President Lungu appoints Richwell Siamunene as Defence minister

1. Even if it national unity that the president is looking for you can’t neglect the people that suffered for Pf party the president must be very careful with his appointments otherwise he is destroying the party why not Miles Sampa or chenda?

   • Wow, Guess these appointments just come. How would a marketer be Head of Defense. what does he know about war / military? does he have any military training? Guys get serious with these appointments. Hope he is fit to jog with solders.

   • Kalulu: Munkombwe can also make a good minister of defence; lol

   • If it is not UPND delusional supporters, it is emotional relatives of the Late president Sata crying foul because the president has appointed a learned MP. So Miles Sampa buying Taxis should allow him to hold a strategic office? No no and no. Please concentrate on the country now having a Defense minister, and he is young not a dinosaur.

   • Typical of wimps and vision less leaders. Lungu appoints weak people in positions of authority as a bargaining chip because he knows that people like Siamunene has no stamina to argue with Lungu or even refuse to carry out Lungu ‘s instructions on principles.

     To Lungu this move serves him alone right. But for the nation, we are at a loss. I am worried that come election period, Lungu is going to command Siamunene to commit atrocities on his behalf and then use it to demonise all the Tongas.

     Siamunene is one poor unprincipled Tonga who would rather sell all colleagues for a few tokens of silver.

     To Siamunene I say, enjoy it while it lasts because very soon you will be thrown into political oblivion and abject poverty like most useless politicians I have seen come and go and end…

   • food processing??,,, te kuki uyu muntu

   • food processing??,,,,, te kuki uyu umuntu?? a kuki MP from UPND

   • Edgar reads too much LT, just because me & Edith Nawakwi don’t call him President, instead we call him Minister of Defense.
     It is alright we find a better title for you scandalous Lungu.

2. Congrats! Too bad that it will be short lived, 2016 the guy has to look for another constituency 🙁

3. Comment:Kambwili camubaba zoona.

4. He is trying a bit of damage control. It won’t work. Lungu has not regretted the actions of chama. He shud have appointed Dora siliya probably Wako Ni wako

   • I don’t expect such a comment from a civilized man in the modern world,don’t be too primitive.

5. Comment:Takwaba bane. Wynter when you form government never should you neglect people you are suffering with this also goes to HH.

6. Really laughable even marketers are now defence ministers!!

   • Educational Qualification: Business Management Certificate

     Marketer : One that sells goods or services in or to a market, especially one that markets a specified commodity.

     Jay Jay Obama is a lawyer and yet is the president of the USA. Know why? He has under studies to help with carrying out of his duties.

     I oppose a lot, but give this young man 7 months of trial before defaming him.

   • This Guy is cook…..kuki in Zambian language, how can he be defence minister???

   • What academic/political qualifications does Mulyokela have? yet u “jay jay” and Wanzelu are his staunch cadres? leave the man alone. koma nganimwebo!!

7. Comment: Congrats hon siamunene for this noble appointments,to the president thanks for considering pipo frm sp,u’ve breakd tribal sentiments,congrats mr presidenr for this one

8. Comment:non startr ba pf thy r pipo who suffrd fr tht pf bt r bein sidelined wait nd see.y not chimbwi chimbwili? he wud av bn a gud defence gambler tiye nazo.

9. OK if the highest qualifications of this fella are just certificates then he is not calibre to be the defence minister of our country. simples. By all means he could be useful in other areas but taking the mantle of the ministry of defence is stretching his capability.

10. RB came frm UNIP & became President(Republican) under MMD.Chagwa Lungu frm UPND is Republican President under PF!All frm Petauke Eastern Province.When we used to say Sata was PF & PF was Sata,some useless cadres like Chishimba Mumbwili used to threaten people over such good observations.He claims to be Presidential material but he can’t even be considered for the third Highest Post in the Nation.Beware Drunken Master has awoken to finish you Sata’s stooges

11. Do you UPND cadres follow politics or do you simply make random statements without thought?
    Do you UPND cadres actually understand how Ministerial appointments are made?

    Am sure you UPND cadres believe that Michael Fallon, UK Secretary of State for Defence is a Soldier.

    You can understand the young UPND cadres because naivety is an inherent part of being young. But for the older generations of UPND cadres, I am not too sure what their excuse is.

    • That is very wise. Please educate them.

    • Spot on! Many similarities here…
      The Quango Explosion: Public Bodies and Ministerial Patronage by Philip Holland and Michael Fallon, 1978, Conservative Political Centre ISBN 0-85070-621-1
      Sovereign Members by Michael Fallon, 1982
      The Rise of the Euroquango by Michael Fallon, 1982, Adam Smith Institute ISBN 0-906517-22-2
      Brighter Schools: Attracting Private Investment into State Schools by Michael Fallon, 1993, Social Market Foundation ISBN 1-874097-15-1

12. I didnt know our MPs are this less educated, no wonder they barely understand a thing about the challenges this country is facing

13. Comment:saywhatwant yr name cn tell tht u r jst a mare cadre who jst rant n hw.appointments shud b on merit nt n how bro.

    • I’ll respond properly when you learn how to construct a proper sentence

14. he looks like a thief him self what is going to do in defance just going to fill his pokets and steal a lot more a marketer sure there is some thing wrong with u r president

15. Comment: Congrats Hon Siamunene for yo noble appointment, to tha president thanks fo considerin this man,atleast u’ve broken the tribal tag label,all tha best

16. certificate is too low a qualification to hold such a position.

    • PHD holders have failed to develop Zambia. Please explain.

17. After Lukuku appeared on Prime Television and revealed the scam why Lungu was Holding on to Defence Ministerial job linking RB and Others, the Appointment of a Defence Minister has Come, then all what Lukuku said during that interview that RB Supported Lungu during the Elections on Condition that, he gets the Ministry of Defence indirectly by Appointing RBs Choice was true. Let ACC investigate the Matter. Coz Lukuku gave them letters of corrupt individuals behind the Scam and Copied to EU, and Some EMBASSIES like American, Germany etc. Then this is a serious matter. It shall be embarrassing if the international Communities acted on what Lukuku said Before our ANTICORUPTION WING. despite being given some TIPS.

18. From the qualifications one can see that the man is not the caliber of Minister. He has been given that job so that ECL can still continue to be in charge pf the Ministry of Defence.

    • You know as the president he is always in charge of all ministries right? Please debate things that you understand.

19. tyou dont put a career soldier as minister of defence. Remember even Fat Albert was once there.Ok Shamunene has humble education so how come intellectual picked him for MP?

20. Can someone on this forum update me on the qualification of the defence ministers since 2011

21. Remember the history of your country where you have come from. When did our GRZ started issuing diploma for the college or grade 12?

22. When did our GRZ started issuing diploma for the colleges or grade 12 ?

23. The fact that he defied retrogressive instructions by his political party (UPND) and agreed to contribute to national development by agreeing to take up an appointment as Deputy Minister shows that he is a courageous son of the land who is equal to any task, including that of Minister of Defence. BRAVO LUNGU!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Amen! At ties people speak for the sake of being heard. He is qualified. Looks humble and is not of the family forests of yesteryear.

    • * At times * hahahahaha

    • Thank very much Zakeyo! The appointment is very Ok because of the good record.

24. This man is better qualified than Fat Albert.

25. How can one serious president appoint a grade 12 in the land of university graduates to the post of defence minister. That’s why the country cannot move forward with such visionless leadership. How do you expect this chap to argue in international conferences with educated people.

26. Can someone tell me the qualifications of defence ministers since 2011

27. SHIRT SHORT TO GBM AND HH RICHWELL IS MORE WORTHY AND POWERFUL THAN THE TWO

    HE ACTUALLY HAS UGRADED HIS QUALIFICATIONS BETTER THAN HH OR GBM

    GET HIS LATEST CV

    ITS ALSO GOOD BALANCE IN CABINET

28. Foreign policy didn’t get a lot of air time in last night’s GOP debate, which often seemed to focus primarily on Donald Trump and the fact that John Kasich’s dad was a mailman. The candidates appeared worryingly ill-prepared to discuss foreign policy issues, with confused and misleading statements, incorrect facts, and a few truly bizarre comments.

    There is a lot of great news coverage – see here or here for examples – highlighting these statements, from Jim Gilmore’s call for the U.S. to create a Middle Eastern NATO, to Ted Cruz’s decision to describe the opinions of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen. Martin Dempsey, as nonsense. At least one candidate conflated Iran with ISIS. The first debate included a baffling discussion of ‘cyberwalls,’ a never-before heard term that seemed…

29. Is this a joke? I thought this guy was an ex military guy with a bachelor’s degree, at the very least. Marketer? Does this mean before his appointment he was pushing a wheelbarrow full of vinkubala?

30. Typical of wimps and vision less leaders. Lungu appoints weak people in positions of authority as a bargaining chip because he knows that people like Siamunene has no stamina to argue with Lungu or even refuse to carry out Lungu ‘s instructions on principles.

    To Lungu this move serves him alone right. But for the nation, we are at a loss. I am worried that come election period, Lungu is going to command Siamunene to commit atrocities on his behalf and then use it to demonise all the Tongas.

    Siamunene is one poor unprincipled Tonga who would rather sell all colleagues for a few tokens of silver.

    To Siamunene I say, enjoy it while it lasts because very soon you will be thrown into political oblivion and abject poverty like most useless politicians I have seen come and go and end…

31. Nzelu
    thanks Nzelu I am not sure if PHD holders have failed to develop Zambia I cannot prove that. But high position require deep policy analysis that need a certain level of education. I am sure the PS is well qualified, now imagine a PS discussing policy issues with a certificate holder to finally make a decision. There is an imbalance. Even in the our work places, certificate holders are not in management position, what about in your organisation?

32. Tongas are being cooled down by what chama said about them

33. Comment:don’t be jelousy guyz.

34. Why not appointing from the likes of Emmanuel Chenda, Wilbur Simuusa, Guy Scott, Lyambai of Mangango, Dora Siliya, Kapiri Mposhi MP, Vubwi MP, Mulobezi MP, Malambo MP etc. Siamunene is going to be the worst minister of defence in the world, the right job for Siamunene is to market and sell magande (Big Frogs) to China and to sell musohya and sibwantu at Mamba coal mine.

35. U want Highly Educated, from which Universities- UNZA & CBU? Yikes!!! You call people from there as educated enough to make sound analysis. U have no idea. This man is much better than many of them..

36. Correction, to be wise you don’t need to have the highest certificate. Worse more, I have seen the most educated fools failing to be effective leaders. Thus, the young man is wise, what else do you want in your defence minister? Bravo ECL.

37. Its only dull people can debate and argue about this appointment. This is just a cover up in this certificate holder being a destitute Richwell. Changwa is in control and its because of insecurity nowonder he decided to pick on this destitute.

38. I do not want to comment on the political merits or demerits of the appointment. Coming to those critisizing his qualifications, I guess you mean that the ex-UNZA and embattled CBU Management are Certificate holders. I guess you have never heard of Bill Gates, and John Major. Read widely!

39. Richwell is a destitute with low education background. Chagwa is in full control just want a cover up in the name of this lost and destitute man. Chagwa knows very well that it will be easy to cobtrol and manipulate this lost man…Anyway you are luck make your last money so that you can also improve your lodge/ motel in livingstone because workers are complaining of not paid.

40. I will not comment on the political merits or demerits of the appointment. However coming to critisizm of his qualifications, are the ex-UNZA and embattled CBU Managers Certificate holders? Further, have you ever heard of Bill Gates of Microsoft and John Major, former U.K. PM? Read Widely!

41. Zambians too good at criticising ,if he appointed me it was going to be why,if it was you it was going to be how? So let it be, the young man’s time has come and can someone tel me what qualification kaunda had when he became presido? its not about degrees obtained through exposing your critalis but wisdom

42. Better a commited and diligent marketeer than a pompous bufoon with multiple diplomatosis .He will work with his civil servants to achieve govt objectives.

43. Avoid mouth condemning about politics, you just join them so that you control things well,
    Our vote must stand for make peace living in our country not about expect your plans,
    I think living in any business is top quality these days in Zambia, than depend in education only,
    Sure top educated people future living depend in getting loan from bank,that’s weakness living
    You same top educated people drops our country economy to be poor these days, because your life depends in loans future living
    ,
    SO PLEASE ZAMBIAN PEOPLE LET’S CONCETRATE IN MAKING MONEY FROM ANY BUSINESS FOR OUR BETTER LIVING FUTURE,

44. Imwe Bantu how can we have ministers with such low educational qualifications? How is this person capable of deep analysis? I am surprised at EL. He is a graduate but he appoints someone like him in such a prominent and sensitive portfolio. How will he work with defense staff who have first and master degrees? What will happen will be frustration all around! If this is the calibre of Ministers we have then we are in trouble. Secondly how does a president appoint a defense minister from the opposition? Mwe bantu! Goodness me. It is worrying!

45. congratulations HH for your absolute stupidity and EL is now outplaying you

46. If the intention is damage control then Edgar Lungu and Rupiah Banda won’t achieve anything now.Lungu should have first apologized to my tribal cousins the Tongas for having been insulted by Davies Chama and Mumbi Phiri; national unity can only come about when Lungu becomes a true statesman.

47. I personally care little about the political party a ministerial candidate comes from, I only care that he be competent. In this day and age, anyone can improve on obscure certificate qualifications as a sign of initiative- the minister appears not to have taken the initiative – I do shudder at this completely flabbergasting decisions – no offense

48. Zambians you like talking,your belief is that politics are all about criticisms but sometimes it is wise to give credit where it is supposed to be ,so if Edgar Lungu had appointed an easterner you could be complaining about tribalism.What do you want??? Any way the bible says in proverbs 26:4 that do not answer a fool according to his folly lest you also be like him.

49. That is a very senior position in the hierarchy of the nation and cabinet, this kinda appointment is very rare and will always come with criticism especially that Siamunene is a UPND member. I hope this appointment is in the best interest of the country and not only to show that he the president has the liberty to appoint. Siamunene is a lucky man and I simply wish him the best in his appointment though it has massive responsibilities. This appointment is definitely not welcome to many PF members and they will feel cheated and betrayed by the president.

50. Comment: leave siamunene alone that his appointment will criticize but it wil not help u .him lungu knows wy he apoint hm

51. Leaders are born and not made. The man has leadership qualities and not qualification. Ministers get instruction from the presido and pass to his Ministry for action. Most of the work is done by the PS. In Politics,qualification is not an issue but to deliver what the people want. There are lots of graduates in his constituency but why was he elected to represent them in parliament (as a law maker). When you have a PHD does not mean you can make a good leader. Traditional Chiefs are leaders with the heart for their subjects, what qualifications do they have? Congrats Hon.

52. Comment:ppresident lungu is now a gay!,but a question stil stand,hw can foriener defend your own contry?

53. HH AND DIPAK PATEL NOW HAVE A MOLE IN THE SYSYTEM. BUT OFCOURSE THEY WILL ISSUE A VERY NEGATIVE STATEMENT.
    BUT IF THEY HAD A MODICUM SENSE OF HUMOUR THEY WOULD SEE IT AS A TRADE-OFF: FORMER PF MINISTER OF DEFENCE GBM JOINED UPND AND NOW A UPND MP HAS BEEN MADE DEFENCE MINISTER.
    PERSONALLY I AM NOT AMUSED.

54. HH AND DIPAK PATEL NOW HAVE A MOLE IN THE SYSYTEM. BUT OFCOURSE THEY WILL ISSUE A VERY NEGATIVE STATEMENT.
    BUT IF THEY HAD A MODICUM SENSE OF HUMOUR THEY WOULD SEE IT AS A TRADE-OFF: FORMER PF MINISTER OF DEFENCE GBM JOINED UPND AND NOW A UPND MP HAS BEEN MADE DEFENCE MINISTER.
    PERSONALLY I AM NOT AMUSED!!

55. This appointment is meant to cool down the tongas for what lungu and chama have damaged. But it won’t work. Siamunene is nchelele bula!

56. I am truly baffled by the appointment. The portfolio is a very senior and sensitive one to be given to an opposition MP.
    The President must know something that ordinary mortals don’t understand.
    Otherwise he will leave to regret it.
    Good luck.

    • Arm Chair Critic – He is Zambian and his allegiance is to Zambia.

57. When Sata died, UPND Members on Parliament who have been given positions in government were seriously involved in a PF internal matter. They actively participated in the succession wrangles of the party and even signed the petition to impeach Guy Scott. Wasn’t this enough evidence that these MPs are de facto PF? Do Richwell Siamunene and his colleagues still partake in UPND party matters? If not, haven’t they ceased being UPND members? Why are their parliamentary seats not declared vacant?

58. Zambians really like arguing and the reasons are not far fetched. For almost 3 decades, we used to have a frog on our ballot papers competing against the former president KK and the Electral Commission of Zambia could not see anything wrong about it. No wonder the opposition always complain about their loopsided double standards. The ECZ still have the same mentality. We had better take them to better schools for refresher courses or better still fire them all! But who can fire them? Only parliament could do it if they had the powers.

59. Comment:iwe siamunene whats goin on with the deffence recruitment,u dnt knw ur job nd yet u call urself a dffence minister,u wil c we r voting u out.

Comments are closed.