the indigenous textile industry has collapsed under the weight of cheap imports from Asia and the trade in second-hand clothes from Europe.

Glover agreed, over the racket, that his was a dying industry - "unless the government can protect it from cheap imports".

However, since many of the imports come from China - which supplies considerable aid to the Zambian government in other spheres - a crackdown on the imports is difficult to imagine.

"It's unlikely," Mr Glover agreed. "The Chinese are doing good work for Zambia on the roads and airports."

Zambian trade unionist Joyce Nonde has seen membership of her financial-sector union fall from 12,000 to just 3,000.

She accepts that some privatisations were inevitable, but said, "there was also asset stripping and political interference by the government of the day".

By"interference," Ms Nonde explained, she meant corruption.

The international banker, who requested anonymity, agreed with Ms Nonde, saying that there was a "lack of transparency under Chiluba" - who was replaced by Levy Mwanawasa.

Ms Nonde is now fighting against the privatisation of one of the last national banks to remain in government hands.

She argues that without government control of parts of the financial sector rural areas will end up without any access to the money markets.

Unemployment

Everyone I spoke to in Zambia said unemployment had increased as a result of liberalisation and privatisation measures introduced after 1991.

"Prospects are bleak," said a woman student wearing a graduation gown as she headed for the lawns of the University of Zambia.

"There are hardly any jobs. It's all those privatisations."

But the international banker, who