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Humanism in Zambia

DECENTRALISM FILE

Kenneth Kaunda

Kenneth D.B. Kaunda (1924-)  was born in then-Northern Rhodesia, the son of  an ordained minister of the Church of Scotland.  His long and tumultuous career in public life included his leadership in the colonial-era nationalist independence movement and his elections as the first president of independent Zambia in 1964.

That new country was plagued with problems: tribalism, bitter partisan warfare, a lack of educated leaders, unfamiliarity with Western concepts of parliamentary democracy, reliance on one export commodity (copper) owned and mined by white-owned companies, neglect of agricultural production, and obligatory participation in anti-colonialism movements in neighboring countries, some of them characterized by violent rebellion. 

During those turbulent years Zambia suffered from collapse in copper prices and a sharp rise in the price of imported petroleum. Conversion of the copper industry into socialist parastatals crippled the viability of that key industry and opened up vast new opportunities for corruption. After pleading for assistance from the International Monetary Fund, Kaunda eventually rejected its terms, which required shrinking the government and backing away from price controls. Kaunda became increasingly authoritarian in order to suppress political turmoil, which damaged his international reputation, earned by his commitment to Christian non-violence, polished manners, and attempts at diplomacy.

In his 27 years as President, Kaunda promoted an indigenous “Zambian Humanism” as the national credo.  It was a combination of Christianity, non-Marxist Socialism, and Nationalism, hostile to private property and every form of exploitation of ordinary people. During his early years as President Kaunda was mentored by John Papworth, a British scholar and later publisher the decentralist journal Fourth World Review: For Small Nations, Small Communities and the Human Spirit. (Swindon, UK).

The basic principles of the Zambian humanism were enumerated by Kaunda (2007) as follows:

  1. The human person at the centre – the human person is not defined according to his colour, nation, religion, creed, political leanings, material contribution or any matter.
  2. The dignity of the human person – Humanism teaches us to be considerate to our fellow human beings in all we say and do.
  3. Non-exploitation of Man by Man (sic) – Humanism abhors every form of exploitation of human beings.
  4. Equal opportunities for all – Humanism seeks to create an egalitarian society–that is, a society in which there is equal opportunity for self-development for all.
  5. Hard work and Self-reliance – Humanism declares that a willingness to work hard is of prime importance; without it nothing can be done anywhere.
  6. Working together – The national productivity drive must involve a communal approach to all development pro-grams. This calls for a community and team-spirit.
  7. The extended family – under the extended family system no old person is thrown to the dogs or to the institutions like old people’s homes
  8. Loyalty and patriotism – only in dedication and loyalty can unity subsist.

Kaunda, K. D. (2007). “Zambian humanism, 40 years later”. Sunday Post, October 28. 20-25.

 

By most accounts, Zambian Humanism never penetrated very far into a restive population, in part because, unlike Marxist Socialism, it offered no agenda to secure progress. Kaunda himself, in power, did many things that he doubtless found offensive to the spirit of Zambian Humanism, and for that reason he can hardly be viewed as an apostle of decentralism. The brief selection below exemplifies what Kaunda hoped would happen, although sadly it did not.

 

Decentralization

“The spirit behind the decentralisation of Party and Government is power to the people, because unless this is so it cannot be a democracy. We have been organised on the basis of representative democracy. But I want participatory democracy which, in my opinion, is an advancement on representative democracy. We don’t want to elect people now, in 1973, and then sit back and do nothing until 1979 when we come to the next elections. We want to elect people now, but keep them on their toes and we ourselves continually participating in the day-to-day decision-making process, making decisions on those things which affect our lives.

“I see no reason why, in this process of decentralisation, of giving power back to the people, we should not be able to run, at the district level, all primary schools. I don’t see any reason why district councils should not run all health facilities, in terms of rural hospitals, health centres, clinics, under-five clinics- all these things. Why shouldn’t people themselves run these institutions for their own benefit? There is no reason at all and, as development takes place, they should be able to raise their own taxes at a certain level. And at the centre we should only remain, in my opinion, with defence, foreign affairs, fiscal policies, university education, and higher education, otherwise all these other things the people themselves should be given power to run…”

 

…

 

Kenneth Kuanda, “Decentralization” Address, Mansa, Zambia, December 1973. Included in Kenneth D. Kaunda Humanism in Zambia Part II (Lusaka: Government Printer, 1974) (excerpt)

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