By Merlyn Mwanza
Professor Luke Mumba says Zambia has always survived on the motto of ‘One Zambia, One Nation’ and any attempts to depart from this cohesion is a recipe for trouble, justifying observations made by Angela Cifire that appointments to key government portfolios are now heavily skewed towards Southern, Western, North Western and parts of Central Provinces despite Zambians having stood together to reject tribalism in 2021.
And Another blogger submitted that President Hichilema has sealed the judiciary with nepotistic and tribal appointments, in the form of Justice minister (Tonga), Attorney General (Lenje), Solicitor General (Tonga), Chief Justice (Lenje), Concourt President (Lozi), Concourt Deputy President (Tonga), Court of Appeals President (Tonga), Judicial Service Commission Chairperson (Lozi), Judicial Complaints Commission Chairperson (Tonga), and the “President’s niece” Mapani Kawimbe as Concourt judge, joining “the brother to have benefited from the uncle’s nepotistic appointment” Victor Mapani, the Zesco Managing Director and IDC CEO Perry Mapani.
Speaking with Daily Revelation over what many view as tribal appointments into government positions that are heavily skewed towards southern, Western and North western province despite President Hichilema having received significant votes even in areas where he lost, with Eastern Province producing a split vote (51 percent for president Edgar Lungu who hails from that region and 49 percent for President Hakainde Hichilema), former Health minister Cifire said appointments in government must be given in recognition that the 2021 general elections was a 10-province programme and not having a situation where the presidency is now being captured in terms “uyu wesu or uyu nguwezu.”
The Daily Revelation story quoting Cifire was posted in one of the whatsapp groups run by Casilla with a membership of over 400 plus people.
Contributing to the same, Prof Mumba stated that Cifire had raised pertinent points.
“Good morning, the loud silence on Mrs Cifire’s observations is surprising. I thought she raises pertinent concerns which deserve comments from this forum. Is it because she has raised issues that many do not want to face head on? Is she raising a ‘hot potato’, too hot to handle?” asked Prof Mumba. “I appreciate that this forum is more about business and economics but business cannot thrive in an environment which is poisoned with divisions. Zambia has thrived on cohesion based on the motto of ‘One Zambia, One Nation’ but also being sensitive to the numerous ethnic tribes in all the 10 provinces of the country. Any attempt to depart from this cohesion is a recipe for trouble. Meritocracy can still be observed while respecting our Motto.
The Prof argued that “it cannot be true that most deserving candidates in these recent appointments can only be found from the provinces mentioned by madam Cifire.”
“If her observations are true, the appointing authorities need to rethink the path they have taken. This is a path to self-destruction. Zambians are watching,” stated Prof Mumba. “Good morning. Am observing…dead silence! Reality check!”
Another blogger mentioned how they felt that the President has sealed the judiciary appointments via his nepotistic and tribal appointments.
“1. Minister of Justice – Mulambe Haimbe SC- Tonga, 2. Attorney general- Mulilo Kabesha-Lenje, 3. Solicitor general- Marshal Muchende nephew to President Hakainde Hichilema –Tonga, 4. Chief Justice- Mumba Mailila- Soli, 5. Constitutional court President- Prof Margaret Munalula-Lozi, 6. Constitutional Court Deputy President- Arnold Mweetwa Shilimi-Tonga, 7. Court of Appeal President – Mwiinde Siavwapa-Tonga, 8. Judicial Service Commission Chairperson- Mwikisa Mukande- Lozi, 9. Judicial Complaints Commission -Vincent Blackskin Malambo –Tonga. President Hichilema has also appointed his niece, Judge Maria Mapani Kawimbe as Constitutional Court Justice,” the blogger submitted. “Mrs. Maria Mapani Kawimbe enjoys (joins) her sibling that have benefited from the Uncle’s nepotistic appointments; Victor Ben Mapani, ZESCO Managing Director and new IDC CEO Perry Mapani.”
But another blogger going by the name “Silence is safer” argued that Zambian citizens were stratified by a number of dimensions, including: by gender as male and female; by age; by religion; by race; profession; by vocation; by economic status; by nationality; by party affiliation, and that Tribe is just one of the dimensions and certainly not the most important.
“Every job has a job description (list of duties) and job specification (list of qualifications). In appointing persons to any job, what’s important is ensure that the person with the best blend of qualifications and relevant experiences is selected. Simply put, the appointee must be competent. That’s the essence of meritocracy,” the blogger submitted. “Of course appointments of people are made by people. To err is human. Indeed, a few errors have been made; a few appointees in various portfolios in Cabinet, at PS level, in parastatals, in government agencies and in Zambian Embassies are not competent, as evidenced by failure meet the KPIs for their respective jobs. Stakeholders, including opposition politicians, have legitimate locus standi in the performance of their officials. Incompetence harms the nation.”
The blogger submitted that tribe, gender, race, religion, creed were not qualifications and hence cannot be determinants of competence and that to deny any person a job on the basis of any other criteria but competence is wrong, and similarly to give anyone a job on the basis of any criteria other than competence is also wrong.
“It should be understood very clearly that even well-intended efforts like gender or tribal balancing are wrong if they result in the appointment of an incompetent person albeit result in the discrimination of a competent person. Someone asked why there was silence when the topic of tribalism was brought on the platform. I think the answer is simple and is found in history,” the blogger stated. “In 1968, President Kaunda announced his resignation as republican and UNIP President following the altercation by leaders gathered at Chilenje Hall. It was mostly among the factions of Muna Sipalo from Western Province, Reuben Kamanga from Eastern Province and Simon Kapwepwe of then Northern Province. The seniors pleaded with KK to rescind his decision. He agreed but gave conditions and guidance to the leaders: we are One Zambia One Nation (meaning all are equal) and tribal talk is inadmissible in any national gathering. That guidance from the Founding Father is still a glue that helps to bind us as a nation. We should not depart from that wisdom.”
The blogger argued that whether right or wrong, tribe should never be a matter for casual and careless talk as it was advisable that people refrain from this divisive habit of carelessly discussing tribe.
“In every society, it’s a taboo to just speak or write carelessly about certain topics in public. Tribalism ought not to be a topic for discussion in any serious gathering of Zambians. That’s what KK told us and taught us in 1968 in Chilenje,” the blogger stated.
Another blogger stated that there was a lot of bitterness and suspicion on “this group about Zambia’s past, from colonial times all the way through the PF regime and rightly so, abuse by its governments that each in its own way played a role in ruining Zambia’s economy,” submitted the blog member. “Whilst we can learn from history what we as a group need to be doing is putting our collective intellects/experiences/educations together and help guide this government to get us out of this very frustrating economic quagmire. Let’s look forward not backwards. Let’s be progressive. Otherwise we will solve nothing and years from now will still be talking about how bad things are.”
Another one submitted that the main purpose of the group was purely to discuss business and economic issues and called on all to respect that position, so that they focus on issues that will help develop the country economically and promote business for all Zambians
But in reaction to the one going by the name Engineer Matamwandi, another blogger submitted that they agreed with him in terms of how appointments ought to be done on merit, and if this were followed to the latter it is highly unlikely that “you will get the kind of demographic distribution that has been cited in a number of public institutions currently such as in the Judiciary.
“Chances are that you will get a good mix of Zambians from all the provinces because all provinces have educated and experienced citizens in diverse fields. It cannot be that all qualified and experienced people come from only one or two provinces in one Ministry. This is absurd and every right minded Zambian will question this kind of thing and it is their right to do so. When you think about it seriously and objectively, you will come to a conclusion that something went wrong somewhere. It is just not making sense at all,” submitted the blogger. “I am glad you acknowledge that mistakes may have been made. That being the case, those mistakes need to be corrected. Positions should be advertised and all Zambians given a chance to compete on an equal footing.
Another blogger argued against the submission by Engineer Matamwandi submitted.
|Engineer, accountability and transparency demand that citizens point out certain wrongs they see in society. It’s called Whistle blowing. The case you cited of KK threatening to resign, is very different from what we are dealing with currently. We cannot afford to keep quiet. Keeping quiet on certain things simply because a subject matter is sensitive is not a solution,” the blogger submitted. “If we all remain silent, then we all become accomplices to the wrong doings. We will also guilty of the wrong doings and when things get out of hand, as has happened in some countries, we shall all be responsible for the consequences. Human beings are capable of erupting like a volcano if you suppress their views and feelings. To be forewarned is to be foretold.
There are also different reasons why some people chose to remain quiet. Many prefer to be silent observers for fear of retribution while others are just disinterested. Another reason, could be purely on selfish grounds of vested interests. They are not able to point out wrong doings because they derive benefits from the same as individuals or through their keen and kind. Others are quiet but give their views through third parties. The list of reasons for the apparent silence is inexhaustible. But we are all encouraged to contribute because it is for the good of our country. We do so with the hope that our leaders are good listeners and not, ‘I know it all’, kind of leaders.”
Yet another blogger submitted: “May be we get a President from Timbuktu!! But I doubt if that would take this subject from some of us on this forum, for then to some, such a hired President would have to be black, better still for some, if he could have names from lands that border lakes and certain mountain ranges. Come on colleagues, there is a development agenda on our desks now…why can’t we see it in the light of what must be done now for this country?”
Someone submitted that tribalism and racism are all wrongs that none of us should be seen to support.
“I still believe that the only way forward is a ‘Meritocracy!’” stated the blogger. “Prof can you put your concerns on a well-structured paper that we can read and use for comment? The devil is in the detail… So please rather than text on WhatsApp show us clearly the tribal imbalance you are referring to and if possible your views on the Meritocracy of the decision!”
Socialist Party (SP) leader Dr Fred M’membe recently said that critics are asking if what they are seeing is equal to what they were promised, mentioning the various positions including that of President (Tonga), Vice-President (Bemba married to a Lozi), Speaker (Lozi), Chief Justice (Lenje), Acting President of the Constitutional Court (Lozi), Attorney General (Lenje), Solicitor General (Tonga), Chairman of the Judicial Service Commission (Lozi), Chairman of the Judicial Complaints Commission (Tonga), Commissioner of Lands (Tonga), Chief Legal Advisor to the President (Lozi). Dr M’membe further stated that appointments to key ministries that can’t easily be done away with flowed in the same direction including Home Affairs (Tonga), Local Government (Tonga), Education (Tonga), Tourism (Tonga), Justice (Tonga), Foreign Affairs (Lenje), Health (Soli), Defence (Luvale), Infrastructure (Lozi), Finance (Lozi), Lands (Lunda), Governor of the Bank of Zambia (Tonga).
In the Defence Forces, Zambia Army Commander (Lozi), Zambia Air Force (Kaonde), ZNS Commandant (Luvale), Inspector General of Police (Kaonde), Director General of Intelligence (Lozi), Commissioner of Correctional Services (Tonga), Chief Immigration Officer (Lozi), FRA Board Chairman (Tonga).
At the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), chairperson (Lozi), vice-chairperson (Mambwe), and that the three other commissioners are Tonga, Lozi and Lunda.
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