24th September 2025Today, Citizens First draws national attention to a profound and enduring injustice at the heart of our nation’s prosperity: the systemic neglect of Zambia’s rural areas, which form the very backbone of our food security yet remain trapped in a cycle of underdevelopment.
It is the farmers in our rural communities who till the land, plant the seeds, and bring in the bumper harvests that feed our nation. From the maize fields of Muchinga and southern province, rice in western province, pineapples in northwestern province, groundnuts in eastern province, cassava in luapula province and Northern Province to the soybean plots of the Central Province, the wealth of our nation is cultivated in these areas. However, this immense contribution has not translated into tangible development for the areas of production. This is not just an oversight; it is a fundamental failure that stifles our national potential.
The Paradox of the Bumper Harvest
We are confronted with a stark paradox: how can the source of our national breadbasket itself lack the basic amenities of modern life? The current model is akin to a farmer who expects a bountiful yield from an orange tree but refuses to prune it or nourish the soil. We are harvesting the fruit of our rural areas’ labour without investing in the roots that sustain it.
This approach is unsustainable and unjust. It extracts wealth from rural communities and transfers it to urban centers, leaving behind poverty, poor infrastructure, and limited opportunities for the very people who power our agricultural sector.
A ‘Citizens First’ Call for Value Addition at the Source
The Citizens First philosophy demands a fundamental shift. It means putting the needs and potential of our people ahead of outdated, centralized models. The solution is clear, logical, and long overdue: we must establish production industries that add value to crops in the very areas where they are produced. Why should a district that produces tonnes of raw maize see its wealth leave on a truck, only to buy packaged mealie-meal from a factory in another province? This model exports jobs and economic potential along with the raw commodities.
Let us consider Mafinga District as a prime example. Mafinga produces vast quantities of maize, soya beans, beans, and local bananas. Yet, where are the maize mills, the soybean processing plants, the packaging facilities for beans, or the fruit ripening and packaging houses? By processing these goods in Mafinga, we would put citizens first by:
· Creating sustainable local employment for the youth who currently see no future in agriculture.
· Boosting local incomes and ensuring wealth remains within the community that created it.
· Reducing post-harvest losses, directly benefiting the farmer’s livelihood.
· Sparking natural, community-driven development of local infrastructure.Our Commitment, Under President Harry Kalaba’s Leadership
As championed by our leader, President Harry Kalaba, we call upon the private sector, and development partners to join us in a new national commitment rooted in the Citizens First principle. We must pivot from a policy of mere extraction to one of integrated, localized development that empowers communities. It is time to prune the tree so that it may yield even more abundantly for everyone.
The development of rural Zambia is not a charitable act; it is the most strategic investment we can make in our nation’s future. A developed rural area, where citizens are the primary beneficiaries of their own labour, means a wealthier, more food-secure, and more equitable Zambia for all.
About Citizens First: Citizens First is a political movement led by President Harry Kalaba,committed to placing the welfare, potential, and aspirations of the Zambian people at the center of national policy and development.
Faith Munthali National Chairlady Citizens first.