In one way or another, everyone is working the earth outside Kitwe, in Zambia’s Copperbelt province. The local mine is back in business, boosted(促进，推动) by record copper prices (see chart). But that means little to the women weeding(除草) their onions outside. “We don’t know where they take the money,” says one, gesturing at the mine gate. Historically, the rate at which growth translates into poverty reduction has been lower in Zambia than almost anywhere else in the world.(历史上，赞比亚经济增长转化为减贫的速度几乎低于世界任何地方。)
在赞比亚铜带省基特韦市郊，人们以各种方式在土地上劳作。当地矿山因铜价创纪录而重新开工（见图表）。但这对于在外除草种洋葱的妇女们来说意义不大。“我们不知道他们把赚的钱弄到哪里去了，”一名妇女指着矿门说道。从历史上看，赞比亚经济增长转化为减贫的速度几乎低于世界上任何其他国家。
The cost of living will have been on voters’ minds when they voted for a president on August 13th. Many feel burdened(使负担沉重) by high prices, despite falling inflation and a stronger kwacha. Their frustration energised(激发，使充满活力) the campaign of Brian Mundubile, the main challenger, who describes himself as an elder brother to the disenchanted(不再抱幻想的，失望的) young. The incumbent, Hakainde Hichilema of the United Party for National Development (UPND), probably has enough support to win a second term (results are expected on August 17th). But he has also tilted the playing field(使竞争环境倾斜) in his favour, using tactics he once decried(公开谴责).
8月13日选民投票选举总统时，生活成本问题一定萦绕在他们心头。尽管通胀下降、克瓦查升值，许多人仍感到物价高企的压力。他们的不满情绪为主要挑战者布赖恩·蒙杜比莱的竞选活动注入了活力，他自称是失望年轻人的老大哥。现任总统、国家发展联合党（UPND）的哈凯恩德·希奇莱马可能拥有足够支持赢得第二个任期（结果预计8月17日公布）。但他也利用自己曾谴责的策略，将竞争环境向自己倾斜。
Mr Hichilema spent years in opposition, facing spurious(虚假的，伪造的) charges of treason(叛国罪), before his triumph in 2021. One of Zambia’s richest businessmen, he presented himself as(把自己描绘成) the man to fix an economic crisis. His government has restructured(重组，调整结构) unpayable debts, cut subsidies(补贴), boosted reserves and kept the IMF happy. It has also reduced the tax bill of the copper industry, which accounts for two-thirds of exports. The reforms have “poised us for growth”, purrs(轻声说，咕噜咕噜地说) Sokwani Chilembo, chief executive of the Zambia Chamber of Mines.
希奇莱马先生曾在反对派中度过多年，在2021年获胜前曾面临莫须有的叛国指控。作为赞比亚最富有的商人之一，他把自己描绘成解决经济危机的人。他的政府重组了无法偿还的债务，削减了补贴，增加了储备，并让国际货币基金组织感到满意。它还减少了铜业的税负，铜业占出口的三分之二。赞比亚矿业商会首席执行官索夸尼·奇伦博轻声说道，这些改革“让我们做好了增长准备”。