to start any investment.

Mr Chilipamushi argued that although the issue has been on China, investors from other countries that are exhorted so high are equally paying Zambians merger salaries. He added that the trend has been set by local investors who were seriously mistreating their employees be it in farms of homes. “How much do local investors pay their farm workers and maidservants? Isn’t it just the same poor wages that are condemned on a daily?” Mr Chilipamushi questioned.

He castigated Zambian employers who were blaming Chinese investors for paying ‘slavery’ wages to their employees while even them paid the maidservants and garden boys the same. “Let us put our house in order for investors to have an example to follow. We need to set standards before telling others to pay us well because we have set a bad precedent.”

In a similar expose, Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president, Leonard Hikaumba admitted that the union has not done enough to protect workers’ rights because government often protected the investors.

“Government always argues that investors will leave if the labour laws are more stringent on them. This so called enabling environment end up relaxing the labour laws, and thus unionists become toothless,” Mr Hikaumba said.

Following the PS’ blame on local employers abusing their fellow Zambians, the ZCTU leader said the problem has been perpetuated by Zambians themselves as they have failed to recognize the quality of work provided by their colleagues as worthy paying reasonable wages.

Against this condemnation of few Zambians, a Lusaka lawyer Winter Kabimba said the justification that because X is defecting the law then Y should do the same was a sign of failure to manage issues in the country by those entrusted to do so.

Mr Kabimba wondered why Zambian employers should be obliged to pay workers better than foreign investors who were enjoying tax reverts and other incentives.