An Interview With The Activist Laura Miti

You have faced arrest and detention several times for your activism. How do you plan to continue to try and hold government to account in 2020?

Nothing much will change. The work the Alliance for Community Action does is to empower ordinary people both to understand why they should hold government actors to account on the choices they make and how to actually do so. It is important work that will continue to be done lawfully.

You underwent a three-month fellowship at the University of Dundee in order to take time out for research and reflection. What did you learn during this time?

It was an enlightening and restful time in which I engaged with a broad range of the Scottish Government, academics and civil society actors. I guess the most important lesson was that it was possible for a government to place the rights of citizens at the centre of its work - like the Scottish Government does.

You are a big preacher of the importance of education and how it makes us "critical thinkers, adaptive and informed”. How do you think we can reform our education system and give all Zambian children equal opportunity for success in the classroom?

Our education system needs a fundamental overhaul. We have many problems from access to content. The critical issue for me though would be access. I am convinced that we must work to abolish both the grade 7 and 9 exams in order to determine progression. There is no reason why every Zambian child should not have 12 years of education if we change our budgetary choice making. Those examinations have very little to do with the ability of children, rather they are a lottery for limited places. 

What are the three biggest opportunities for Zambia in 2020?

If we were to put the interest of our country at the centre of governance, the constitutional amendment process would have been an opportunity to enact a solid basic law. But... the tabling of the planning and budget law, if it happens, is an opportunity for the country to begin to manage its resources accountably. The political party congresses ahead of 2021 which are due this year, again if we wanted, we could entrench democracy.

What are the three biggest challenges facing Zambia in 2020?

I would say the harmful content of Bill 10 is number 1,2 and 3.

What can Open Zambia’s followers and readers do to support your activism?

Become active citizens themselves. Love Zambia, protect her, ask questions.

Finally, is there anything else you'd like to say to say?

No one is coming from anywhere to save Zambia for us. We either do it ourselves or watch our beloved country go over the abyss.