Lusaka… Friday October 24, 2025 – Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) President Antonio Mourinho Mwanza has said that 61 years after attaining political independence, Zambia stands at a defining crossroads where the true test of nationhood lies in achieving economic independence.
Mr. Mwanza noted that despite being richly endowed with vast mineral wealth, fertile land, abundant water, and a youthful population full of potential, the majority of Zambians continue to live in poverty.
He revealed that out of a population of 20 million, about 12 million citizens still live below the poverty line, lacking access to decent housing, clean water, sanitation, and quality healthcare.
He said the contradiction between the country’s wealth and the poverty of its people stems from the fact that Zambians do not own or control their economy.
According to Mr. Mwanza, the key sectors of the economy – including mining, energy, agriculture, banking, construction, manufacturing, and telecommunications – are dominated by foreign interests, resulting in profits being externalised while the nation is left with depleted resources and widespread deprivation.
Mr. Mwanza stressed that true independence goes beyond the symbolic act of raising a national flag, arguing that it must translate into the ownership and control of the country’s destiny and resources.
He said as long as Zambians remain mere spectators in their own economy, the struggle for freedom would remain incomplete.
He called upon the youth to rise and take up the mantle of economic liberation, just as their forefathers did in the fight for political freedom in 1964.
He urged them to register, vote, and actively participate in shaping the nation’s future.
Mr. Mwanza said Zambia must be built, owned, and governed by its people, insisting that the nation’s wealth should serve Zambians rather than enrich outsiders.
He added that the current generation has the historic duty to complete the journey begun by the country’s founding heroes – from political liberation to full economic emancipation.
Meanwhile, Mr. Mwanza reaffirmed his belief in unity and shared purpose, declaring that Zambia’s future and prosperity depend on its citizens.
“One Zambia. One Nation. One Destiny,” he said.
