Zambia Railways Managing Director Professor Clive Chirwa has expressed ignorance over media reports that he has been suspended and will be handed a letter of suspension tomorrow.
There are reports from the company that Zambia Railways Board members led by Mark Chona made the decision to suspend Professor Chirwa on Friday.
Investigations have revealed that the board wants to get rid of Professor Chirwa for refusing to sign allowances for its members.
It was also revealed that some board members want Professor Chirwa fired because he has been blocking them from influencing the awarding of contracts at Zambia Railways.
When reached for a comment last evening, Professor Chirwa expressed ignorance over the matter but admitted that he has had difficulties with the board.
[pullquote]The board wants to be paid for doing nothing and I have refused. I will not pay people for doing nothing. Basically that’s why we have been fighting.[/pullquote]
He said he is not aware of his suspension and that he will report for work tomorrow.
“As far as I know, I still have my job, yes I was away in Ndola last week working at our Ndola plant so am not aware of any changes and I will report for work on Monday,” Professor Chirwa said.
“We have been fighting with the board over allowances for some time now. I have never signed for any allowances since I was appointed. The board wants to be paid for doing nothing and I have refused. I will not pay people for doing nothing. Basically that’s why we have been fighting.”
Last month, the board suspended the company’s Director of Finance after she reported to Professor Chirwa that some directors were demanding allowances for doing nothing.
And Board Chairman Mark Chona refused to comment saying he was unwell.
Mr. Choma however hinted that there were some changes at management level but refused to comment further.
“Yes we have made some changes but I cannot comment now because I’m unwell. Let’s talk on Monday and I will be able to give you more information,” Mr Chona said by phone.
It is understood that an acting Managing Director has already been appointed.
On November 15 2012, President Michael Sata appointed Professor Chirwa with the task of reviving the ailing railway transport sector.
Shikulu wont be happy with this heads will roll tomorrow, ndeloleshafye…..
#1 You’re very right, it’s important to rub it into Zambians that money must be EARNED!
Shikulu is the dogfather. for every allowance to the board members he gets 30%. so chirwa should be considered FIRED for not practicing the much publicised munkombwe philosophy.
We shall disolve that board, prof Chrwa is right, how can he pay you for doing nothing. Work and get paid.
Thats why you Zambians can never develop. You chaps want to chew even before doing the goddamn work. Ive never seen such mediocre attitude anywhere in the world ! Mr President, please fire the whole silly board because they want to behave like apemen !
That’s the problem with the Zambian culture. People want to be paid even when they have done nothing – how are we going to develop? Chirwa, principles and dont leave to teach them a lesson. That Chona guy is too weak and doesnt know what he is doing cos everything he touches fails including the Task force until he was fired!
These board memebers I think they need to be fired.
mr chona plz leave chirwa to do a good job. dont disturb the good work he has started.
Its was just a matter of time… some of us predicted that Chirwa will go nowhere
Chirwa made mistake, you can’t decline to pay for “doing nothing”. “Doing nothing” is a big duty in Zambia, and board of directors do get allowances, ask Kabimba. Chirwa, remember you are in Zambia, there is no way your British working ethics can be accepted in Zambia. When in Rome, do what Romans do.
pf is a makeup of the casablanca of munkombwes
thieves want to misdirect you to benefit themselves, please clive stick to your goal.
some of these board members have history of tricking kaunda.
Bravo ba Chirwa ! Way to go.
mr president sir, kindly disolve the board.
Typical of Zambians!!!! All what they dream of is more money in their pockets but less output! Prof, we are behind you!!!! Alot need to be done to revamp our rail system! Lets do the job and get paid later!!!! I call upon our president to dissolve money loving weak board!!!!!
Another donchi kubeba, i was surprised to hear that prof chirwa an intelligent man joined PF ditching UPND a party made up of mostly of intelletuals,wonderd how he was going to work !!! Prof chirwa was advised that PF was not a better party for him to join because the party is madeup of people who are not honest and PF just wanted to use him, finish him and dump him. I feel pity for him, but he should learn to take advice. Good start but poor finshing really.
Who is the boss here? Can the appointing authority get to the bottom of this? This Chona guy has also out lived his usefulness and he should let new ideas take us forward. You need new guys like Dr FUNDANGA to chair these boards not these old ‘useful ‘fimo fimo’.
These guys never think of a Zambia of tomorrow. All they are interested in is to try and fill their big damaged bottomless pockets.
If true, that is really SAD NEWS. TYPICAL ZAMBIAN BAD BEHAVIOR OF BRING HIM Down syndrome. RUBBISH WHAT HAS THE BOARD MEMBERS CONTRIBUTED APART FROM Looting THE Rail Line? Don’t pay them. This is when Zambians should stand up to such boards and support people like Chirwa. Board members to be part of a committee awarding contracts?? THESE CORRUPT F.O.O.LS they just want to eat from all angles.
The Board may need to be desolved instead! A new capable player like Professor Chirwa requires able Chairmanship and a supportive membership. Allowances ought to be paid when and each time the Board of Directors is sitting. Minimum number of meetings per year will stand.
The president must act & dissolve the ZR board. We are with you Prof. Chirwa.
That’s the problem with people who were educated in Zambia, and have no exposure, they simply don’t know how people work in other countries. that’s why Zambians will always complain that foreigners are exploiting them, why? Because they are lazy. If you have been to Europe before you will agree with me on this one. If you have been given a job, let’s say a 5000€ job its up to you, to do the job in one day get the same money or do the job in one week and still get the same money.
Chabipa Mwe mhrsip
the board was formed to lobby and advocate financial resource to partners.
The Management designed the programmes that should be executed by submitting to the board.
Now where will be money come from if the board is not sourcing fund to make the Zambia Railways.
Maybe just because of the Ka US$750million bond kabagwila kumoyo.
This is a serious matter that hinges on a.) morals and integrity of Board members AND b.) whether Pro did the right thing to leave his lucrative position in UK to go back to Zambia and help develop Country. I know that Board chairman Mark Chona is a smart person. I would there hold my fire till he checks with his Board members and says their side of the story on three serious points raised:- 1.) Is it true that some board members have vested interest in the awarding of contracts? 2.) Is it true that board members want to be paid allowances without actually working for that money contrary to the agreement? 3.) Is it true that the board Finance Director was last month suspended because she reported to Pro. Chirwa that some Board members were demanding allowances for doing nothing?
While Chirwa is right, he can not tell the press that the board is doing nothing. This is a taboo. While we do not know all the facts, I suspect Chrwa is failing to manage various interests or poor stakeholder management skills. If he is clever (i’m not sure) he could have Sata on his side so he can deal with Chona and company.
Prof Chirwa, I stand by you. Teach these characters that there is nothing for nothing when you are using the money the govt recently borrowed. How do we even improve ZR when these pack of corrupt heads are just scheming to chew financial resourses which we so much need? They want to channel infrastructure building funds into their pockets. They are specialists in misuse, misapplication and misappropration of funds meant for national building. Thats why we have been so much behind because of such heads. Introduce allowances for outputs only.
Has the board got the authority to suspend pro Chirwa, I thought only the appointing authority has.
Professor Chirwa needs to sort this allowance syndrome with authority that appointed him. True in Zambia allowances is synonmous with free money for doing nothing or destroying systems. Its an uphill battle for Chirwa as other appointed board members in all institutions are getting allowances such as Zamtel where PF cadres Frank Bwalya, Chipili, Nsanda are gobbling huge allowances at the expense of Zambians and awarding each other dubious contracts. There is no transparency and accountability in PF govt. The position taken by professor Chirwa vindicates this point of recklessness within the PF govt.
THATS PATHETIC FOOLS NO CLUE TO WATEVER .WAS ALSO SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT CLIVE HAS DITCHED UPND FOR NO PLAN GOVT,JUST GO BACK TO UPND PARTY OF THE MOMENT PLEASE.DONT WASTE TIME ON PAFIMAFI PARTY IT STINKS WITH DIARRHOEA FROM KABIMBA AND MMEMBE/NCHITO WHEN THEY BONK EACH OTHER KUMATAKO.CHONA IS A BASTARD
I personally commend the stance that Professor Chirwa has taken of NO WORK NO PAY. The Bible says those who will not work shall not eat. Since Zambia is a Christian Nation then the Bible teachings should be followed strictly. Zambia has not developed as much as it should have been in spite of huge sums of money that are released for various projects which in most cases don’t go to proper conclusion because most of the money is used as allowances. IF THERE HAD BEEN TEN PEOPLE OF PROFESSOR CHIRWA’S FOCUS AND STAND, FROM INDEPENDENCE, ZAMBIA WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE DEVELOPED THAN IT IS TODAY. I CALL upon the Zambian community to PROTEST AGAINST THE DISMISSAL OF PROFESSOR CHIRWA FROM LEADING THE ZAMBIA RAILWAYS PROJECT, INSTEAD THE BOARD MUST BE DISSOLVED AND A NEW ONE APPOINTED.VIVA PROF…
That’s the problem with Zambians,please learn to WORK for your money!!
@#21 PanAfricanist it actually shows that you dont have the knowledge, understanding and experience of managing any viable profit making entity. How else would you expect Chirwa to deal with or manage the interest of the Board that is bent on abusing the resources other than him saying “NO”to such nonsense! You cant meet corruption half way. Just because you yourself are one of the terribly corrupt persons does not mean others have lost their moral compass like you!! We still have upright persons of Clive Chirwa’s calibre who can perform without wanting to steal. Remember, Clive has an international reputation to protect and you dont have any – you lost yours long time ago!
People wants to be paid for sitting? My God help them, sata where are you to help chirwa coz what he started will be disturbed by those greedy board members. Chirwa must be protected and be supported by all well meaning zambians so that he accomplishes what he started, he was called from u.k not to come and pay the sitting board members, if anything they should be expelled for demanding a pay for doing nothing.
As Zambians, if it happen so that Chirwa is suspended lest walk to the state house to show solidarity that Mr Chirwa deserves to continue delivering to his promises . the board are not above the law . Mr Sata should put aside it
and constitute a new board of directors, foolish monkeys . we love our country Zambia hence need people like Mr Chirwa.
If this Board proceeds with suspenfing Prof. Chirwa, lets campaign for its dissolution, they are jot progressive, board membership is no full time job, bakateka plz look in this matter!!!
Where is Chona when all this nonsense is going on? He seems to be supporting the corrupt – I hope he is not one of them!
Chirwa is much liked by people than Sata. He gathers comments like no other. crowd pullers in Zambia are:
– Clive Chirwa
– Mbesuma
– Harry Milanzi
– Dora Siliya
– Sata
No wonder we cannot be developed. Board members want to be paid even if they have not worked. Shame to the board of Directors. They are always looking to gain without looking at the interest of the company. ZR is in the bad state and the board want even to steal a little ZR has. Pro. Clive you are right, That is the way to go. I cannot understand some of the behavor of the learned class- board directors.
Let us support Clive
Typical Zambian mentality, they just want to be paid even for doing nothing. Sometimes you do not need the board to have a meeting in order to resolve or make a decision on a straight forward matter. A phone call to the superiors can also do. However, the mentality of some of these board members is very pathetic, every simple issue, they want to hold a meeting and sometimes even propose technical committees which do not even bring out anything new but just allowances for them. No wonder these state owned companies do not perform as expected. Dr. Chirwa please stand your ground, hope the appointing authority will give you the support you need.
Ba lefwaya ukulya shamahala.. u chaps (board members) dont think that prof. Chirlwa went to school for nothing.
That’s UNIP work ethic; to be paid for doing nothing. Fire the Board. Allow the good professor to carry on with the mammoth task he has been mandated with. Lest we become a laughing-stock!
@ PanAfricanist. This is not about stakeholder management. We the Zambian people are the majority stakeholders and have the most power and influence of all stakeholders. Good that Prof. Chirwa is communicating to us things that we would never have known during the MMD days. This is one of the legacies that MMD left behind. That of getting allowances even when the Board has not sat. Add to this the numerous off-site workshops, some lasting weeks on end and you will understand why development in Zed has been so slow. Well done Chirwa!
thats how pf works?payment before work.even their god in state house started building his retirement house before workin and before for his predicesors. .
This is not on.
As an Executive Director, Chirwa reports to the board. It is therefore insubordinate of him to assess the performance of the Board and broadcast to the nation. And for this , he should be disciplined. You can not have order in an organization when the ceo is fighting the board because the ceo executes policies laid out by the board.
Fire the guy .
I am suspicious of the veracity of this story. We should be aware of the dangers of a single story. Is this there all this to the story? I am simply not persuaded. It may be that Chirwa has failed for other considerations and he has pre-emptied the board’s imminent decision by falsely claiming that they are after unjustified allowances in order to discredit the board or some of its members and to win public sympathy ahead of his possible suspension. There is a possibility that it is actually Chirwa himself who deliberately came up with this story and fed it to the media in order to scandalize or disgrace the board and achieve ignoble objectives. His willingness to freely and publicly discuss confidential board matters and differences in the media is not only unusual but also reinforces…
There is a possibility that it is actually Chirwa himself who deliberately came up with this story and fed it to the media in order to scandalize or disgrace the board and achieve ignoble objectives. His willingness to freely and publicly discuss confidential board matters and differences in the media is not only unusual but also reinforces this possibility. Let us wait for more details… Chirwa made a lot of noise about what he is capable of doing within 3 years and I won’t be surprised to learn that he has found the harsh reality of practical management very different from his theoretical dreams and prescriptions.
To be frank, I don’t think there’s any other visionary who can restore Zambia Railways than Chirwa. Remove Chirwa and it will be yours to mourn as far as the railway system is concerned. Mark my words.
Who says prof. has joined pf? As far as i know he has not resigned from his party, he is just like those opp. Mp’s Sata has appointed to govt.
I did wish Prof Chirwa good luck when he was appointed. I said at the time that he would need luck in large doses to keep his new job. I still hope that he does not come to regret ever giving up his professorial chair at Bolton University. Good luck professor, you are dealing with people who are not interested in all those lofty ideas of improving the railways. They are just interested in perks and supply contracts for their friends and relatives. I am not sure the board would have the courage to fire someone who was appointed by the president unless they have the president’s blessing. The professor might yet get a nasty shock tomorrow Monday.
i think that the board appointment must be by advert – calling willing professionals to volunteer on pro-bono basis until the thing turns around. Expect 1st allowance after 5 years depending on performance!!!
The bottom line: Prof.Chirwa must continue with the duty given to him. Anybody on the Board playing the scavenger ought to be shown the door-immediately.
For a change, there is finally sanity coming back to Zambia. Good job Prof. You are a professional indeed.
Good sir
Fired before he even starts digging for the underground rail ‘pipe dream’, only in Africa. Kuti waseka but this is not so funny, iye!
Who-are these boardfimifimo, it really is immoral to pay pipo for merely siting on their blessed assurances doing nothing. Please name them. Twachula sana kuli ABA bakandile. Awe mwandi ni shackled continent. My father pls fire them.
The scenario is not surprising, it’s typically Zambian for people to try and make quick and easy money and it is one headache that Pro Chirwa will have tackle head-on. There are some who have even built houses out of ill-gotten allowances.
If you have worked here in the UK for a long time and you return to work in Zambia it will not take long before you notice the difference in the work culture and discipline. Pro Chirwa needs all the support and encouragement to put his foot down and maintain total discipline.
Editor,kindly give us a list of Zambia Railways Board members.
may be Dr chirwa does not understand the role of the board that it is different from his role. you cant say the board does nothing when they meet to analyse issues to that effect . do they demand for allowances from their homes. chirwa must understand how zambia operates he has been away for too long.study the dynamics
The board fimo fimo re Mmeembe,Nchito,mahthani,kabimba Aids man ,judge Ngoma ,George Chella,Masebo ule,Chona so Chirwa stand no chance as Ci sata is on Auto pilot,remote controlled
You foolish board members u are are crazy,were is the ,money going to come from to pay you asses work first and get paid later
The board is made up of the following selfish *****s:
1. Mark Chona – chairperson
2. Oliver Saasa – Vice chairperson
3. Muyenga Antanga – Communications and Transport Permanent Secretary (wants contracts)
4. Stephen Mwansa – Commerce and Trade counterpart Permanent Secretary
5. Pamela Chibonga – Finance Permanent Secretary in-charge of Budget
6. Musa Mwenye – Solicitor General (wants contracts)
7. Zindaba Soko – Road Transport and Safety Agency director (wants contracts)
8. Joram Mwansa – a consultant (wants contracts)
9. Irene Zeko Mbewe – a lawyer
10. Geoffrey Mulenga – a mechanical engineer (wants contracts)
11. Richard Chipanama – a former ZRL employee.
Prof Chirwa ni Nshimbi and he is a qualified Professional.Whites didn’t fire him but used him and they have progressed.Now you dual Zambian Chona you want to fire a person who is trying to save the Nation professionally. Mr President can you fire Chona for us Immediately.
How can the board do nothing? That’s unprofessional Dr Chirwa? leaking confidential information to the media is being a rat,why snitch on your fellow professionals? Are you the only one working?
Bloggers let us be level headed on this one and consider the following;
1. Boards are created to act as checks and balances for the management. in short they receive reports from Management and give policy directions and in the end they receive sitting allowances for these board meetings. This is apolicy in all the boards. Ask former father frank bwalya at Zesco and he will tell you the same
2. It is not true that the board members were asking to be paid for doing nothing. No level headed board member will do that. All they were asking for was sitting allowances for the prevous meetings. To say that they have to work before they are paid, what other work do board members do apart from drinking tea and listening to endless reports without any clue of what is happening. some members are…
Although I support Clive on his stance I feel he has no choice BUT to sign them off as they are just pay-cheque professionals no passion for the industry or moving forward, to them this is Chriwa’s dream not theirs.
This is what you get with Zambian based professionals; they don’t see the bigger picture its no surprise we don’t have billionaires or global Zambian owned companies in Zambia as they want to own luxuries from the on set. What we have in Zambia is that we have too many educated f*ols, they are probably salivating over that $120m handed to ZRL which when you look at it is a drop in the ocean. The president will turn around and say “well I told you that when you hand over to technocrats this is what you get this is why I chose Willy Nsanda at RDA”.
@London eye. It’s not just work culture and discipline- its quite a range of things -social, attitudes, behaviour- you name it, just shameful, most of it, I’m afraid.
The appointing authority is indirectly using the board members
The board nonsense must be stopped in Zambia. This is how money is shared by these thieves for doing nothing. They dont work but always wanting to reap where they did not sow. Chirwa dont give them the money they are asking for till they work for it.
Peace and Prosperity to Mother Zambia.
I knew that would happen very soon. Prof Chirwa is professional and knows that you can not pay allowances which are not supported by productivity.
Unfortunately, this is the culture in Zambia, that as soon as you join an organisation you are entitled to a salary and allowances without matching the costs to productivity or indeed profit levels.
The situation is worse in the Zambia civil service and parastatals,hence we have characters like Mark Chona and Dr George Chabwera who think that, they are entitled to serve on as many boards as possible to earn money.
Unfortunately, this culture seems to be encouraged by the PF government and indeed the previous MMD government that appointed cadres to serve a number of boards where they just register their names and collect allowances.
This is the selfsame situation you have at ZESCO a greedy bloated board and a submissive CEO happy to call board meetings every week just to keep them on his side to justify his hefty salary and his allowances. If you appointed a Clive Chriwa character passionate for the company at ZESCO and load shedding would have been history by now. Wake up people!!
I told you guys, Chirwa is very naïve. He thought he can run the company in a professional way when there are all those PF wolves who are in the board to milk money? Really?
Does Chirwa even understand why PF nationalised ZR? Iwe ka Chirwa, ZR is receiving all that money from government to be channelled to PF cadres just like ZESCO does, you stand on their way you loose you job. That job needs someone who understands the corruption channels and is complicity enough. Bad for the taxpayer as it sounds but that was the plan behind nationalising…..
From what I know and heard of Mark Chuunyu Chona, I don’t think he can suspend an executive over refusal of paying sitting allowances. I doubt it. He’s a shrewd individual who’s run a diverse range of complex institutions over probably 40 years. The ready admission and revelation by Clive of this problem may mean he’s the one who’s leaked it for a preemptive purpose. Chirwa has political ambitions,and this order may be coming from the god father himself. He’s probably failed to toe the line and is being seen in wrong company. Read my lips, u aint seen nothing yet.
ZRA has $120 million tax payer money (Borrowed from the bond) and the PF wolves will want to strike now before Chirwa destroys their party.
Zambia shall never develop.believe me.we should be ashmed of ourselves.other countries are developing.us its first money.
YOU BA IFCHI KALA@ PF MUTALE,@PANAFRICANIST & @COMPLEXITY YOU ARE VERY STU PID BECOZ THIS IS A NATIONAL ISSUE AND NOT A POLITICAL ONE.LEARN TO DEBATE FACTS NOT OWAYS POLITICS.WAT HAS PF GOT TO DO WITH THIS WORK CULTURE?MWABA AMA TOLE BA IFCHI KALA WE ZAMBIANS WENT TO MOVE FORWARD BUT WIT HEADS LIKE YOURS AND CHI KALA CHONA,WE RE DOOM.BROVO CHIRWA,I VE ALREADY INFORMED THE PRESIDENT(BA SHIKULU) ABOT IT.CAREFUL YOU BOARD OF IDOTS AND YOUR CARDES.
Thanks daudi isabi. Looking at the composition of the ZRL Board, I would contend that it is or should be part of some of the Board members roles in their current posts. 5 of them to be precise. Really the only expenses ZR should be paying for is their accommodation and food if the meeting is out of Lusaka. The other 6 may have a case as long as they have not been having unnecessary board meetings (as is the norm). I bet you these chaps in GRZ are probably even claiming other expenses relating to the same meetings from government.
Who took Mark Chona to Zambia Railways kanshi? You mean there are no other zambians to take up such responsibilities, God we are tired of old such characters. HEMCS please get rid of such persons.
It is not just in Zambia, it is standard practice in most parts of the world to pay board members allowances every time they sit. Board members sometimes have to travel long distances, stay in hotels, eat, etc, in order to attend board meetings. It is unreasonable to expect them to attend meetings at their own expense. It is not clear what the MD means by “paid for doing nothing”. Has the board been sitting, but their discussions deemed unproductive or have they not ever met at all? It would be toxic if the MD wants to grade the quality of board meetings to determine whether or not to pay allowances. If ZR wanted a volunteer board, they should have let these people know right at the out set so they could accept or decline to serve depending on their situation and/or their…
Nikubeka waka. Am watching and amazed. People wanting allowances for wearing a suit.
Some of us would work in Zambia for free or on condition that project is profitable or share of equity but one thing I detest is the work ethic and the mindset on local professionals; these greedy people will back stab and destroy Clive and will derail him then distance themselves.
Same people this Chona has been around for a long time .Bushe in Zambia there are no capable people who can do this job.Same old people -WHY
This is Zambian mentality reaping before sowing. MMD culture of thieving must be up rooted in our country. These kandiles in the name of Chona have been reaping our country for ages at the expense of the people. Mr Sata please fire them and give Poff Chirwa people of his progressive work culture probably those with his exposure to the western world. We are in a hurry for infra structure development in Zambia and we should not allow selfish boards like Chona’s to derail things
@ Greyoldman. No one is disputing the fact that board members whose job description does not include roles like this should be paid allowances. The issue here is trying to solicit allowances based on the fact that you sit on the ZR board. I do not see any reason why ZR should incur hotel bills at Elephant Heads hotel (if its still called that) for Musa Mwenye who lives in Lusaka and has been driven by a GRZ driver. Unless he is staying overnight. If anything ZR should provide lunch, tea, coffee and biscuits for them and refund travel expenses (based on mileage) plus an allowance for non GRZ members. I wouldn’t be surprised the amount is $1000 per sitting hence the problems.
Mamamamamama, kaili Mark Chona heard that part of the Euro-bond was given to Zambia Railways, elo aimya namatwi like a dog that has seen kakalulu. Ati seleni tulyeko! Now, these board members, who do they think they are? My friend Kilometre Sampa, can you quickly freeze the bond subvention you gave ZRL?
While the information provided is insufficient for any reasonably intelligent person to draw conclusions, it should be noted here that boards have specific performance expectations. If indeed they are squabbling over allowances and issuance of contracts, board members are off base and ought to bring themselves in line with the contractual performance expectations. Board performance goes beyond reading quarterly reports and analyzing strategic concerns arising from operations.
Impossible, the board cannot have authority above the president who appointed professor Chirwa. From the look of things, the board is ignorant of a presidential appointment.
@kachale its you who is ignorant; the board can exercise those powers and MD has no powers to withhold allowances.
You know, prof set himself unrealistic targets.He may have realised that they are un attainable and now has to find a scape goat.Well,the board gives policy direction (on behalf of government) which prof has to follow.Infact for him to say what he has said (if true) is the highest order of indicipline and he should actually be fired.The board represents the owners and prof is just an employee.If the board does nothing and just interested in allowance,then honestly what is doing himself and why should he get a salary?
Chona this is not the task force.Nonsense.
Zambian syndrome of “Kudyelapo” But anyway the board has it coming – It’s a goner!
The nation was made to believe that Professor Chirwa was appointed to head Zambia Railways by President Sata. But we are puzzled to learn that the Railway Board is making decisions that appear to traverse over Presidential appointments.
If the management of financial allowances is the reason why the Railways Board wants to fire Prof. Chirwa, we are yet to know as to what are the PF’s priorities in the Govt-controlled parastatal companies . Are they in the system for development OR to make quick money for their pockets?
However, Prof. Chirwa and Chibamba Kanyama are yet to demonstrate their intellectual capacities in assessing the prevalence of the unstable political weather in Zambia.
Hey guys, let us spare the board. What i know is that Board Members get paid during Board Meetings or Events such as Teambuidling, Strategic Planning etc. So there is no way Board Members can demand for allowances outside the above- mentioned scenarios. May be Chirwa has misplaced loyalties. Infact, a number of CEOs of statutory bodies appointed by the President have divided loyalties i.e. state house and the board. Good corporate governance requires that the Board SHOULD have appointed the CEO, thus making the latter accountable to them but most CEOs are accountable only to STATE HOUSE.
Waiting to see president sata’s reaction on this one, since he is allergic to corruption I hope to see him dissolve this board. Pro Chirwa don’t be intimidated.
This retrogressive . Can they sit and look at the bigger picture . Greediness not healthy for our beloved nation
job well done Prof Chirwa…….!!!!!! somebody needs to rectify the work ethics in zambia.
Zambians are a stupid lot, greed, dull and stinking with corruption and laziness starting from the appointing authority, the director and board members who can not find employment apart from wantingbto draw salaries from a limping company, how do you milk blood from a sick cow, Chona, what sort of a Tonga areyou , leave the Kolwes alone mwibala, shame on you.
I repeat, no going back to the Animal farm of a country.
Ka Mark Chona Nikakhuluku kamunthu aka. He has been eating with so many countries where he has been mascara-ding as a spy who loved me. He is been spying and as informer designate for some country we cannot mention, he misused his powers as the Chairman of Mwanawasa appointed Task force on Corruption, the useful ***** preys on unsuspecting leaders to gain work that he doesn’t even do. Now he hoodwinked the old Sata and gave him the chairmanship of the Board, manje aona ati ndalama sizibwera as it used to be at the Task force on corruption manje ayamba masangalroni ka?? Naimwe baChirwa we told you, but you thought you long list of things that you have done in the academic world, would back you up in the tabulant world of politics? mwacepa sana think again. Ask your brother James Chirwa
Clear incompetence. No Board worth its salt can so early in the day politic in this disgraceful way! Un-patriotic vulture directors should not dare to show their faces in national strategic institutions like ZR, ZESCO,LWSC,
I think there is more than that which meets the eye. I know Mr. Chona he cant stoppe so low as to demand allowances for doing nothing. Prof. don’t be a cry baby face up & own up. we ae watching you. its darkest before dawn, ZR needs to see the light. mwe achirwa you almost their.
Who says the board need to do any thing much more than oversee the work of the managing director? It is the managing director who sets the agenda through proposals that the board with endorse and set direction. Therefore it is the managing director to give the board the necessary work on which to make decisions on. In other words Chirwa is saying he hasn’t done anything since his appointment? The clock is ticking and Lusaka is waiting for an underground station in two and a half years time.
Prof Chirwa is right and i personally support you at least according to the information presented to us by the media. If people are not doing anything they should not be paid but be fired in stead. Mr. President suspend Mark Chona if he continue with such behaviour fire him together with the board. In the west when building a business people in the board dont even get paid till the profits start coming in. But for these guys they want to be paid even before we have a new railway line and trains.
Apart from Chona and Prof Saasa, this board is heavily populated by the “Family Jungle,” it’s not going anywhere as long as Ukwa is still at the helm. If anything, it is Chirwa who is going out of the job. And if indeed he renounced his British citizenship, this will be true agony. He’s been taught a hell of a lesson and should now know better dealing with lumpens.
This Mark Chona wants tp be paid for doing nothing, Chirwa knows how people in UK works, you can not be paid for doing thing, please Mr President desolve the Board, people should learn to work hard. period.
I never allowed this to occur. people just sit and ask for allowances in fact calling to fired an innocent citizen who has sacrificed, his job, family, money, it is not acceptable at all. Minister of transport,,, can you do something.
Chirwa is a full dreamer
The labour laws need fixing or revising the problem in zambia, people collect salaries in the name of allowances for sitting on board meetings or attending work shops,while the employer also pays for the hours not worked while the individual was away! THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES WHERE YOU ARE PAID FOR HOURS WORKED. IT IS TIME THE LABOUR MINISTRY CONSIDERED HOURLYRATES, THAT IS THE ONLY SURE WAY OF IMPROVING THE WORK CULTURE. no gaurantied salary youget what you workfor, in which case if board members are putting in hour at zambia railways Chirwa pays them, but they forfeit those hours pay from their regular employer. thats how it goes,
Chona ni crooku maningi!! This is the guy under KK, got large proportions of monies loaned to Zed as Fees to himself!! KK couldn’t fire him becoz the guy had insider info about movements of money!! Very sad that he still seems a power of influence – we have many generations of educated & experienced zambians that can fill these positions – hopefully with the adoption of Dual nationality, we will really see PATRIOTIC Zambians whose hearts bleed for Zambia rather THAN TRY TO SUCKIt of the little it has!!
Thanks alot to you all.Allow your servants to come together and iron out this problem amicably then forge ahead.Let us cultivate the spirit of working towards developing our wonderful country.There should be commitment and sacrifice by those in the corridor of leadership if we are soon able to see that development.Let the youth expect something permanent .Give mwaiche uyu Chirwa the needed chance pls.MayGodbless you all.
Ever worked for the BOMA? Sitting allowances is a PERSONAL POVERTY ALLEVIATION strategy for many. Having worked in Govt, I can with 100 percent certainity say, allowance for Zero WORK PERFORMED is the norm of the day. A whole lot of these Directors and just senior personnel in Govt get even travel allowances to foreign conferences and never make these trips at all. These Boards of Directors filled with people without a clue of what they are supposed to do is just another conduit of further siphoning the already cash strapped companies. Boards are mandated in most developed countries to sit not more than 4 times at a maximum in a year. Prof. Chirwa must be commended for standing up against this vice if indeed that is what he is doing. Appeasing cadres at the expense of devt is bad policy.
We need perfomance based alloances…Viva Chirwa..Chona knows that his BOD is in trouble thats why he has decided to keep quiet.
PROF CHIRWA, YOU MAKE ME PROUD TO BE ZAMBIAN. STAND FIRM MAN. DO NOT MOVE A MM MAN. WE ARE WITH YOU.
we told you..hahahaha
The composition of the board is itself very useless. As a parastatal, Chirwa reports to the PS at Trsansport ministry. It is unheard of therefore to have all those other PS sitting on the board and report to a fellow PS. worse still, the PS transport is reporting to himself. As for Board members not working, this is indicative of the PROF not working himself. He is supposed to take issues to the board for approval. If he is not doing this, then he might be clueless on the gorvanance issues.
EBAUME ABA, WE NEED PIPO LIKE CLIVE CHIRWA IN MOST OF THESE PARASTATALS, BA SHETANI ARE JUST CHEWING MONEY FOR DOING NOTHING AT ALL, ATI BOARD MEMBERS………………………..
Mr President Sir is the one who has caused all these nonsense because he is waking up sleeping old cows to work whilst young educated zambians are not doing anything so Chona and the group wants to reap because they did not steal in Kaunda’s regime and now they have learnt that zambian’s mordern politics is to steal, guys let us protest so that this Chona’s board can be disolved as soon as possible, ifikote nensoni eeee!!
I am sure Chona will come up with the word ìncompetence` to cover his tracks of corrupt tendencies thru sitting allowances and awarding lucrative contracts to their cronies and cohorts. Watch this space. But, how do you judge competence under such circumstances. It is too early to assume that route and mgt should be give enough time upon which they can then be judged. I hope we are also not facing political manipulations in a parastatal that is in dire straits and needs urgent attention.
Prof.Chirwa be careful with your deputy, it seeems that board is working with him to bring you down. If you will be spared drop him.
For the board wot message are you sending to our own in the diaspora and the entire world?
There is need to start appointing board members who are fresh with fresh ideas and not those who have a track record of failure and have been recycled many many times. Clive stand your grounds you have an internation reputation to protect..
For a select few strategic entities we must have an interim of about two years where the Managing Director also doubles as Chairman of the Board. That way we can have some sanity. Yes, it will make the guy excessively powerful but we can also make the oversight over the company equally robust upstream. ZR, ZESCO and the Water Utilities need this sort of arrangement. PLUS by being CEO and Chairman, he saves on the allowance of Chairman by regulating that only when RESOLUTION-based sittings are held…
THIS IS ZAMBIA THE REAL AFRICA
MAJORITY OF THESE BOARD MEMBERS ARE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES. I AM MEAN’T TO BELIEVE THE REASON WHY THE MINISTER APPOINTED GOVERMENT WORKERS ON THIS BOARD WAS TO CUT ON ALLOWANCES. IF ANYTHING NO BOARD MEMBER SHOULD BE ENTITLED FOR ANY ALLOWANCES ON THE ZAMBIA RAILWAYS (ZR) BOARD UNTIL THE COMPANY STARTS MAKING IT’S OWN MONEY.
Mark Chona and his fellow THIEVES should be caged at once. It’s baffling and the reason we need all OLD RUGS OUT!!!!!!!!!
The board that was set up is a big liability to the whole project. How much are they supposed to paid for this job? The president must fire this board – some names on that list has greatly contributed to Zambia’s stagnation and under development.
Chona with yo board members mulimbwa that have made Zambia 2 b what it is-poor of de poorest. Please Mr President disolve dat board of vultures. We shall protest against dem demons of lazyness and plunder of de national resources.Dey are against pf.
It is a direct insult to the President and pf governmet who have given us hope. Mr Kabimba meet the President and let the this demonic board go. SOME OF ZEDIANS MULIFIPUBA FIKULU WHO NID TO B TREATED WITH AN IRON FIST 4 DMENT TO COME.FIRE THEM PLS!
Can Clive Chirwa tell us what he means by ‘they want to be paid for doing nothing’
Is he saying that the board has never sat down to deliberate anything and therefore cant claim allowances? As i know it, ALL BOARDS, be it the banks, mines, etc, actually draw allowances whenever they sit. So what is wrong with these people demanding to be paid their allowances for sitting to deliberate issues, including the appointment of the same Chirwa?
Remember the president is building his retirement house even before he has served half his term. It is a PF disease. Prof Chirwa, show these PF guys that you have work for the money. Forget about Chona, he is like Munkombwe. Shame on him.
BOARDS ARE A DERAIN ON COMPANY FINANCES . ZRL IS TRYING TO RE ESTABLISH IT SELF AND PEOPLE WANT TO PAID SUCH HUGE SUMS. SHAME. I GUESS THEY WANT THE $120 . MR PRESIDENT SIR, DISOLVE THE BODY AND LET THE MAN FULFILL HIS DREAMS FOR ALL GOOD LOVING ZAMBIANS. WE SHALL DEMOSTRATE IF U TOUCH THAT MAN.
Is the Euro bond up for grabs how will it be paid?The FM is waiting to see results on his table mind you. When this board is dissolved people like Daniel Mukombwe will be eager to get such Jobs coz he lost some 17 tractors on his farms this can be an added opportunity for his aspirations.loI
Chirwa is not doing the right thing. Without the board Chirwa will still all the money in no time and go back abroad. I am sorry.
go chirwa go, this guy should be the next president, africans in general are lazy, thats is the only reason africa has not developed nothing to do with greedy politicians, it’s because of a gready, lazy society. today wine from australia is highly regarded in the world, hash environment but families worked hard to change the landscape and make money from it, if it was africans the’ll be dying of hunger, poverty etc because of tha lazy nature. don’t pay them if anything fire them, there are young people who would like to see your dream come true
what allowances are the Board claiming, they are only entitled to sitting allowance, each time the sitt to make decision nothing more nothing less period, thts the goverment regulation. VIVA PRO CHIRWA.
Chona is frustrated he waited to be appointed as Ambassador in Wahsington but to his shock Sata’s younger Sebele with no experience was appointed so he has to find another way of making money but the amount requested is unbelievable now I understand why almost all Parastatals fail to make it on a competitive market. Corruption starts with Sata himself and am in shock that he can even take RB to court when he is no better, they are both the same. I am yet to find a serving Zambian, Munkombwe may have made a stupid statement but he is RIGHT all are there for their bellies and nepotism is overflowing.
That’s why parastatals are not the answer. They have failed every where including UK . Hence thatcher got rid of them. We should in the same vein break up ZESCO and privatise the units for the supply of power to normalise . As for mr chona. He even failed to run a farm outside broken hill, so how do you expect him to run ZAMBIA railways. He is another Mwanga ,serving in all government
the tragedy of moving from a society where people have morals and values to one where people don’t even have bad ones…
These Board members, especially the retired civil servants, are maningi a problem. They think about money all the time. Fake board. Sata fire them so that we have sanity in that company.