In 1964, young at 19 I had high hopes of what Zambia would become once independence was attained on October 24, 1964.
In 1968 after working for three years my hopes increased as I entered the University of Zambia to study for my first degree. I was part of the several hundred young under graduates being trained by the UNIP government under first president Kenneth Kaunda.
Didn't Kaunda repeatedly tell us that Zambia had less than one hundred graduates at Independence. This was a young country hungry for manpower - for doctors, nurses, teachers, pilots, engineers, mechanics, truck drivers and many other jobs that would turn Zambia into a modern state.
I completed my first degree in 1971, did some research in 1972 and by January 1973 I was on my way to the University of Edinburgh in Scotland to study for an MLitt research degree. By December 1975 I had completed a long research thesis with a pretentious title - Approaches to Development in Northern Rhodesia.
And I returned to Zambia, still enthusiastic, still among the young men and women ready to take Zambia through its heights. Then came the publishing bug - first very innocent - publishing eduucational books to feed the ever hungry educational system.
But another bug entered - writing columns, commenting on the politics of the country - the one party state that befell Zambia while I was out of the country. And yet another bug entered in the form of Sunday Post - a newspaper I started in 1982 that didn't go far.
Disillusioned and unemployed - tried farming but drought put paid to that.
Then found solace at the American Embassy - Political Assistant - doing everything and nothing for Uncle Sam until that bug - the inquisitive journalist in need of expression returned in 1990. One party states were dying or about to die. Zambia was no exception - people were hungry - they wanted an outlet to express themselves.
Thus came a newspaper project that resulted in the Weekly Post (now The Post).
The new vision through the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) gave hope but just. As soon as the new rulers came to power in November 1991 the new vision immediately died.
Abandoned the Americans for a new battle, a new goal and a new dream. But it is 15 years now - through two governments of Federick Chiluba and one of Levy Patrick Mwanawasa State Counsel - the dream has faded.
It is 2006 and new elections on September 28. The parties and their presidential candidates do not do much for the dream. What will it be? I am still wondering what type of dream it will be.
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