Zambians Love Respect

"I work hard all day but all I really want is some respect," says the voice from the TV. The "respect" that they are talking about is not the type normally associated with dignity or being appreciated. Rather, it is "Respect," the local beer which is also known more commonly as "chibuku" or "shake-shake."

One of Zambia's most apparent problems is alcohol. Since the compounds are full of young, unemployed men and have no recreational opportunities for them to pursue, they all congregate at the bars, or "tarvens" (a common Zambian misspelling), to drink the days away. By the time I am travelling to work at 8:00, the bars have been open for several hours and there are already many people drunk. By the time I knock off (leave work) at 17:15 this number has only increased. Fairly frequently, especially near the weekend, I see the large chibuku trucks - with tanks full of alcohol for that weekend's consumption - unloading their cargo.

The heavy drinking is also a large contributing factor in election or football inspired rioting. Certainly, this is not a problem in Zambia alone (just think of the Whyte Avenue riots in Edmonton this spring). Anywhere that there are large numbers of young men and the alcohol flows freely it does not take much to spark a problem, especially when they do not have much to lose in the first place.

Many Zambians recognize this as a problem. Some churches, including the BIC church, are strongly anti-alcohol. In the city, however, the problem does not seem to be alcohol consumption, it seems that this is merely a symptom of larger problems. When there is high unemployment and no alternative recreation for youth, they feel that there is nothing to do but go to the bar. Also, many of the bars are owned by influential people, including local politicians, who have little incentive to limit hours, consumption, or provide alternatives to their services. So it seems that alcohol consumption is a problem that will not be going away anytime soon. After all, who doesn't want a little respect?