By Francis Maingaila

LUSAKA

Acting Zambian President Edgar Lungu officiated on Friday at a celebration marking the 50th anniversary of Zambia's independence at Heroes Stadium in Lusaka.

Representatives of 56 countries joined an estimated 60,000 people who converged on the stadium to attend the ceremony, while millions of Zambians followed proceedings from home via live radio and television broadcasts.

Addressing the audience, Lungu read out a message on behalf of President Michael Sata, who left the country earlier this week for a medical check-up.

"We have a duty as a nation to uphold democracy through good governance, transparency and accountability, including upholding human rights," Lungu, the defense minister named acting president in Sata's absence, said in his speech.

"As we move beyond the golden jubilee, therefore, our primary task is the modernization and transformation of the country, including generating wealth through sustained economic growth."

Lungu also urged the Zambian people to seize opportunities for economic activity and investment as a way of reducing poverty.

"I wish, therefore, to urge you, countrymen, to mobilize in one great cooperative national effort the enormous energy to overcome and eliminate poverty," he added.

He pledged that the government would continue to open the country to science, technology and management systems and to new ideas and skills from all over the world in order to create a better life for all Zambians, particularly the poor and marginalized.

"As we celebrate this jubilee, let us remember that our freedom fighters, driven by patriotism, loyalty and love, put aside the instinct for self-preservation and risked their lives and those of their families to achieve the peace we enjoy," he said.

"Today, we celebrate this day in history when our forefathers emerged victorious 50 years ago. Their tireless and heroic sacrifices have made it possible for us to be here today," he added.

Zambia, now seen as a model of African democracy, won independence from the United Kingdom on October 24, 1964.

On that day, Kenneth David Kaunda, the first Zambian president, hoisted a Zambian flag to mark the country's independence – a gesture that has been commemorated annually ever since by the country's successive leaders.

-Success, failures-

Zambians on the street took on the occasion with various reactions.

For example, Moses Phiri, 53, complained of the uneven distribution of wealth in the country.

"Some parts of the country have witnessed tangible development in the last 50 years, while other provinces are lagging behind in infrastructure development, including education and health," Phiri told Anadolu Agency.

However, Phiri remains optimistic that in five or ten years' time, the lagging provinces will have something to smile about.

"In spite of past challenges, we have seen regions making significant progress in health and education… and there are more schools and hospitals," he added.

He also cited a new draft constitution that is now being debated, saying it would come as a "big bonus" for the Jubilee year.

"We only hope the [draft] constitution will be enacted soon. That alone is enough reason to celebrate for 50 other years," he said.

Hussein Mohamed, 38, meanwhile, believes the passage of 50 years of independence is a good opportunity to take stock of the country's situation, learn from past mistakes, and set goals for the future.

"We need to look at past achievements with pride and to rectify the collective mistakes over the last 50 years, while laying the foundations for development for the next 50 years," he told AA.

"We have failed as a nation to end corruption. But despite these weaknesses, the country has achieved major progress in eliminating illiteracy through the expansion of the education sector, providing quality education, and introducing the devolved system of government," he added.

However, Mudene Milambo, also 50 years old, told AA that things may not have gone as planned over the past five decades.

"But people need to take some personal responsibility for what happened," he said. "It is important to look at the challenges and then advance toward the future."

He added: "It is important to celebrate for the sake of unity."

For his part, Melvis Musonda, 49, argued that Zambia's Independence Day should be used to reach out to young people and teach them about their history.

"Teaching them about our history cultivates a sense of belonging and unity, as well as creating a value system of what it means to be Zambian," he said.

But for John Matembo, who was 43 at the time of independence and is now 93, the jubilee is an occasion for reflecting on past challenges and honoring Zambia's freedom fighters.

"At independence, we declared war on hunger, illiteracy and poverty. But today, we are still not done fighting it. In fact, these challenges are taking a toll on the people, meaning we have not made much progress," he said.

Blaming poor leadership and rampant corruption for hindering Zambia's progress, Matembo warned that the country's rising poverty levels and food insecurity represented "a disturbing trend."

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