LUSAKA, Oct 22 (AFP) - Despite the military parade, free open-air concerts and laudatory speeches, Zambians are marking 40 years of independence from Britain on Sunday in low spirit, mired in poverty and tormented by a feeling of lost opportunity.
Close to 64 percent of Zambia's 10 million people live on less than a dollar a day and political squabbling has prevented the adoption of a home-grown constitution to replace the basic charter inherited from British colonial rulers.
"With this reality, what's there to celebrate?" asks human rights activist Simon Kabanda.
The government is planning to spend two billion kwacha (425,000 dollars/ 337,000 euros) on the festivities, an amount critics see as a frivolous expense that the country can ill afford.
"I do not think we need to spend our meager resources on independence celebrations. Instead we should use the occasion to reflect on what explains our present predicament," said Neo Simutanyi, political analyst from the University of Zambia.
On the positive side, opposition leaders will join in the celebrations despite a boycott of all public events attended by President Levy Mwanawasa whose election in 2002 they are still contesting.
"This is a memorable period and we have decided to attend and participate in all the activities," said Njekwa Anamela, general secretary of the United National Independence Party (UNIP).
Britain's High commissioner to Zambia Tim David has urged Zambia to use the occasion to reflect on the many challenges that the country faces, in particular the crisis over the AIDS pandemic which has brought life expectancy down to 36.
"An anniversary of this magnitude gives us all cause for reflection," David said.
About 1.8 million Zambians, or 16.5 percent of the population, are living with HIV and AIDS.
Known as Northern Rhodesia under British rule, Zambia won independence from Britain on October 24, 1964 following successful negotiations with freedom fighters led by founding president Kenneth Kaunda.
"I am happy that God has helped us to reach 40 years. I provided leadership and I created no problem for anybody," Kaunda said in his independence message to Zambians.
Celebrations kick off at midnight on Saturday when the Zambian army is to set the light up the sky with a blaze of star shells while the national flag will be hoisted with great fanfare.
South African President Thabo Mbeki will be the guest of honour of the festivities as the leader of Zambia's closest ally and Rwandan President Paul Kagame is also due to attend.
Mbeki spent time in Zambia during his years as an underground operative for the African National Congress fighting the apartheid regime in South Africa.
Kagame is attending the festivities in what is widely seen as a fence-mending gesture following strains in his ties with Mwanawasa's predecessor Frederick Chiluba.
The two visiting heads of state will join Mwanawasa and other foreign dignitaries at a wreath laying ceremony in Lusaka's Freedom Square to remember those who fought for independence.
Following a military parade, Mwanawasa is to deliver an address that is expected to touch on his plans to lift Zambia out of its grinding poverty.
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