The Nation is You. Addresses To, and Resolutions of, the National Council of the United National Independence Party at Mulungushi Hall, Lusaka 4th to 6th March, 1972

84 Pages·1972·3.792 MB·English

by  coll.

United National Independence Party (Zambia ),
National Council. Session , March 1972 .
The nation is you .
STANFORD LIBRARIES
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MAR,
1972
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HOOVER INSTITUTION
War, Revolution, and Peace
FOUNDEDBY HERBERT HOOVER, 1919
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THE NATION
IS
YOU
Addresses to, and Resolutions of,
the National Council of the
United National Independence Party
at Mulungushi Hall, Lusaka
4th to 6th March, 1972
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CONTENTS
OPENING ADDRESS BY H.E. DR K. D. KAUNDA 1
ECONOMIC REFORMS - REORGANISATION OF WEALTH 23
VICE-PRESIDENT- OUTLINE OF SECOND NATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT PLAN.. 47
RESOLUTIONS 55
CLOSING ADDRESS BY H.E. DR K. D. KAUNDA 65

ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT,
DR K. D. KAUNDA, SECRETARY -GENERAL TO THE
UNITED NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE PARTY, ON
THE OCCASION OF THE OPENING OF THE
NATIONAL COUNCIL AT MULUNGUSHI HALL
4th MARCH, 1972
MR CHAIRMAN,
Iamveryhappy thatweareableto meetagain asaNational
Council. There are good reasons why this is so.
FIRST:
We in the Party must check and prove that our Party
machinery is democratic. The Party Executive must
always consult and seek fresh directives from this
supreme policy-making body. The National Council
should be well briefed and be able to review any
situation in the country, be it political, economic,
social or cultural. In this first meeting of the National
Council thisyear, you the representativesofthe people,
meet to review the current situation in the country in
ourordinary session ofthis Council.
SECOND:
At our last session in October last year, the National
Council passed a momentous decision. You directed
the Central Committee, among other things, 'to work
towards the achievement ofa One-Party Democracy in
which the liberties and welfare ofthe commonman will
be paramount'.
Today'smeeting provides mewith the opportunity to report
on the actions taken on some ofthe Resolutions ofour October
meeting. Ontheimportantoperativeandactionableresolutions,
I have to report as follows:
Under Resolution 4, theNationalCouncilapplauded Govern
ment's decision to give rural development top priority in the
Second National Development Plan. The National Council
considered active participation and involvement ofthe masses
to be central to the success ofthis policy. I am glad to report
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that on the 12th ofJanuary, Government launched the Second
National Development Plan with due emphasis on rural
development. Later, on 28th January, the Minister ofFinance
presented this year's Budget to Parliament which gave rural
development the high priority it deserves in Party andGovern
mentpolicy. Theadministrativemachineryhasalsobeengeared
to ensure that maximum benefits accrue to the people from the
Plan. But, it is clear that unlesstheParty officials at Village and
Section levels, at Branch, Constituency andRegional levels, fully
apply their efforts to the closest supervision of the work of
implementing the various projects in the Second National De
velopment Plan, we will not achieve the targets set in the Plan.
The Party leaders and Party members in general must all take
the Second National Development Plan as a UNIP directive
which they must implement.We are in Government. UNIP is
Government and every Government project is a UNIP project.
Every Government achievement is UNIP's achievement. You,
therefore, as representatives of the people must lead in
mobilising and directing the efforts ofthe people to implement
the various projects of the Second National Development
Plan affecting yourrespective areas. Government officialsalone
can achieve little, but with your co-operation in mobilising
and leading the masses in action, we will achieve a lot. Do not
merely talk, you must act, work hard. That is what leadership
means.
Under Resolution 5, you urged Government to ensure closest
supervision ofthe implementation ofeconomic reforms inorder
tobring abouteffective control ofoureconomy.On 1stJanuary
this year, the transfer ofretail trade into Zambian hands took
effect. Prophetsofdoomhadforecastadim futureforZambians
throughout the country. An atmosphere of despondency had
been deliberately created. Fortunately, as was expected, only
a few shops remain closed in certain areas not because there
are no Zambians willing to buy, but because ofthe conditions
laid down by the sellers. All other aspects of the economic
reforms are progressing very well. This is illustrated in the
Paper I am circulating to the National Council entitled
'Reorganisation of the Nation's Wealth since Independence'
as part of my Report. We are now in an era of consolidation
and I have no doubt about the future. The future is in the
handsofthepeopleprovidedthey canworkhardanddiligently.
There is no easy alternative if we are to control Zambia's
destiny.
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Second Resolution 6 recommended that Government should ensure
the realisation ofself-sufficiency in food production. This year,
rural
given continued favourable rainfall, we will have a bumper
inance
crop in maize. Given favourable weather conditions in the
rural
1972/73 plantingseason, we shoulddo betterthan this year not
vern
only in maize production, but also in all other crops. The
reared
majority of ourfarmers, whether commercial or peasant, have
mthe
responded positively to the new economic opportunities.The
eand
demands for betterextension services are very pressingand the
fully
Ministry of Rural Development is doing everything possible to
-k of
cover the needs ofthe country as a whole. This is a problem of
De
manpower. But we must learn to be self-reliant even in this
Plan.
area. The establishment of the National Service is largely
take
designed, among other things, to assist in increasing technical
tive
know -how and extension services in the field of agriculture.
Pis
Government is also answering problems of the provision of
rect. adequate supplies of other foodstuffs either by direct State
ou,
action, or byencouraging private enterprises. We, therefore,
in
continue to pursue a policy programme leading towards
ent
increased self-sufficiency in accordance with general Govern
ent
ment policy and the directive ofthe National Council.
ne
ng Resolution 7 endorsed Government endeavours to do every
ot thing possible to ensure proper financial management in
ip
Government as well as conservation of foreign reserves. In
response to this Resolution, I gave a directivein my opening
it Address to Parliament this year that Government must main
tain thehighest possible standard offinancial discipline. In this
r
connection, Government has already initiated and taken
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administrative action against officials and institutions guilty of
financial indiscipline. Furthermore, the Minister ofFinanceand
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the Minister of Trade and Industry have already announced
import restrictions in certain commodities, and other austerity
measures, while tightening Exchange Control Regulationsand
sealing off the loopholes used by currency smugglers to take
outmillionsofKwachatoourdisadvantage.Importsubstitution
and the promotion of local industries add to a catalogue of
positive measures already taken to resolve the problem .
By far the most decisive Resolution passed was Resolution
Number 10 which, as I have indicated, directed the Central
Committee to work towards One-Party Democracy in Zambia.
Following this directive, the CentralCommitteeand Cabinet
respectively made a firm decision that the country should
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become a One-Party Democracy and that practical steps
should be taken to bring this about. This is an historical and
momentousdecision.
In accordance with Cabinet decision, I announced the
appointmentofaNational Commission on the establishment of
a One-Party Democracy in Zambia at a State House Press
Conferenceon the 25th February. The Commission has been
gazetted and sworn in. All other administrative arrangements
have already been set in motion. The Commission is set to
startwork almost immediately.
As youknow, this isaNationalCommission. Ihad, therefore,
invited the African National Congress to participate. They
are entitled to. I had discussions with Mr Harry Nkumbula,
MP, leader of the African National Congress, prior to the
announcement of the Commission. I specifically appointed
him and Mr Nalumino Mundia, MP, his deputy, to serve on the
Commission. You havereadreports abouttheir decline to make
a positive contribution to the constitutional growth ofZambia.
The decision that Zambia should become aOne-Party Demo
cracy is the wish of the majority ofthe people ofthis country
anda minority group ofpeople cannot stand in the way ofthe
wishes ofthe majority. So regardless ofthe position which the
ANC leadership may take, the Commission isgoingahead to
accomplish this national and historic task. But, I ask the
ANC leaders to take courage and make a positive decision.
Those who want to contribute to the work ofthe Commission
must feel free to come forward with concrete proposals in the
interests of peace, democracy and development. On your
behalfand on behalfoftheentireNation, Itherefore invite the
ANC leadership to come with us— Tiyende Pamodzi — in
building Zambia, strengthening peace and justice and thus
guarantee progress and prosperity for all. This is a real chal
lengetothem .
At this point, I wish to pay tribute to you and through you
totheentireNation, forthesupportyouhavegiven me andthe
Governmentverbally, inwritingandinactionnotonlyoverthe
issue of the One-Party Democracy, but also in shaping the
destinyofZambiaingeneral.
I know there are people who are apprehensive about changes
in the system of Government. It would be surprising if there
were none. I have always said Zambia is not made of angels,
but ofhuman beings. We are not living in an Utopia. Indeed,
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