FW: A MUST READ
Enestle Zimba
From: Claire Miti
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Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2012 10:13 PM
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Subject: Fw: A MUST READ
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Agripa Banda <fsitim...@yahoo.co.uk>
To: Miss Claire Miti <miti....@yahoo.com>
Sent: Tuesday, 17 July 2012, 17:52
Subject: Fw: A MUST READ
I do not intend to be divisive but its worth reading:
Michael Sata’s national dividing family forest explained
Ever since Sata’s PF assumed power, it seems anyone who dares criticise or question government risks being hauled into the dock and instantly found guilty of being “bitter, jealousy or petty!” The judges in this case are no other than government ministers, ardent supporters of PF and the Post Newspaper.
To add weight to this assertion, recently the Post Newspaper carried a story quoting his honour the Vice President Guy Scot with a screaming banner headline “MMD, UPND still choked!”
What do we make of this?
Our country has a population of 14 million people; and whether anyone likes it or not, we are all shareholders in this entity called Zambia and therefore reserve every right to participate in the running of affairs of this nation.
For instance, one of the questions that require an urgent answer is the manner in which the President is appointing people to key government positions; it has all the hallmarks of nepotism and tribalism to say the least. As a matter of fact, even The Post newspaper once warned against appointing people from only one region of the country in one of their editorials.
When swearing-in Patricia Daka Jere and Francis Kamanga as permanent secretaries for Ministries of Justice and Works, Supply, Transport and Communications, respectively, at State House sometime this year, the President asserted that it is difficult to balance cabinet based on tribe. How is it difficult to balance cabinet based on tribe? Aren’t all the humans equal? Isn’t the God who created people from the northern region of the country, the same God who created other ethnic groups?
These questions can perhaps be best answered by Dr. Nevers Mumba’s recent observation and I quote, “it is important that this government should respect the fact that wisdom or intelligence comes from all areas of the country.”
Why is the President seemingly not keen on utilising all the gifts and talents from every province as he endervours to develop our beloved country?
In the spirit of upholding the “One Zambia, one nation” motto, first republican President Dr. Kenneth Kaunda always tried his best to balance his cabinet. Let us take a look at KK’s top 10 cabinet ministers at independence: Vice President – Reuben Kamanga (Eastern); Finance – Arthur Wina (Western); Defence – Grey Zulu (Eastern); Home affairs – Aaron Milner(Minority); Foreign – Simon Kapwepwe (Northern); Legal affairs – Mainza Chona (Southern); Local government & housing – Sikota Wina (Western); Health – Kanoso (Luapula); Information – Peter Matoka (N/western); Commerce & industry – Nalumino Mundia (Western). The secretary to the cabinet was Aaron Milner from the minority group. KK’s first cabinet undoubtedly had a national character because people from all the provinces were represented in cabinet.
President Sata ought to walk an extra mile when considering people for various appointments to his government regardless of whether people from certain regions of the country voted for him or not. Even our past-immediate three Presidents tried their level best to appoint people from regions that presumably rejected them. Let us go back to the archives and look at the topmost cabinet ministers the country has seen from Chiluba’s time to date:
2nd President
Frederick Chiluba (Luapula)
Vice president – Levy Mwanawasa (Copperbelt); Minister without portfolio – Godfrey Miyanda (Eastern); Finance – Emmanuel Kasonde (Northern); Defence – Benny Mwila (Luapula); Home Affairs – Chitalu Sampa (Northern); Labour – Newstead Zimba (Eastern); Foreign – Vernon Mwaanga (Southern); Legal affairs – Rodger Chongwe (Eastern); Local government & housing – Michael Sata (Northern); Health – Boniface Kawimbe (Luapula); Information – Stan Kristafor (Minority group); Commerce & industry – Ronald Penza (Northern); Mines – Humphrey Mulemba (N/western). Readers may recall that although Eastern province had literally rejected MMD in 1991 and voted for UNIP, Chiluba still went ahead and appointed a number of people from the province as full cabinet ministers.
3rd President
Levy P. Mwanawasa (Copperbelt)
Vice President – Lupando Mwape (Northern); Finance – Ngandu Magande (Southern); Defence – George Mpombo (Copperbelt); Home affairs – Ronnie Shikapwasha (Central); Foreign affairs – Kabinga Pande (N/western); Legal – George Kunda (Central); Local government & housing – Benny Tetamashimba (N/western); Information – Vernon Mwaanga(Southern); Commerce & industry – Felix Mutati (Northern); Secretary to the cabinet – Leslie Mbula (Copperbelt). Readers may appreciate that although Mwanawasa was literally rejected by Northern Province, he still went ahead and appointed Lupando, a northerner, as his deputy.
4th President
Rupiah Banda (Eastern)
Vice President – George Kunda (Central); Finance – Situmbeko Musokotwane (Western); Defence – Kalombo Mwansa (Luapula); Home Affairs – Lameck Mangani (Eastern); Foreign affairs – Kabinga Pande (N/western); Legal – George Kunda (Central); Local government & housing – Benny Tetamashimba (N/western); Information – Ronnie Shikapwasha (Central); Commerce & industry – Felix Mutati (Northern); Health – Kapembwa Simbao (Northern); Secretary to the cabinet – Joshua Kanganja (N/western). Almost all the provinces were represented in this cabinet.
5th President
Michael Sata (Northern)
Vice President – Guy Scot (Minority); Finance – Alexander Chikwanda (Northern); Defence – Godfrey Mwamba (Northern); Home affairs – Edgar Lungu (Eastern); Mines & energy – Christopher Yaluma (Northern); Local government & housing – Nkandu Luo (Northern); Works, transport, supply & communications – Yanfwa Mukanga (Northern); Foreign – Given Lubinda (Western?); Health – Joseph Kasonde (Northern); Community services, mother & child – Joseph Katema (Northern); Commerce & industry – Bob Sichinga (Northern);Information – Kennedy Sakeni (Luapula);Sport, youth & child development – Chishimba Kambwili (Northern); Traditional & chiefs affairs – Emerrine Kabanshi (Northern);Secretary to the cabinet – Evans Chibiliti (Northern).
This clearly shows us that people from the northern part of the country dominate Mr. Sata’s cabinet. Worse still, Mr. Sata has seemingly hounded out people that emanate from other parts of the country from government and replaced them with his tribes-mates and in certain instances, co-opted in a few of his traditional cousins from eastern province probably as colouring flowers. Let us now consider characters that are occupying key government institutions (state house, the judiciary, defence /security, foreign service, parastatal entities and constitutional offices):
State house
Press & public relations – George Chellah (Northern)
Family man Sata
Economic & development affairs – Paul Siame (Northern)
Principal Private Secretary – Francis Chalabesa (Northern)
Senior Private Secretary – Gershom Siame (Northern)
Personal physician – Chishimba Lumbwe (Northern)
Camera man – Thomas Nsama (Northern)
Commissioner of police at state house – Philemon Mutale (Northern)
Permanent secretaries
Finance – Pamela Chibonga and Felix Nkulukusa (Northern)
Cabinet office – Anne Sinyangwe (Northern)
Defence – Emeldah Chola and Charity Mwamba (Northern)
Home affairs – Maxwell Nkole (Northern)
Local government & housing – Victoria Mutambo (Northern)
Health – Peter Mwaba (Northern)
Education, science &vocational training – Miriam Chinyama (Northern)
Community services, mother & child – Erwin Chomba (Northern)
Gender & child development – Edwidge Mutale (Northern)
Sport & youth – Agnes Musunga (Northern)
Lands – Daisy Ng’ambi (Northern)
Commerce, trade & industry – Stephen Mwansa (Northern)
Private Secretary in office of vice president – Evaristo Mwila (Northern)
Constitutional offices
Clerk of the national assembly – Doris Katebe Mwinga (Northern)
Director of Public Prosecutions – Mutembo Nchito (Northern)
Attorney General – Mumba Malila (Northern)
Solicitor General – Musa Mwenye (Northern)
Auditor General – Anna Chifungula (Northern)
Chief Justice – Lombe Chibesakunda (Northern)
Secretary to the treasury – Fredson Yamba (Northern)
Technical committee on the drafting of constitution – Annel Silungwe (Northern)
Heads of commissions & regulatory boards
Anti Corruption Commission – Rosewin Wandi (Northern?)
Drug Enforcement Commission – Deputy Commissioner General – Lottie Mpundu (Northern)
Prisons Service Commission – Percy Chato (Northern)
National Pension Scheme Authority – Charles Mpundu (Northern)
Police Public Complaints Commission – James Mwanakatwe (Northern)
Local Government Service Commission – Stephen Mushinge (Northern)
Road Development Agency – Michael Mulenga (Northern)
Zambia Public Procurement Authority – Danies Chisenda (Northern)
Inspector-general of Police – Stella Libongi (Western)
Defence chiefs
Zambia Army – Commnder Paul Mihova- Northwestern (Finallly) but Deputy Army Commander and chief of staff just has to be from (Northern)-– Major General Topply Mulambo
Zambia Air Force – Lieutenant General Eric Chimense (Northern)
Zambia National Service – Major General Nathan Mulenga (Northern)
Intelligence – Martin Mwanambale (Northern)
Parastatal entities
Bank of Zambia – Governor Michael Gindwe (Eastern?) But Deputy Governor – Bwalya Nga’ndu (Northern)
Development Bank of Zambia – Executive Director – Jacob Lushinga (Northern)
National Savings & Credit Bank – Cephas Chabu (Northern)
Zesco – Cyprian Chitundu (Northern)
Zambia Telecommunications Corporation – Mupanga Mwanakatwe (Northern)
Zambia Postal Services Corporation – Macpherson Chanda (Northern)
Zambia State Insurance Corporation – George Silutongwe (Northern)
Zambia Daily Mail – Isaac Chipampe (Northern)
Times of Zambia – Godfrey Malama (Northern)
Ambassadors/High Commissioners
Permanent representative to UN – Mwaba Kasese (Northern)
Permanent representative to Switzerland – Encyla Tina Sinjele (Northern)
United States of America – Sheila Siwela, Deputy – Ben Kangwa (Northern)
Germany – Bwalya Chiti (Northern)
Japan – Mwelwa Chibesakunda (Northern)
Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – Edith Mutale (Northern)
India – Susan Sikaneta (Northern)
Italy – Frank Mutubila (Northern)
South Africa – Muyeba S. Chikonde (Northern)
Botswana – Robert Mataka (Northern)
Given the above, can we still maintain that there isn’t nepotism and outright tribalism in the manner the President is appointing people to government positions?
Our country has a lot to learn from the Rwanda genocide. Rwanda was colonised at various times by the Germans and the Belgians. Prior to the arrival of the Belgians, the Tutsis who were the minority group at the time were the feudal leaders, dating all the way back to the 15th century. From the time of the colonisation of Rwanda in the 1880’s, the Belgians favoured the Tutsis over the Hutus. As a result, the Tutsis had better access to education and also to economic opportunities, while the Hutus were relegated to the more mundane and manual type of work in the economy, such as farming. This led to anger and resentment start brewing up against the Tutsis over a number of years and when the president of Rwanda, a Hutu, was assassinated in April 1994; it led to one of the worst human carnages in recent years. Over a period of 100 days, approximately 1 million Tutsis were exterminated as the world watched in utter silence.
It’s never too late; the President can still act to put an end to further polarisation that is taking root in the nation by making equal and fair distribution of the “national cake.” And this shouldn’t simply be effected by handing-out “crumbs” to people from other tribes by appointing them as deputy ministers but regarding them as equal partners in national development.
By a disgusted citizen!