Zambian Diaspora in South Africa is unique – Oct 08,2011

A congratulatory letter signed by the Zambia Association in South Africa (ZASA) Chairperson to the fifth Zambian President, Michael Chilufya Sata, reads in part, “Your Excellency, we Zambians in South Africa are more than willing to work with your Government. We want to convert the latent energy of the diaspora into a real resource for its development …through investing back home and introducing ideas and innovations we have gained in South Africa”. After all the Bemba say ‘umwana ashenda atasha nyina ukunaya’. The ZASA Chairperson points out that the Zambian Diaspora in South Africa is unique. First, it is closer to Zambia. If need be, one can leave in the morning for a meeting in Zambia and be back before sunset. This way, Zambia can benefit from its diaspora without necessarily recalling its professions for an employment. Second, it forms the largest collection of the diaspora because it serves Zambians from all walks of life regardless of education level or occupation status. Kambidima speaks to Edwin Mununga to discuss the Zambia Association in South Africa. In addition, we interrogate the views of the Association on the latest political developments in Zambia. Mr. Mununga, who works for The New Partnership for Africas Development (NEPAD), is the current ZASA Chairperson. Other than Edwin, other prominent members of the Association as well as other Zambians living in South Africa will join the discussion to explain how they intend to work with the new government. We explore the question, ‘what is it that this government should do that the out-gone government did not do?’