Richard Mbewe PhD – Jun 26,2010

Dr. Mbewe on the 200th show looks at 2010 as an important year in African history: It’s the 125th annivesary of the Partition of Africa – the Berlin Conference of 1884/85. The 50th annivesary of independence of at least 18 African countries The 46th annivessary of Zambia’s independence. As a 46-year old person, what has Zambia achieved as a nation? Could we have done better? What went wrong? 2. Then the issue of national identity: Do we value ourselves as Zambians and take pride in what is Zambian? Why do leaders go to South Africa for medical check-ups when the doctors there are Zambians? Is this is a queer situation? Why should we have a foreigner (whitemen, especially) as a coach of the national team when we have our own qualified staff? Why do banks NOT lend money to indigneous Zambians? Why is it that privatization means selling out companies to foreign entities that do not have Zambia’s interests at heart? 3. What about the local divisions: Urban vs Rural Tribal divisions the role of tribal ceremonies like Ncwala, Umutomboko, Kuomboka, etc. Do they cement tribal identity while erosing national identity? Zambia-based vs Diaspora