(centre) poses for a photograph with new Zambia Railways board members
at his office in Lusaka
Hjoe Moono
Yesterday Transport and Communications Minister, whom the President recently designated as ‘Chipuba’ unveiled the new Zambia Railways (ZRL) Board to the nation. After the Clive Chirwa drama and the immediate past board which comprised of highly learned and accomplished Zambians, one would have hoped that the new board would be better, and headed by a more innovative individual noting the huge amounts of money being channelled there from the euro-bond.
However, the new Chairman of the board, a Mr. Davis Chama was until a while ago PF Provincial Chairperson and was running media battles as recent as last year with Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba. Simply put, the ZRL board is headed by a cadre, whose experience overseeing national parastatals like ZRL is unknown. His experience, however, is that of organising PF campaign materials and party regalia—this is what party cadres do. We are set to see what this experience will bring to ZRL.
But appointing a man without any known accomplishments beyond party bickering to head such an institution makes one question what goes in the head of the appointing authority. Furthermore, one would heavily question the calibre and of thinking of his economic advisors and government ministers under which a parastatals like ZRL falls. This appointment can only make sense in the following situations:
(1) That the man appointed to chair ZRL is brilliant and innovative, and his time at the head of PF’s Lusaka Province had radically signalled his corporate governance skills that the president marvelled at his leadership and saw it fit to appoint him chairman of the board to help commandeer ZRL into a viable institution.
(2) That a bomb had struck Zambia and killed off most of its educated people, thus the need to move cadres across professions owing to the few number of educated Zambians;
(3) That parastatals like ZRL are not important players in the development process, even when millions are US Dollars from the euro bond are pumped into it, and as such, can be used as “holding rooms,” for PF cadres and politicians as well as reward those ‘loyal’ to the party.
Loyalty to the party is what the newly appointed head of the board had been preaching. And he must have distinguished himself as the most loyal among his peers to deserve such an appointment.
But beyond loyalty, the man now heading the ZRL board was neither brilliant nor imaginative—there is no paper trail of such–and his time at the head of PF’s provincial leadership has nothing in common with strict and value for money governance with a large corporation like ZRL. If the media fights he had with Hon. Wynter Kabimba are anything to go by, as a matter of fact, it would be difficult to imagine his performance in Parliament, if he ever won an election, its intellectual and moral standards notwithstanding—with the likes of convicted felons still roaming around our noble August House.
It seems that we are in the era of the highest order of the ‘Spoils System of Governance’—-To the victor go the spoils—and the ‘spoils’ of the Eurobond are now being harvested by cadres such as the newly appointed ZRL board chairperson. Beyond rewarding ‘loyal members’ of the party and those that supported and ensured that the president won the elections, there is nothing more to this appointment.
There is absolutely no value addition to ZRL in having a cadre head its board. We have seen this before when Fr. Frank Bwalya, a man that had worked so hard to ensure the PF’s victory in 2011, was rewarded with the Chairmanship of ZESCO. Clearly we saw nothing new to the operations of ZESCO beyond a confirmation of the ‘Spoils system of governance’ that was befalling our nation.
To manage government bureaucracies and head parastatals like ZRL well takes a combination of many qualities, talents and skills: program or technical expertise; organizational know-how; years of on-the-job experience; management and people skills; the wisdom of maturity; a high comfort level with relative anonymity; a willingness to subordinate private ambitions to the greater good of one’s public clients or programs; and, perhaps most significant, a long-term view with an abiding concern for the future of the organization one leads.
Most political appointees fall far short of possessing the requisite management skills. They have little interest in management and governance, and thus seldom even consider that as their proper role. They have a high turnover rate and few stick around long enough to acquire the requisite skills even when they are sufficiently talented and motivated to do so. They have no long-term commitment to the organizations they head—as the case of Fr. Frank Bwalya leaving the head of ZESCO board and forming his own party.
One would ask, was his chairmanship at ZESCO ever in the interest of Zambians or just a base on which he would launch his political career? And with that experience, how do you bring a cadre of the calibre as the newly appointed to head ZRL when history is still fresh with clear examples?
While all these serial and non-ending appointments are happening, Zambia is slowly becoming crowded with highly trained and motivated young unemployed or underemployed people that are eager to take on the mantle of corporate leadership. These are the people who end up working for cutting-edge companies and institutions abroad, helping to transform the lives of Americans, Europeans or South Africans, and, yet, the parastatals that were designed among others to play important roles in the development process in their productive, distributive, marketing or other capacities are the reserve of cadres with suspect governance experience. But then, what do we see? The sharing of Spoils type of governance, demotivating the youths of our nation, the very people that made possible the PF’s rise to power.
So then the question becomes: why would a government that intends to uplift the standard of living of its citizens insist on an action that so blatantly undermines that intention?
The only inference that can be drawn is that the number one priority of those making the appointment was not really uplifting people, but consolidating political support. As such, the criteria for the appointment were not brilliance, imagination, passion or commitment to changing lives of the poor, but uncritical loyalty to the appointing authority. The case of singing praises about how popular the party is; how 2016 twalageta nafuchi nafuchi is the only requisite for appointment. All this, at the expense of the country’s development.
History is there to teach and remind us of the dangers of having cadres head parastatals. We all saw from the Kaunda regime the ultimate dangers of having person worshippers taking on the role of merit managers. There is need for independent value for money accountability with the management of ZRL. The millions of dollars spent on revamping ZRL can not only end with political accountability of cadres to their masters, but to the Zambians who will have to pay back the debt.
Here in lies the need for a new constitution that would change that culture and reinstate meritocracy in which criteria for appointment to government positions would be informed by values and attributes such as passion, dedication, innovative and integrity, the overriding consideration being making a difference in the lives of Zambians, and not buying political loyalty and creating channels for plunder. But alas! As the law stands, the President enjoy sweeping powers over the appointment of boards and directors of State-owned firms, inviting intense political lobbying for the jobs.
As a politician, the new appointee contributed nothing to the struggle for democracy beyond political bickering in the PF, did nothing to change the political culture of violence, and contributed no useful ideas on development and social justice to warrant such an important appointment. Indeed, in comparison to the previous head of the ZRL board, he can be compared to David Moyes taking over coach-ship of Manchester United over Alex Ferguson: Pure Failure.
Hjoe Moono take your cadre journalism somewhere else.
What is s definition of a cadre?
You are assuming a cadre is an educated, go anytime person?
It is an insult to well known cadres such as Wanzelu, to ridicule them like that.
Them managing Zambian Railways does nothing but enhance it, so this should not be news really.
What sort of a name is Hjoe ?
Thanks
People, cadres have been deployed to do what professionals failed to do- fintu nibwangu- to loot the eurobond. It is not rocket science. Plus in 2 years time, there is an election, and alot of money is required for the PF to win and maintain power.
It may also mean Ryan Giggs taking over at Man united or Patrice Beumelle at Chipolopolo. Sometimes you give chance to young to prove themselves. You have sometimes complained that abakote have got every opportunity pa Zed. However, in saying this I do not condone appointments through patronage. Nga efyo ili ninshi bupuba pa Zed! I hope he has what it takes other than some vested interest from the powers that be to siphon some blood from that bleeding entity, ZRL.
What kind of comparison is that. Giggs has been in football all his life. This guy has no experience in that industry nor holding a similarly high position in a different industry. His appointment is as good as Ester Phiri being appointed as Chipolopolo Manager.
This is a good article that should stimulate an intellectual debate. We lose sight of the bigger picture if our minds are programmed to see constructive criticism as an attack on a government or political party in particular.
This appointment poses a conflict of interest; please the president or do what’s right for the development of ZRL and the transport system at large. Sad that at the moment in our country there is a difference between doing what’s right and pleasing the head of state.
How can you have intellectual debate when average IQ of PF “intelligentsia” hardly reach 80?
Hjoe, you are too judgmental sometimes. I cant believe with all the intellectual capabilities you have you can just simply dismiss someone as a cadre and because they are a cadre they are not capable of managing something. I know you my man, you are better than this.
Kindly engage your brains, we need young, savey and intellectuals like you to build our country. This piece of writing is shameful to say the least. Give people a chance to prove themselves…and so doing carry out your analysis in a balanced way.
I think the author actually does seem to bring out issues with quite a strong intellectual base. While we are all not in agreement with his views that he gladly shares, he represents the much needed checks that many of us are not willing to voice out. Not making judgements on matters that clearly need a position to be taken is the typical cadre mentality he talks about where we always just sing praises even when things are wrong.
Zambians voted in masses for Sata in 2011 and gave him a chance. Now in 2014 whats has he proved?
Hjoe Moono, investigate and find out what qualifications each and every board member has. Then maybe you can silence some of your critics.
Give him a chance. You might not have know him and thin he is mere carder. Mr. Davis Chama not street carder. To the contrary, your first
1) That the man appointed to chair ZRL is brilliant and innovative, and his time at the head of PF’s Lusaka Province had radically signalled his corporate governance skills that the president marvelled at his leadership and saw it fit to appoint him chairman of the board to help commandeer ZRL into a viable institution. The rest of the staff you wrote is trash. Davis is a successful business man, qualified in corporate governance. Give him and the Board a chance. As a driver, am sure he will peddle the ship. In the end he will a pride to fellow young men. Abakulu ba mwefu teti bafilwe iyo I bet
It is a shame that the name of one of greatest generals has been associated with member of PF “intelligentsia”.
I am sure its you who is talking trash because you should give attributes of Davies. Honestly no issues against my brother but being a public institution, people need to know who is heading it. You should tell the people what he achieved as a provincial chairman of PF and any other portfolios the man has held and the contributions and achievements he made. That is what the concern is all about.
Correct me if iam wrong but apart from Prof Simukanga i see no Enginneer among the Board Members.Board decisions are made by majority vote.I cant imagine the circus we are about to see.
One of the ladies is an engineer. Even Prof Simukanga himself is a metallurgist. We need civil engineers and mechanical engineers who understand the rails system better. I don’t wouldn’t give a thumbs up to this article nor give it a thumbs down. What I would have expected fromt he author was for him to give us a background of Davies Mwila. I am sure Davies has had a life before being PF Lsk province chairperson. The author should have atleast investigated about his education background, his previous experience before joining PF. Otherwise, it is hard to take this article as being neutral. One would be tempted to think that, the article is an attacked at Davies without giving his CV apart from being a PF member.
Bravo Hjoe Moono, this well put!
The problem we have in Zambia is that people don’t understand constructive criticism. There is nothing more dangerous than blind cadre loyalty and there are a lot of such cadres here on LT judging from the comments they post. We have to learn to correct a wrong without fear or favour. Doomed is a nation that’s led by stubborn arrogant people with no vision, who never admit when they are wrong.
What relevant experience does he have? What are Chama’s educational credentials?
I have no doubt running a fleet of buses must be hard work, but how does it compare to ZRL, an integral institution right at the heart of Zambia’s development?
Wait a minute! The failure of the old board was largely political in nature. To deal with leadership deficits, then it is alright to hire a political leader. I have no problem with AG and VC providing their expertise to the board.
Dr. think before you make “learned” comment. Mere presence of AG and his engineering expertise is equal to the Hon. Kabimba fundamental rights expertise.
I have personally seen positive change at ZR.Give it a blind eye if you want.
I thought Marks Mushili was a convict and what is a convict doing on ZRL board?
Do you really have to ask that question?
Helping steal his share of the Eurobond that we poor Zambians will have to repay!
Lets talk about the earth moving machines which have not been supplied in seven councils controlled by UPND who claim to be educated.The MPs involved should be brought to book.
and improve it.So what?
142 what expertise does Kabimba have, he have never been elected, never won a case, now he is holding us hostage by keeping our constitution in his office, When it comes to corruption kabimba’s name was the first to be called out, now coming to ZRL there is to much politics with ZRL this explains why cadres were appointed, we have to hope hard for them to even do anything with their zero background as it relates to ZRL, this is recipe for disaster and stealing of that euro-bond.
We have seen too many educated thieves, let the uneducated Chama lead. There was once Mr Fred Chiluba who insulted KK that he was uneducated , but when you compare what these two left after leaving Office, only the author of this article will not differenciate. Certain People do not have proper education but have brains on how to run businesses , eg , GBM and many others!
Continue with the good work Mr Hjoe Moono, great analysis.
It is now clear that those who talked so much against the re-incarnation of INDECO expressed correct fears. The behemoth would once more be plagued with caderism, tribalism, incompetence and grand thefts. INDECO can never work in this environment, period. What is happening now is a taste of things to come. Already, there are problems of political interference in the manner contracts are being awarded at NCZ. Need one say more?
This article is very skewed and lacks fundamentals of minimum analysis
The lethargic nature of Zambians sometimes makes one wonder whether it’s a collective drug you’re all taking or it’s just an excess endowment of stupidity encapsulated into your genes at the table of creation by god! Simply put, Hjoe Moono’s observation is pointed straight to the problem, it’s consequences and how the new constitution can prevent such catastrophes in making. But alas, this still fails to create traction in the minds of Mushotas of this world. Lipenzi la Zambia lipati pe! Bukuba bu tulile mungomo.
There are big statements on this article that need not be ignored. Spoils system of Governance goes to the victor. Preparing for 2014 so the party will need money, contributions from such big parastatals to the party is not bad at all. The solution to this is the new constitution that would separate party and government. Right now you just have ensure that you work hard and be noticed by the president who wields so much terrifying power. look at when he has put his foot down over the constitution, what have we done. Do anything and you regret it. God help us
You may have a point Hjoe Moono. But look you are talking about a person you do not know. You have just shown your luck of understanding things and I can be right to label you as an intelligent fool . To you a cadre is one associated with politics and is nothing but a political clown. You are mistaken bro. Go to your dictionary, which I think you stole while in grade seven at a community school, and look for the meaning of the word cadre. Unless you have some covert story about Davies which you do not want us to know, keep quiet if you have to preserve your stupid for another entertainment.
I want to challenge you to write the same length of a letter when he performs well as a sign of being mature. It is important to be patient. Yes papers work but it is not an end in itself.
You used to say Sata is not educated. But the one who is not educated has constructed a road which you people have been crying for from 1950s-the bottom road -passing through snooze. Your so called educated cliques have just been taught a learn by real learned twits in UK. Do not fail before you fail. Be supportive. Imagine you were appointed, were you going turn down neshindalama watemwa? Foolish!