Small and medium entrepreneurships can eliminate poverty

Musaba Chailunga, a prominent commentator on Zambian development, argues that “we need to encourage people to be entrepreneurial and not allow the government to be the only answer. Even the government and semi-government companies that have been closed—for example, Livingstone Motor Assembly, Mulungushi textiles and Mansa batteries—were not founded, designed, or built by Zambians. These organisations were Zambian only on paper because the designs, the loans, and the parts were foreign made. Similarly, today's lifeline companies in Zambia as such the Lumwana are not Zambian. Therefore, our country has no patents or inventions and this may continue as long as we insist that all that government owns is ours. In the 30 years that Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines was state owned ... can someone provide me with a list of indigenous businesses that supplied parts or equipment to ZCCM?”. Mr Chailunga’s argument is undoubtable and supported. However, how can we turn this status quo around?

Kambidima speaks to Colin H. Makala to find out how we can pursue effective and sustainable small and medium entrepreneurships to alleviate household poverty. Mr Makala is the Publisher of the SME South Africa (http://www.smesouthafrica.co.za/). The main purpose of this paper is to give a lifeline to small and medium entrepreneurs in South Africa. Having started this newspaper with his partner at the time when information and communication is going digital, we can describe Colin as a successful entrepreneur.