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Zambia Revisited 2002
Written by David Alwyn Lougher   
Wednesday, 11 August 2010 17:22

Our family left Zambia in 1985 at the end of my contract at Nkrumah Teachers College, Kabwe. I had enjoyed my 9 years in the country, teaching in Kalabo (Western Province ), Chadiza (Eastern Province), and finally Kabwe (Central Province). I arrived a bachelor and left with a wife and 3 children!

After 17 years this was my first trip back to Zambia. A country can change a lot in that time. When I left Kaunda was the President and UNIP the only party. My main concern was not politics but the mundane every-day things, particularly transport (we had no access to a car), sickness (I had malaria once before), drinking water , the heat , and commodities.

I was pleasantly surprised. There were all sorts of public transport we made use of -  luxury coaches, buses, mini-buses, and taxis. In Lusaka there was more traffic than ever before. My wife and I managed to get around with little problem.

The only sickness I suffered was a headache the first day due to the anti-malaria tablets. In the past we had to boil water before drinking but now there was plenty of bottled water in the shops. There were lots of new shops (some South African) well supplied with food and imported goods. This was in sharp contrast to my previous stay when basics were in short supply. Unfortunately only the elite minority can afford the luxuries. Fortunately our visit was in  July  when the heat is not as bad as it is in October when it becomes unbearable.

These are the highlights of our stay. We spent 4/5 days in Livingstone enjoying again the fantastic Victoria Falls and surroundings. We stayed a couple of nights in a private home which doubles up as a guest house. We had an en-suite room with TV and meals far cheaper than the posh motel where we stayed the first 2 nights.

We had 2 nights staying with David & Chris Moffat on their huge farm in Mkushi. David is a direct descendant of Robert Moffat, the missionary whose daughter married David Livingstone. I had stayed a couple of Christmases on their farm with other expatriates back in the late 70’s.  Also my wife went in to labour on a visit there in 1985 when we had to make a mad drive back to Kabwe Hospital. These memories came flooding back.

My brother-in-law, a bank auditor, took us on a visit to a crocodile farm about 40km from Lusaka. Once we left the main road we followed a tortuous dirt track more suitable for a 4x4. After looking at the crocodiles and snakes we had a relaxing time in the swimming pool, minus the crocodiles!

Before leaving we had a wonderful family gathering at my wife’s parents’ home in Chilenje South, where we said our farewells. On the whole the changes I observed in Zambia were good but the rural poor are still suffering.

Postscript: I had forgotten the dust , especially travelling by bus to Livingstone.  It gets onto your clothes, shoes, and into your hair! I would liked to have visited Kalabo and Chadiza but time was not on our side.

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