POLITICAL SCIENCE - Constitution Amendments Zambia

 MAJOR CONSTITUTION AMENDMENTS IN ZAMBIA SINCE 1964 - IN BRIEF

QUESTION

Zambia has been undergoing constitutional reforms since independence. The current constitutional reforms involve the contentious BILL 10. Trace the origins of BILL 10, in so doing, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this BILL.

ABSTRACT

BILL 10 is the sixth major post-independence constitutional change that could be made in Zambia. Proposals in the bill include bringing back the office of Deputy Minister and enabling government to contract debt independent of National Assembly. The main advantage of the bill is that it is a chance to address any weakness from previous constitution-amendment processes. However, some see the bill as promoting the interests of the current government, such as weakening the Presidential two-term limit clause. Overall, Bill 10 seems - so far - unable to attain universality of acceptance, just like the constitution reviews of the past.

 

INTRODUCTION

The Republic of Zambia has since 2019 been discussing the Constitution of Zambia Amendment Bill, 2019, known simply as Bill 10. The essay traces the roots of Bill 10 and also examine its advantages and disadvantages.

 

DEFINITIONS

A constitution is a collection of rules which aim at regulating the allocation of responsibilities, powers and functions among the various units and proxies of the government and explain the ties between these and the people at large.

An amendment is an addition, a deduction or other form of change made to an established  rule, law or agreement.

TRACING THE ORIGINS OF BILL 10

The road to Bill 10 appears to stretch all the way from the time of Zambia's independence. One effort to reform the constitution eventually led to another because of a weakness or weaknesses in it. This is what the next few passages attempt to show.

THE INDEPENDENCE CONSTITUTION

A glaring weakness of the Independence constitution, enacted in 1965, was that it stated that Kenneth Kaunda shall be the Republican President.  

 

THE CHONA CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW COMMISSION

The Mainza Chona Constitution Review Commission was set up by then President Kenneth Kaunda in 1972. The terms of reference were to establish a one-party participatory democracy, seen by some as a stifling of real democracy.

 

THE MVUNGA CONSTITUTION REVIEW COMMISSION

The Mvunga constitution review commission, formed in 1990, included only the basic clauses required to conduct free and fair elections in 1991. In this way, the Mvunga Commission, like the others before, remained a work-in-progress.  

 

THE MWANAKATWE CONSTITUTION REVIEW COMMISSION

The Mwanakatwe Constitution Review Commission – 1996 - was about promoting the holding of free and fair elections, impartiality of the judiciary and the contentious Presidential parentage clause (candidate shall have both parents born in Zambia), seen as a targeting of Kenneth Kaunda by Frederick Chiluba.  

 

THE MUNGOMBA CONSTITUTION REVIEW COMMISSION

It was set up in 2003 by Levy Mwanawasa in the hope of addressing past inadequacies. One of its challenges was how the constitution was to be adopted. Another was that Mwanawasa was seen as a minority leader who had won elections with only 28.8% of valid votes cast.

 

THE CONSTITUTION AMENDMENT ACT NO. 2 OF 2016

One major change in this constitution was absence of the position of Deputy Minister. The Act introduced ambiguity regarding the Presidential two-term limit.

THE CONSTITUTION OF ZAMBIA (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2019 - BILL 10 This is the current proposed constitutional amendment.

 

Main advantages of Bill 10

                           i.            The period of 30 days (from 14 days) in which to hear a presidential petition gives ample time for the Constitutional Court to fully deliberate (Article 101-104).

                         ii.         Bill 10 proposes reviewing the composition of Cabinet. It could be a chance to legislate to make Cabinet more regionally-representative.

                       iii.            Bill 10 proposes inclusion of members of parliament into councils. This could make for better coordination of development programmes.

 

Main disadvantages of Bill 10

                           i.            The Bill could lengthen the rule of the current Patriotic Front (PF) government

                       ii.            Article 107 could create a life President as it proposes to bar National Assembly from inquiring into the well-being of the President.

                     iii.  Re-introducing the office of Deputy Minister would not be a cost-effective way to run government (Article 17).

             iv.   The National Assembly could lose powers of oversight on contracting debt (Article 114).

             v.  There is no guidance as to how a coalition government could be formed (Articles 101 - 104).

          vi.  The period of 7 days within which to submit a petition to the Constitutional Court is too short (Article 101 - 104).

CONCLUSION

The Constitution of Zambia (amendment) Bill, 2019 (Bill 10) could be a chance to strengthen the Zambian constitution. The problem, however, is that it appears to contain elements seen as promoting partisan rather than national interests.

ECONOMICS - Concentrated/Non-concentrated Markets

CONCENTRATED AND NON-CONCENTRATED MARKETS 

Question

 

Why do some markets become concentrated and others do not?

 

Increased or decreased market concentration often signifies one or more of the following factors:

 

Stronger or weaker market entry barriers. Both government and existing competitors can make it more difficult or favourable to enter a market. Government could, for instance, make things more, or less, challenging, if it created cumbersome licencing requirements, or business-friendlier ones. Competitors could make entry by new players harder by, for example, entering into exclusive contracts with customers.

Another way to weaken barriers to entry is legislating for common industry standards by government rather than allowing an industry player to set the standards, as they could easily be manipulated by the supplier to their own benefit and to the detriment of others. This is especially important in the case of technical products.

 

 Making anti-trust laws more or less effective. Anti-trust laws are meant to prevent any single player, or a few, entirely dominating the market. One result of lax anti-trust laws is mergers and acquisitions that eliminate all competition. In Zambia, the acquisition of Northern Breweries by Zambian Breweries may not have been allowed if a pro-competition stand had been stronger.

 

Unfavourable or favourable start-upcosts. When starting a business is highly capital-intensive, there are greater chances of the market being concentrated than when initial costs are low. Some industries, such as underground mining and airline, by their very nature are - in general - inherently concentrated. In Zambia, there are, at the moment, only four cement-manufacturing companies. That is to be contrasted with the market for soft drinks and juices where there are numerous suppliers and entry capital is relatively low.

 

Rent-seeking. This refers to tendency to manipulate the established system to gain in some way. For example, a firm paying a government official to preserve or improve its market power. In the idealistic environment, there is much less rent-seeking. Existing companies are not able to get away with rent-seeking manoeuvres: they let new competitors enter the market unhindered - and only maintain or improve their position by creating, innovating, investing and raising productivity (output per unit of investment, which represents falling costs).   

 

LINEAR AND NON-LINEAR PARADIGMS OF DEVELOPMENT

QUESTION: BRIEFLY DISCUSS THE LINEAR AND NON-LINEAR PARADIGMS TO DEVELOPMENT. WHICH PARADIGM DO YOU THINK IS MORE APPLICABLE IN UNDERSTANDING DEVELOPMENT TODAY?

ABSTRACT

The linear-stages economic development paradigm and the non-linear paradigm are the two main realms of economic thought. The linear paradigm is the argument that all nations have to go through five stages in the development process. The non-linear paradigm promotes development thinking that does not espouse any specific successive steps. The main non-linear models include structural-change theories and international-dependence views. Each of the paradigms provides a valuable aspect in the study of development economics and in solving economic problems.

INTRODUCTION

Development, according to Nobel laureate Amartya Sen (2000:3),

… is the process of expanding the real freedoms that people enjoy. … Development requires the removal of major sources of unfreedom: poverty as well as tyranny, poor economic opportunities as well as a systematic social deprivation, neglect of public facilities as well as intolerance or over-activity of repressive state.

The two paradigms on development are the linear-stages-of-growth and the non-linear (Todaro and Smith 2012: 110).

    

THE LINEAR STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT

The thinking of the 1950’s and 1960’s was that nations had to pass through a set of successive steps to development, and that all the developed nations of the time had passed through the stages. The argument was that development only required the right combination of savings, investment and aid.

Rostow’s Five Stages Linear Growth

American economic historian Walt W. Rostow (1960) listed five stages as follows:

1.      Traditional society, characterized by subsistence and agricultural production, little or no trade, and limited, low-level capital stock with accompanying low productivity.

2.      Pre-conditions for take-off. Use of machines in agriculture increases and so does trade. Savings and investment are higher but still generally low as a portion of national income.

3.      Take-off. There is greater manufacturing and the relative size of agriculture shrinks even though it is still big and employs a huge part of the population.

4.      Drive to maturity. There is greater diversity in manufacturing. Innovation levels rise and are a source of real per capita income growth as opposed to higher input of factors.

5.      Age of mass production. Output and consumer expenditure rise. The economy has an expanding middle class which keeps the economy growing. Tertiary activity increases.

The Harrod-Domar growth model.

The Harrod-Domar model proposes that a portion of national income should be set aside as savings for investment (Harrod 1939). Growth, it is argued, is proportionate to the level of savings and investment. The linear-stages-of-growth paradigm is premised on four golden principles: (i) Order, meaning known causes lead to known outcomes any time, anywhere; (ii) Deductionism, meaning the whole can be deduced if the constituent parts are known and understood; (iii) Predictability, meaning by adding relevant ingredients to the model, the future causes of events can be worked out IF the whole is known, and (iv) Determinism, meaning that previously existing conditions are the causes of future happenings. There is a linear and orderly manner of happenings. 

Criticism of the growth model

The basic criticism if that while savings is necessary, it is not a sufficient condition.

NON-LINEAR PARADIGM OF DEVELOPMENT

1.      Structural Change Models

These growth models emphasise structure.

The Lewis Theory of Development

W. Arthur Lewis (1954), Nobel Prize recipient, theorised a two-sector transformation model that showed labour transfer from the surplus-labour, low-income agricultural sector to the better-paying industrial sector. It dominated development thought in the 1960’s and early 1970’s (Todaro and Smith 2012: 115).

One frailty of the Lewis model is in the assumption that capitalists will reinvest all their profits in more capital; and that the rate of labour transfer will be proportionate to the rate of capital formation. The problem is that cost-sensitive capitalists might invest in labour-saving capital, so that not so many people are absorbed into the industrial sector.

Structural change and patterns of development   

It is a comprehensive look at a cross-section of structural elements including resource use, international and domestic trade and socio-economic issues like urbanisation and changes in consumer demand. Proponents of this model, like Hollis B. Chenery (1960), argue that development can be hampered by both domestic and international factors. One criticism of the structural change and patterns of development model is that emphasis is placed on structure and patterns rather than on what is supposed to be done. That is, the cart is placed before the horse.

       

      2.      The International Dependence Revolution

It is a predominantly later-1970’s argument, that underdeveloped nations have institutional rigidities and are caught up in a dependence and dominance model with advanced economies.  

Neo-colonial dependence model

This dependence model feeds into Marxist thinking that the rich and poor worlds are bound in an economic relationship that makes rich nations richer and poor countries worse off.

The False Paradigm Model

It states that solutions offered to developing nations are devised by foreign experts who do not know the practical realities of the under-developed societies, such as influence of social class.

The Dualistic Development Model

The model openly recognises that there is a rich world and a poor world internationally and locally, with possibly increasing differences.

One weakness of dependence theories is that even though they offer good insights into reasons for under-development, they do not explain ways to start and sustain development.

3.      The Neo-classical Counter-revolution

In the 1980’s and 1990’s, thinking on development based on the magic of the market place and the invisible hand of capitalistic practice emerged. This model, according to Todaro and Smith (2012: 127) has three variants called free market analysis, Public choice and market-friendly approaches. Robert Solow (1956) provided a defining contribution to the neo-classical growth model by adding labour and technology to the  Harrod-Domar model.

CONCLUSION: WHICH IS MORE APPLICABLE IN UNDERSTANDING DEVELOPMENT TODAY?  

In the view of this writer, neither of the two paradigms can be said to be the better one. They each have positives and negatives in understanding development and devising policy. There should be, in other words, complementarity in their application to understanding development theory.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Chenery, Hollis, B. (1960) Patterns of Industrial Growth. American Economic Review, Vol. 50, No. 3 (September 1960), pp. 624-54.

Harrod, Roy, F. (1939) Essay in Dynamic Theory. The Economic Journal, Vol. 49, No. 193 (Mar., 1939), pp. 14-33. New Jersey: Blackwell Publishing. Available online at: http://piketty.pse.ens.fr/files/Harrod1939.pdf. Retrieved May 14, 2020.

Lawrence, E. and Sargent, Thomas (2014) Harrod 1939. Available online at: http://www.tomsargent.com/research/Harrod_tom_6.pdf. Retrieved May 17, 2020.

Lewis, W., Arthur (1954) Economic Development with Unlimited Supplies of Labour. Manchester: Wiley. Available online at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-9957.1954.tb00021.x. Retrieved April 30, 2020.

Rostow, W. Walt (1960) The Stages of Economic Growth: A Non-Communist Manifesto. Cambridge University Press.

Sen, Amartya (2000) Development as Freedom. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

Solow, M. Robert (1956) A Contribution to the Theory of Economic Growth. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Vol. 70, No. 1. (Feb., 1956), pp. 65-94. Available online at: https://www.econ.nyu.edu/user/debraj/Courses/Readings/Solow.pdf. Retrieved May 11, 2020.

Todaro, Michael, P., and Smith, Stephen, C. (2012) Economic Development 11^th Ed. Boston: Addison-Wesley.

HOW TO GET PROMOTED

‘Promotion’ is one of the few words that make people work that little bit harder in their job. The reasons are not far.

Promotion is when an individual is moved from one position to a higher one. For example, from salesman to sales manager, or accountant to head of finance.

Promotion normally brings higher pay, more privileges and better status. These are generally what the word is about. Does it need explaining? The question is, how does one put their hands on that promotion?

There are many ways to get elevated. Some of the things you can do to get your promotion include:

·        Putting your best in your work. Work professionally and present to your supervisors the best that you can achieve. This is perhaps one of the two most important rules.

·        Being trustworthy. Cultivate confidence in those around you that you can be trusted – with all forms of organisational assets including money, equipment and information. This certainly has to be the second of the two cardinal rules (the other being the above, of course).

·        Pointing out serious mistakes or omissions – even if it is your boss who has made it. This is a sensitive area. Some supervisors, if they are insecure, may not take it well. However, it might be more damaging in the long run for you not to say anything when you see something wrong than to do so. All supervisors secretly appreciate sub-ordinates who act as their third eye (it insulates them from being in trouble themselves). Only, choose the right moment and right way to do it.

·        Being brave. If called upon in a large meeting to share with others what you know about a particular subject, rise and speak. The plenty eyes around you will not swallow you. If anything, you will establish yourself as a leader and solution-provider. 

  Self-improvement. Formal education, reading and listening to people with more experience are powerful ways of moving from one level of knowledge and competence to a higher one. Self-improvement must be an ongoing process.

Drawing a line between business and pleasure. Leave business for business time and pleasure for pleasure time. They rarely move together. Many careers of otherwise capable women and men have been wrecked or slowed down because of not observing this rule. If you have not been, be smart about it - starting today! Finally,

·        Sacrificing a bit of your private time to get important tasks done. All managers do this. So, you will be marking yourself as one, by missing one beer to complete one vital job. Thirty minutes or so will be a valuable investment in your career progression.

This is it for now. Get your career on fast track by observing these rules. They may not be the only important principles. Nevertheless, they are among the highest-ranking.

Bye!!

HOW YOU CAN MAKE YOUR WORKPLACE HAPPIER

SPREAD HAPPINESS: MAKE YOUR WORKPLACE A CHEERFUL ENVIRONMENT

Research has shown that workers are more productive when they operate in a happy environment. Here are some things you can do as manager to lift spirits in your workplace.  

Use well-considered, positive language

Strong words create a negative mood. Communicate professionally, using rational language, no matter how badly you may feel inside.

Do not reprimand anyone in the presence of others   

The risk is that everyone that hears might think the message is for them, too. Even when done discretely, it must be about showing the right way rather than threatening or bashing.

Forgive and forget

Those who make mistakes must not be held prisoner forever. Remind them of their weakness one moment and act as though nothing happened the next.

Have a truly encouraging motto

The workplace mantra must be inclusive and totally upbeat. That is, something like:

Together, we will get there, rather than something like The hardworking will get there.  

Enjoy life

The office does not always have to be about papers and tenders (I really sweated with tenders as Sales Manager!). You could have, for example, a Crazy Friday, when all could dress as adventurously as they liked, and be treated to some free drinks and snacks. Not only would that be a release of pressure. It would also encourage freer mingling and promotion of a sense of sisterhood or brotherhood among workers, vital ingredients in making people live more merrily.  

Encourage everyone to appreciate others

There must be a deliberate policy of reminding employees that there is good in everyone and that all deserve appreciation.

Brighten up the offices with flowers

Place a vase of bright flowers in a central place where everyone can see and admire them. Flowers (and pictures of smiling faces) have great soothing and uplifting effects that suggest: Everything is alright. And so everything shall be!

Congratulate others on good work

People like their good deeds to be recognized. It could be as simple as, John, that was a well-written quotation!   

Be cheerful

As manager, it is important for you to radiate a positive mood. You have to be the happy-person-in-chief. It rubs off on all the others. Try to smile even when you do not really feel like it.

Keep bad times of the past buried in history

Do not keep reminding others of something that went wrong in the past. Talk about bad events gone by sparingly and only when absolutely necessary, or it could bring about an air of gloom.

Handle problems with a cool head

No matter how serious a problem, it is important to be level headed as you attempt to solve it. It sets the tone for others in similar situations in the future.

Celebrate happy occasions

Mark anniversaries, arrival of new babies and other important moments in the life of each employee with joyful get-togethers.

Finally, remember this...

·      

•   People like to see smiling faces.

•  People (without exception) are so in need of love. A smiling face tells them: You are loved. They feel happy. Love is the message we all want to receive; even though many of us are not even aware of it.

•  Happier people work harder and better. And they make others happier.

• And before you know it ... everyone around you is cheerful and working harder and better. Ultimately, you have a more productive workplace.

Do not underestimate the power of a smile! And hey, you do NOT have to be a manager to help make your environment joyful. Smile! Show a happy face!

Rupert Chimfwembe

May 28, 2018

SIMPLE RULES FOR MAKING YOUR BUSINESS MORE PROFITABLE

SIMPLE RULES FOR MAKING YOUR BUSINESS PROFITABLE

A business must make profit to be meaningful to the owner or owners and other stakeholders, and to continue to survive.

Advice on making an enterprise profitable could be given under two main headings:

  1.    Keeping Costs Minimal.

-         Drop products that always make losses.

-         Do not increase your staff unless it cannot be avoided. Remember, it is easier to avoid employing than to send employees home (declaring them redundant).

-         Introduce a performance-based salary rise system if you do not already have it.

-         Get better deals from suppliers, buyers and intermediaries (supporters of the business environment such as insurance companies, brokers, consultants and bankers).

-         Use home space instead of renting dedicated offices. If you have to go the lease way, ensure there is no space in the offices or yard that you do not immediately need. The property owner takes every square inch into consideration when fixing how much you have to pay.

-         Deal in products that allow a bigger profit margin, or sell fast.  

-         Improve efficiency. That is, producing more with less, or more with the same amount of investment.  

-         Look around you some more, and see if there are other unnecessary costs your business is bearing: limit office decorations to what just makes it a pleasant place to operate in; can the business support a vehicle with the engine sizes you have in your fleet?

  2.    Increasing Sales.

-         Improve your offer. This is sometimes a short term cost but long-term gain. Areas of improvement are diverse and depend on the product type. In the case of a bathing soap, for example, spheres of attention could include shape, scent and size.   

-         Widen product range. This gives you more sources of profit.

-         Capture new customers. Yes, it does mean more sources of purchases – another way of saying more profit.

  3.   Increasing Price. 

Perhaps the most direct and obvious avenue of making a business more gainful is increasing product price. It has, however, to take into account issues like competitor pricing and ability of the market to pay.

Conclusion

There are also steps of a more strategic nature that businesses, mainly large ones, do, to make their operations more lucrative. Among these are acquiring of powerful suppliers or customers who can easily drive up costs by dictating terms. This gives the acquirer more control over prices at which they buy inputs and the prices at which they sell their finished products, as well as on other contract elements.

                                                                                      Rupert Chimfwembe
                                                                                                     18 May 2018