Achieving Green Behaviour in Zambia: Political Rhetoric, Hypocrisy and Duplicity versus Political Will

Abstract

Achievement of sanitary and healthy environments in Zambia depends on several factors. The factors range from human behaviour to availability of infrastructure appropriate to garnering a clean and healthy environment. This paper will argue that people in government have a critical role to play in changing people’s behaviour and providing infrastructure necessary for green waste management. Since 2007, the Zambian government has embarked on a programme to encourage people to live in clean, green and healthy communities. This campaign has, however, perceivably failed to yield the objectives for which it was crafted. The question that arises is whether political will has played its full role in the implementation of the programme or there have been aspects of political rhetoric, hypocrisy and duplicity. The paper looks at several discernment pointers to make conclusions about the subject matter. The findings are that, although political will is held as a crucial influence in the success of the campaign, there has not been enough political will in the implementation of the programme. Lack of political will to enforce statutes and provide necessary infrastructure have consigned the programme to partial success. The paper concludes that until political will replaces political rhetoric (mere persuasive speech), hypocrisy (lip service) and duplicity (deception), the keep Zambia clean, green and healthy programme is not likely to succeed.Achievement of sanitary and healthy environments in Zambia depends on several factors. The factors range from human behaviour to availability of infrastructure appropriate to garnering a clean and healthy environment. This paper will argue that people in government have a critical role to play in changing people’s behaviour and providing infrastructure necessary for green waste management. Since 2007, the Zambian government has embarked on a programme to encourage people to live in clean, green and healthy communities. This campaign has, however, perceivably failed to yield the objectives for which it was crafted. The question that arises is whether political will has played its full role in the implementation of the programme or there have been aspects of political rhetoric, hypocrisy and duplicity. The paper looks at several discernment pointers to make conclusions about the subject matter. The findings are that, although political will is held as a crucial influence in the success of the campaign, there has not been enough political will in the implementation of the programme. Lack of political will to enforce statutes and provide necessary infrastructure have consigned the programme to partial success. The paper concludes that until political will replaces political rhetoric (mere persuasive speech), hypocrisy (lip service) and duplicity (deception), the keep Zambia clean, green and healthy programme is not likely to succeed.