Edgar Lungu is dismantling Sata’s nepotism

But Appoint Tongas To Cabinet

By Prince Bill M. Kapinga

When I wrote an article Michael Sata’s Family Forest Explained which was published on several online publications, the PF leadership at the time came out with guns blazing.

Overzealous leaders and excitable cadres alike burnt candles into the night scouring for adjectives in the dictionary to describe suspected authors of the said article. The hitherto unknown writers of the said article were called all sorts of names in the book and threatened with arrest.

Nigerian playwright Wole Sonyika once wrote; “Books and all forms of writing are terror to those who wish to suppress the truth.”

I remained calm and dismissed the unfolding drama as antics and tantrums of frightened little men, as KK would say, eager to suffocate the truth. In fact I continued scrutinizing Sata’s appointments as he ignominiously ignored advice and kept adding on kith and kin to his family forest amidst vehement protests from a wide spectrum of society. I went on to produce a sequel: Sata’s Family Forest Reloaded where I took time to explicate how the family forest had flourished.

And ever since Edgar Lungu assumed the mantle of President of this great country, I’ve taken care to interrogate his various pronouncements on national issues and of course reviewed several appointments he has made to his government thus far. In all fairness, Lungu deserves the benefit of doubt.

Why do I say so?
Speaking at the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Cross last month during the interdenominational thanks giving service for the peaceful January 20 Presidential election, Lungu called upon the Church in the country to play a role in uniting the nation and stamping out tribalism and violence. And when he was swearing in government officials at State house some time later, he observed that there was an upswing of nepotism in the civil service.

Believe it or not, these are attributes of a good leader. Pretending that there’s no tribalism in the country when in actual fact the vice is rearing up its ugly head right under our nostrils is warped thinking!
Bembas say, “Uwushitasha mwana wa ndoshi,” I reckon the appointments President Lungu has made so far are quite impressive.

During Sata’s time for instance, State house was a fiefdom of Bemba speaking people and a few of his traditional cousins from eastern province. It’s only this time that other tribes are making maiden appearances at State house. Notable among these are former MMD Solwezi Central Member of Parliament Lucky Mulusa and Hibeene Mwiinga who have deservedly earned appointment as special assistant for project monitoring and implementation and special assistant for economic and development affairs, respectively. Does this help in fostering national consensus building? Of course it does!

Let us now consider President Lungu’s cabinet. While he has held on to the Ministry of Defense for now, the full list goes as follows:

Vice president: Inonge Wina (Western)
Finance: Alexander Chikwanda (Northern)
Justice: Ngosa Simbyakula (Central)
Home Affairs: Davies Mwila (Luapula)
Foreign Affairs: Harry Kalaba (Luapula)
Health: Joseph Kasonde (Northern)
Local Government: John Phiri (Eastern)
Information: Chishimba Kambwili (Muchinga)
Transport, Works, Supply & Communication: Yamfwa Mukanga (Muchinga)
Commerce & Industry: Margate Mwanakatwe (Northern)
Lands: Christable Ngimbu (N/western)
Agriculture & Livestock: Given Lubinda (Western)
Energy, Mines & Minerals Development: Christopher Yaluma (Northern)
Education: Michael Kaingu (Western)
Labour: Fackson Shamenda (Copperbelt)
Community development: Emmerin Kabanshi
Tourism: Jean Kapata (N/western)
Chiefs & Traditional Affairs: Joseph Katema
Gender: Nkandu Luo (Muchinga)
Youth & Sport: Vincent Mwale (Eastern)

The President has almost succeeded in balancing his cabinet on tribe but for one particular region – Southern province.

The country is experiencing a serious economic malaise at the moment and the Kwacha is yielding to pressure from major currencies.

The President should consider appointing Ngandu Magande as Finance Minister and re-appoint Alexander Chikwanda as Defense Minister or better still discard him altogether to pave well for new blood, particularly someone from Southern province. Who can question Magande’s illustrious and impeccable service to this nation as Finance Minister?

The President must also take a step further and make reshuffles in the diplomatic service and parastatal entities. You can’t have people from one region occupying all the major positions as is the case today.
People are bound to feel left out and start complaining this government is solely for this particular tribe.

I am from N/western province myself; it doesn’t mean that when someone from my region is made minister then certain benefits shall directly accrue to me as an individual but rather, it gives a sense of belonging or ownership.

For the first time since PF came to power, I feel I am adequately represented in government today – there are two people from my province serving as full cabinet ministers.

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