Comments on: Dambisa Moyo’s diary

By: Kibakimani

Kibakimani — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:09:43 +0000

Fredrick, I think what what Dambiso tried to say in her book is that Aid is noble, and its intentions are good. But along the way, Aid has ended up having a negative effect. The negative effects are;
1) It suppresses the inovation of the reciepient countries to find their own ways out of their problems.It creates dependants, who though could survive on their own are made to fail because they can simply fall back on Aid.
2) It has created a lucrative industry, comprised of pipo who have made it a point to loby for pipo yet only a tiny fraction of that Aid actually reach the intended pipo. (eg. I was involved in a donor funded project, the total grant fowarded was in the region of $4million, I shocked that what went into the actual project was just slightly above $1million, the big chunk went to the international consultants, and the local consultants contracted by the donors. – What is sad is that these guys were all blank about the project, we provided all the data, the mthodolgies and we enlightened them on many of their unworkable proposals, and work was hectic due to their inflexible terms) In my opinion, we could have achieved what we achieved with our resources.
3)Aid is degrading, especially when the giver seems to have a low opinion of you.

By: Mugungulu H. Mwaanga

Mugungulu H. Mwaanga — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 09:56:00 +0000

Impressive stuff and so let us begin real development by removing recycled politicians from holding serious National political office. President HH and the UPND TEAM with its nw catch Dr Clive Chirwa are the right combination to lead Zambia to prosperity. I am ready to help this team to develop Zambia in all aspects of life.

Have a blessed day you all;
__
Matt 6: 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of god and His righteousnes and all these things shall be added unto you.

By: Ku Masangalatoni

Ku Masangalatoni — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 16:06:35 +0000

OK, let us say Dambisa went to Soweto Market, now the question is, how many street adults lambwaza at Soweto Market, most of them in dreamland of jobs they held in the past, others who are younger, dreaming about jobs they never had. Mwebantu, Zambians are deep in problems only Jesus will come and save us.

By: New York Giant

New York Giant — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 03:36:21 +0000

DAMBISA HAS DECIVED A LOT OF PPL WITH HER BOOK. LET IT BE KNOWN THAT WHILST SHE CLAIMS ZAMBIAN ROOTS SHE GREW UP IN US, AND HER UNDERSTANDING OF AFRICA AND ZAMBIAN LIFE IS HYPOTHETICAL! UNZA, OXFORD, HARVARD & WALL STREET! DR.MOYO MUST KNOW FACTS LIKE HOW MUCH US SPENT ON THE MARSHALL PLAN TO REBUILD WEST EUROPE AFTER WWII, AS COMPARED TO THE 50BN DOLLARS SPENT ON 53 COUNTRIES FOR OVER 50 YRS! THERE IS NO AID TO AFRICA IN REALITY COMPARED TO HOW MUCH IS BEING PLUNDERED FROM THT CONTINENT! NOW THE COMMON SENSE IS THT EVEN IF WE RECEIVED REAL AID, ITS NOT THE DONOR’S FAULT, ITS IT OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PUT IT TO GOOD USE! SO WHT DO YOU STOP FIRST,,IS IT THE ABUSE OR THE DONATIONS????

By: Kaumb

Kaumb — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 23:28:56 +0000

African governments are so used to foreign aid that it is fitted in most of nations budgets. I wonder how Western Couintries which colonized Africa where able to build towns, schools, hospitals, roads, railways, plats, with resources found in the same countries and could even take some money to their countries? All is about our leadership in Africa. I remember when late Kabila ousted Mobutu with the help of Rwanda and Uganda ,just after a year he disagreed with the same countries which assisted him, and this was the genesis of the war which saw many african countries involved in. FMI, World Bank, western Countries and all aid agencies freezed they supports to the DRC government, and stopped any kind of funding to this governemnt for three years. Suprisingly, despite the war , Kabila did very well, without a single cent from donors, this is the only time civil servants , policemen, soldiers , had a decent salary and were paid on a regular basis each month. The congolese currency beame very stable and the country didnt have a budget deficit.
This shows Western Countries are developping a begger’s reflexe on African leaders.Our leaders think that without foreign aid there is no development!!!
No, we have our lands, good soil, enough rain, minerals etc… We can develop like Kabila did with DRC. I remember he was saying, they can keep their money, we have enough money in our country, we dont need their money. Like Obama, they all our African leaders will say, and believe that ” YES WE CAN ” , Africa, will develop withour western aid.
Please look at the price of different minerals at the London Metals Exchange, why cant we organise our young guys in developement brigades, to start hand digging minerals and sell to government institutions which will resell to London , instead of leaving the so-called investors getting mines at the price of a loaf of bread, and after just a year start making huge money??? Why cant we organize ourself??? We are walking on wealth, but ourself we are poor …

By: ESTEE

ESTEE — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 22:34:53 +0000

i have not read her book but i have listerned to her interviews on either BBC or other forums. her emphasis is to gradually withdraw dependance on international Aid. i think most of her idiologies are quite good but takes political will to materialise. part of the problem is we are afraid of what would happen if we lost the aid as we are used to being spoonfed in a way.If india,china, south africa, Bostwana and the some european countrie are try to manage with as little aid as posibble why cant we follow the footstep. its like a young adult afraid to leave the parents home for the fear of the challenges of independence.all this has to be done over a period of time.

By: Frederick

Frederick — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 20:12:22 +0000

I do have a problem to understand Mdm. Moyo’s perception of facts. If she has been away since 1991 she must now be better informed how the outside world looks and works and then how Zambia ticks (20 years are long). I was just on X-Mass home in Lusaka, Roma; frankly I did not see any “young people who seemed to be wandering aimlessly on the street” I am also wondering what happens to the potholes of before 1991 (when Mdm. was still a permanent resident of Zambia). At that time we would say that only a drunken man drives strait on the road. I also got a rather different feedback of the reception Dambisa Moyo got on her return to “her” Zambia. I was informed that a public appearance was cancelled due to lack of interested people (sorry bad gossip).
Why is she astonished that ” my views on the inefficacy and deleterious effects of aid were, in fact, widely acknowledged by many people including some of the NGO representatives“. You do not have to be a University graduate to witness the mismanagement of resources, the corruption (do not forget that under President Kaunda we had potholes, no food in the shops, but corruption was quasi not existing) and bad governance etc. etc in Zambia. No Zambian is happy with these plagues. But to blame the developers and the development aid money for it is simply wrong.
It is too easy to put all Africans in one pot, and to make global statements out of some bad happenings. Already the book title “Dead Aid” is misleading since Bob Geldof “Live Aid” came out of the catastrophic situation in the Ethiopian famine/war of 1984. I was there and I have seen people dying; I do have a problem when one makes allusions out of context.
Without doubt in some countries, mostly post conflict situations, aid money had very contrary effects. But Zambia, your country, had other problems. Please check your figures; How much donor budget support is (was) Zambia getting? How much development money did (is) Zambia receive(ing)? I would like to see the millions Zambia has got. Under the Kaunda Government, Zambia was living for years out of loans with little possibility to pay back and even no possibility to service the loans. Bob Geldof and Bono did never set food in to Zambia. No Zambian ever was seeking asylum in Europe or the USA (for any reason; political or economical). Please do not mix up facts. It is sad enough that, after the Ministry of Health scandal, Zambia is now quoted as the bad example in the donor’s world. Do not forget that in early 2009 the EU, after years of discussion, went in to a substantial Budget support program with the Zambian Government.
The problems in your Zambia are not “aid” related!
With regards Frederick

By: Volcanologist

Volcanologist — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 16:31:34 +0000

Dead Aid a book to read and it reveal real issues of our leaders enjoy aid from western countries. This is a followup account to How Africa was Underdeveloped.

By: lopa

lopa — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 12:45:50 +0000

To get to her Parents home she passes through town…to Makeni area

By: The eye

The eye — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 11:54:03 +0000

but its true, it makes u think, whre doez the money go? not only the donor mney but locally raised revenues aswell! we seem 2 have stagnanted 4 many years. how, in this day and age, stil be grapling with the issues of potholes, drainage in twn and around high density suburbs, cholera, etc such basic matterz? we desperatly nid a major overhaul from state-house downwards, otherwise we are stuck!