Thursday, March 28, 2024

Margaret Mwanakatwe gets the post of Finance Minister in President Lungu’s major cabinet reshuffle

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Finance Minister Margaret Mwanakatwe
Finance Minister Margaret Mwanakatwe

 

President Edgar Lungu has elevated Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Margaret Mwanakatwe to the post of Minister Finance and National Planning taking over from Felix Mutati who has been moved to Works and Supply in the same capacity.

President Lungu has also appointed Patriotic Front (PF) Parliamentary Chief Whip Richard Musukwa as the new Minister of Mines and Minerals Development, taking over from Chrisopher Yaluma who has become Minister of Commerce.

The Head of State has also elevated PF, Deputy Chief Whip Stephen Chungu to the position of Chief Whip while, Mutale Chanda is the new Deputy Chief Whip.

This is according to a statement issued to ZANIS by Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda in Lusaka today.

Mr. Chanda stated that President Lungu has terminated the appointment of Minister of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection Mulenga Kaziya and replaced him with General Education Minister Dennis Waichinga.

He added that Energy Minister David Mabumba has been taken to General Education and Mathews Nkuwa moves to Ministry of Energy.

Other changes Mr. Chanda announced are Dora Siliya who has gone to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services taking over from Mulenga Kampamba who is the new Minister of Livestock and Fisheries replacing Micheal Katambo who has gone to the Ministry of Agriculture.

Mr. Chanda further added that the Head of State has also swapped Copperbelt Minister Bowman Lusambo with his counterpart Lusaka Province Minister Japhen Mwakalombe, while Western Province Minister Nathaniel Mubukwanu has been swapped with North Western Province Minister Richard Kapita.

The Presidential Spokesman clarified that, the changes are with immediate effect.

141 COMMENTS

    • Mwanakatwe is incompetent, she was fired at Barclays Bank Zambia because of the ZEGA/Agriflora sage that lost the bank a lot of money.

      She was then transferred to Ghana where she was also fired for making loses at Barclays Bank-Ghana

      And now this is our finance minister…. the economy will go down, dont say that I never told you. Lungu should have chosen a competent person and not appoint Mwanakatwe just because she is an Easterner.

    • There you go… 6 months ago I said Dora should go to Information and Broadcasting! And I was insulted, the insults are still on record on LT, just search Dora, you will see.

      I mentioned, a degree gives you the right to knock on the door and not to enter.

      My sentiments have been vindicated!

      Looks like ECL is preparing for 2021… this is gear 6. Mark my words again, there is going to be so much development in the country to such an extent that HH will be frowned upon when he gives an alternative.

      I also give HH and the opposition a thumbs up though. What they are saying has actually arm twisted ECL to start acting.

    • @ Mshotah 1.1… I was actually believing everything you were saying about how Mwanakatwe was fired at Barclays and Zambia and Ghana until you said she hails from Eastern Province. At that point I erased everything you said in my mind and called you a FOOOOOOOOLLLLLL!!!!

      Mwanakatwe is from MBALA!

    • What happens if the Constitutional Court upholds the ruling of the high court for the nullification of her Lusaka central seat? Aside from the Margaret is an incompetent alcoholic but Mutati was ill qualified for the job. Rdgar should have fired Mutati and appointed Dr Fundanga for BoZ Governor as Minister of Finance

    • @NSCS… I am not asking you to believe me, Im only telling the truth. Mwanakatwe is her husband’s name, her real sirname is Mhango ……..Margaret Mhango Mwanakatwe

    • These are real major changes indeed.

      Minister of finance is fine, a good change.

      Minister of information, a welcome change, Dora is equal to the task.

      Lusambo bawman comes to the Capital, also a good change. He’s hard working but he should try to be slow to speak.

    • Dora is right for Information. Kampampa ubututu too much. Let her go muku sesa inkoko and milking cows. Moo, Moo, Moo!

    • Zambian Citizen… yes correct. You guys are right. The poor husband is from Mbala? What a loss then eh? lol

      So Mhango statements are all correct? why is she finance minister? lol

    • The big koswe Lungu has rearranged fellow koswes and brought the koswes he can easily command to Finance ministry to steal more money.

      Mwanakatwe is not even supposed to be in cabinet or parliament.

      Lungu is a koswe for sure.

    • Ubomba mwibala alya mwibala….rearranging thieves so that they can steal everything before 2021 elections…KAWALALA in chief Edgar am sure he will give them clear instructions at the swearing in ceremony..” UBOMBA MWIBALA ALYA MWIBALA”….ba Pompwe

    • As I accurately predicted Dora is out of Ministry of Agric, Mutati has been kicked from Finance. Stealing and giving wrong information to the President will always lead you to failure. We now wait for Kaizer and Kampyongo to be giving the boot. To the new Ministers of Agric and Finance be proactive and be practical in your work- do not be like your predecessors who only knew theories and were not interested in the cries of the people!

      To ba Mwisho Katambo we expect a better Maize price for the farmers and to Amai Mwanakatwe we are expecting the govt to not kill Zambians with more taxes (less taxes and more money in your pocket was Sata’s slogan) focus on mines and don’t kill the informal sector which is already struggling. Otherwise congrats!

    • That’s what I mean when I say we run this country … last month we made it clear that reshuffles were necessary and needed to happen in February; we get them today.

      Margaret was always my number 1 choice for Finance … Senior Citizens consoled me with Felix being ECL’s first choice at the time. Margaret is going to do a heck of a job at Finance.

      She’s hand’s on and very practical … Commerce was okay but not fully her real forte and now she’s in her element and I don’t expect anything less than excellence at Finance going forward.

      Also, she is a work horse unlike Felix so we are moving this Enterprise in the right direction. We expect policy matters to take full priority going forward and failure is not an option.

      God speed, Margaret and Felix, we thank you for your service…

    • I now tend to enjoy Mushota’s heavy irony especially when some advice is tied to it! I pity Lungu for not being privileged to lead a party of heavy weights thus he has to make do with light weights with no appreciation to what entails good governance and managing resources for national development! Without personalizing Pilato’s satirical “Khoswe Mumpoto” one only needs to sit comfortably in a lazy man’s chair sipping some thobwa or beverage of choice and savor the lyrics for their truth on the behavior of a rat! Then fast forward make analogues of Zambian governance.

    • Kampamba Mulenga I wish you listened when Kambwili on several times cautioned you that you did not understand the ministry hence talking with whole mouth open yet irrelevant things. You have been demoted and removed from a very senior ministry. Kambwili must be laughing because he knew thr position you were holding was MMD’s because president Lungu acts at the command of his godfather RB. Now its MMD to hold very senior positions while noise makers like Mumbi Phiri are conforted with useless positions. Who can challenge Dora because she has a gimmick to get positions in politics she is sugar mummy.

    • @Mshotah

      You argument was ok and i was following you. But you put me off the moment you started bring in trible remarks. Stop this trible thinking. its 2018 for God seek. Remove insults and trible issues. lets discuss and argue with intelligence..

    • Most Mhango’s, Moyo’s, Chulu’s, Ngulube’s, Gondwe’s I know of are of Malawian origin.

      Margaret may NOT even be a Zambian but a Malawian, just like RB, Mathew Ngulube (Ex CJ) Esau Chulu (ECZ), Michael Gondwe (BoZ) & Lungu himself (who claims he was born in a whites-only Ndola hospital).

      Zambia is heaven for foreigners

    • Margaret Mwanakatwe takes on Barclays in Nigeria
      Posted On : December 1st, 2008 | Updated On : December 1st, 2008

      Margaret Mwanakatwe, Zambian, out-gone Managing Director of Barclays Bank has been tasked by her employer to open a full-fledged outfit of Barclays in Nigeria.

      According to sources, the Associated of Certified Chartered Accountant (ACCA), UK Fellow cum banker who leaves the shores of Ghana on December 1 for her new base in Abuja, Nigeria, will also be in charge of Barclays’ business development activities across West Africa.

      Her immediate assignment is to craft a business strategy that will lead to the formation of a well-structured bank of Barclays in Nigeria.

      This rubbishes assertions that she was being pushed out of her post in Ghana.

      The bank recently…

    • Mwanakatwe is a well know drunkard. She has sometimes failed to make ministerial statements in parliament because of being drunk. Now she is taken to Finance. Mutati is a hardworker and the only sin he could have
      committed is that of not giving PF government money. An easy-going Mwanakatwe may be able to dish out free GRZ money to PF.

    • These appointments are directed by RB.

      We know that RB is ” SERIOUSLY ” Considering to stand on a Joint PF & MMD. He has gotten what he wanted.

      1. Catherin Namugala as Deputy Speaker
      2. Dora Siliya as Information Minister
      3. Margaret Mwanakatwe as Finance Minister
      4. The Post is Dead
      5. Trouble makers in PF have been kicked out such as Kambwili

    • Her seat was nullified, so what picture is our president painting? The case is still in court as is the case the courts are also dragging it because there could be some truth to the nullification. This is the worst government ever seen in Zambian History!

    • You need a person with a three dimension view of the nation at ministry of Finance. This guy keeps making the same mistakes that land him in the same types of problems. As Albert Einstein once said, ” madness is doing the same thing the same way and expecting a different result”. Margaret Mwanakatwe is an accountant I am told and so is Felix Mutati. Accountants are not the right people to run MOF. The best person to be in that position is someone with at least an economics degree. I am not belittling any one here but this is where you will see the difference between a University graduate and someone holding some UK qualification that sounds like car number plate. ACCA is simply not meant for such.

    • @Obatala … Dr. Fundanga is a great choice but last time I talked to him he seemed happy with his private enterprises. This is one great smart Zambian doing a lot behind the scenes.

      I am really proud of Fundanga’s progress past BoZ. He and his wife are actually living their dream right now and as far as I remember, he told me he wants to stay clear off the lime light right now.

      Overall, I second ECL’s appointment of Margaret at Finance … she is going to do a fine job and make us proud. She’s so smart she can actually be the first Female President among the smart people of the Zambian Enterprise … Let’s roll.

  1. NOTHING DOING ( nothing working);THE SAME OF NON PERFORMERS, BUT EXPECTING THINGS TO CHANGE!! I only a benefit of doubt on RICHARD MUSUKWA because as Deputy Minister during Sata’s time HE USED TO SPEAK SENSE ON HOW TO SUPERVISE THE MINES!

    • It is strategic that Mutati has been shunted to the ministry that is responsible for government procurements as there are issues that need cleaning up as procurement of expired drugs, fire tenders, ambulances, fertilizer and much more. Mutati may still pull the strings at his former ministry I take the reshuffles to be cosmetic for critical ministries call for track record performing heavy weights! Well maybe D-Slits sharp mouth is well placed to counter CK’s noting there is already some bad chemistry between the two.

    • Albert Einstein described insanity as “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

      The whole team from Lungu himself are incompetent. Moving them around won’t change a thing.

    • Einstein was right. 2H has done the same thing over and over again expecting to win, but all in vain. Maloza, your man must be insane.

  2. How can you put someone whose case is in Court on a position like that…I seriously do not get this Lazy Lungu, he could have just brought some new but the thing is its too risky when you are corrupt so just recycle old cards.

    • Super well informed!! You are ignorantly admitting that the president has influence on the outcome of the court case and because you are so much of a plonker you think you are proudly putting across a valid point!!

    • @Jay Jay: It’s not that the president will influence the outcome, no. He has legal advisors who are telling him the case won’t go far. From the AG, SG, others like Tutwa, KBF etc will analyse this matter for him. Not everything is about manipulation by PF you twit. Cleaning those white bottoms making you dull, bubblehead????

    • @Zambian Citizen, you mean those ‘advisors’ who keep misleading him at law and he is clueless lawyer himself from Chawama Beer hall University. Those so called advisers once told him it was not illegal for ministers ro continue holding on to their positions even after parliament was dissolved.

      If this lazy Kabwalala, Lisholi Chakolwa was serious, he could have fired his entire useless cabinet and replaced it with new competent people.

    • Do not lie the masses @ Zambian citizen. He is just using his powers to hijack the the decisions of the courts by dragging a clear case which was nullified as Jay Jay puts it. That nullification is very sensitive because it also ties the results of presidential elections.

    • Sorry, I never understood all that “reshuffling”, or recycling of politicians in any country. Are they not all supposed to be experts in their particular field/Ministry?

      Would the Principal of a school simply switch his subject teachers, e.g. from English to Maths, from Biology to Physics etc. etc.?

    • Yaluma in one along with Chitotela and Dora Slit that have featured prominently for an explained deposits in their accounts and remain active in Lungu’s cabinet under this heavy cloud of marked corrupt people. This would have been an opportunity to get them out of the system. But Lungu goes on to endorse corruption. It will be interesting the knuckle bare fights between Chishimba and Dora Slit going forward!! Mutati will get kickbacks at Works and Supply to resuscitate MMD! The PF stalwarts will see this reshuffle with jaundiced eyes!

  3. This is a great move by president Lungu. Mutiti was coming up with nonsense at the ministry of Finance. Plus I think Kambwili andhim are a little too close. Kambwili was busy selling Luanshya Golf Clum land. Some times we should see the good this does for the nation.

  4. Finally Dora has been moved to where she has a background in…but in all honesty this boils again down to Lazy Lungu who messed up appointing these people and costing the nation in Agriculture!!

  5. The Changes at the ministry of Agriculture are great for the nation. Silly is better at information, were she can be talking and shutting Kambwili down.

    • Dora Slit has her work cut out; it will be uphill to entangle confront Chishimba who can be as crude at times! There will be a lot of drama in the political arena. It will be interesting to see how Dora Slit defends the endemic corruption in PF.

  6. If I were her I would have declined this position this administration will be investigated for corruption charges as soon as they lose…she will be sitting on hot red stove when that time comes.

  7. Afyer she has messed up agriculture then she is taken where is is best suited. As for finance, arent there better people in PF who could have been appointed to this strategic ministry?

  8. At least he has fired someone……the one responsible for 70 cholera deaths…..now fire those that are stealing …

  9. Atase!
    Bachakolwa mu ministry of finance!
    A failed banker. A convicted vote cheat who is at the mercy of the court .
    Tiye nayo CHIPANTEPANTE!

  10. What s reshuffle!!! Fill uko tuleya.Mutation will end up like Mulusa__dumped!Lusambo a samba.Mutation control led the finances,now free money yawiila,kabili tubomba mwibala bane,tulelyamo

  11. Finance is serious business for any country and to take a woman who has a chain record of failures is rather disaster. Just what goes on in some peoples minds? Just wondering.
    Disaster!

  12. Margaret is the second woman Finance Minister in Zambia.I would say congratulations. She has the background to manage this, being the first woman ceo of a major international corporation. It’s a big challenge. Wishing her the best in her new endeavour.

  13. Too little too late. With known presidential ambitions, Mutati is the big loser.He was a political risk to ECL at Finance where he was enjoying the very bright and positive limelight which obviously ECL did not like.At Works and Supply he will nothing to talk about as everything interesting at this Ministry has gone to Infrastructure Development under billionare Chitotela.

  14. I don’t know why he hasn’t reshuffled Vincent Mwale. Margaret always looks as if she just had several tots of jemasoni. Just because she worked at Barclays doesn’t mean she can do it at finance. She caused so much pain to smaller depositors when she abnormally adjusted minimum balances, closed some branches and unilaterally transferred some accounts. Very bad legacy

  15. HH and UPND, You can also do your reshurffles maybe you can solve your perennial problem of losing elections. First do a convention.

    Every system needs timely fine tuning. ECL is not scared like HH and UPND to do a systems check and correct problems. This the attitude of a winner!!!!

  16. While I have nothing against Margaret, she just does not inspire confidence. While her cv might look good on paper, especially the different stints she held in Barclays, her trajectory even then seemed to indicate all was not right. Like she was being moved around to hopefully find a spot that worked for her…until eventually she just had to quit the corporate world.

    Re Bowman, I knew there was something to be said about him making donations in Munali….he was preparing for his move to Lusaka. Believe it or not (and I say this not with pride or encouragement), this guy has his eyes set on state house…and unfortunetly it is characters like him who appeal to the masses and just win end up winning the big prize!!

  17. @ Obatala. Think of other people. We cannot recycle Fundanga again after being in Government since 1986 as a PS at Ministry of Finance. Felix was good at his job. Actually according to Zambia Institute of Policy Analysis and Research, we don’t need the IMF bailout as it will only through us further into debt. We have managed to come out of the worst economic crisis on our own. Let’s pray for Margaret.

  18. Confirms where we are as a people, DIVIDED. Lets have a breath of fresh air, propelling our country forward in terms of development. Development owned by the people – The Kavuluvulu effect! By the way, did you know that that Kankungwe when it lands in the ocean the right conditions permitting, develops into typhoons that devastate different continents especially the Americas? If only 2m Zambians contribute K5000, the group would have immediately at their disposal 2, 000, 000 x K5000 = K10, 000, 000, 000. I am sure with such resources, the group can purchase the remnant of maize after FRA purchases. It is within the power of the group to even buy from the farmer a win-win floor price.

  19. Mwanakatwe as Finance minister is a big mistake by our ECL!!
    But firing dull Lloyd Mulenga Kazhiya is a very good move.the nigga is not educated!!as for Felix Mutati,his days in PF could be numbered hence taking him to works & supply where there is almost nothing to do because all huge projects are under Chitotela’s ministry!!ECL’s real men and women(ministers) are;
    Kampyongo,Chitotela,Lusambo,Kabashi,Vincent Mwale,Kampamba Mulenga,Mwanakatwe,Dora Siliya and Sumaili!!
    All in all,its a good move by the president!!keep it up Sir because Zambians want good results from your cabinet and urgently so!!

    • Yes Maggie was “well connected” at Commerce Ministry that ZDC was inundated with investment requests from investors….really laughable…you dumb bells never cease to amaze me..you think Minister of Finance is a treasurer for your local Lions club!!

  20. As though you would ever appreciate anything the president will ever do! Not when the tribal disease you all suffer with as UPND is in your hearts and heads!

    • you are just mad to the core. can we not appreciate better decisions if at all lungu has not pludged us in too much pain and suffering?

  21. Zuma is riding off into the sunset like Lone Ranger and Tonto. Lungu learn a lesson from South Africa. Corruption is bad. The end has no dignity! Zuma will end in jail with his Gupta friends. One of the Guptas is now in custody! Power is really a bItch.

    • This is why we shouldn’t vote in former lawyers who have defrauded their clients and drunkards …as they see nothing wrong with appointing a woman with a chequered background regarding handling her personal finances and has a drink problem as Finance Minister. This is a woman who was so drunk that she lost her bag in a tavern.

  22. I can now come to the copperbelt for holiday. I did not want to find illitrate Bowman Lusambo with a fake Doctorate Degree to be my provincial Minister.That was a terrible appointment from Lungu mwine bala alya mwibala. Ba Lusaka balimisula sana ba Lungu how can they give you chief bootlicker mu capital city?

    • At least he was able to keep the landlooter at bay. Already Ndola city council must be celebrating because he vowed to reverse their decision allow vendors in Chisokone and Livingstone roads

  23. It’s the same old dummies being Shafled around.
    Just like with Mugabe and Zuma, the rottenness is at the very top and that’s were change is urgently needed.

    • These non performing have no respect for Lazy Lungu as they know he can not sack them…look at Zuma he left alone now he will face the music for his corrupt dealings, Lazy Lungu your time will come!!

  24. What does Kampamba know about livestock? She has never even seen a live chicken except the dressed ones in shoprite. Its just as bad as Dora being in agriculture

    • Merely reshuffling the same dog-eared pack of cards…its buying your neighbors dog as a security dog knowing too well its not fierce and will just be eating food!!

    • Lungu didnt have where to pack talkative Kampamba Mulenga hence sending her to a ministry that does not do anything. She has been duped i am sure she is feeling it now because Kambwili told them MMD has swamped PF they did not see sense. Now senior Ministries all gone to MMD.

  25. Dora’s appointment is a good one because twice she has been put in a wrong ministries where she has miserably failed; Margaret’s appointment is bad; more stealing; Antonio Mwanza should be fired; Kaizer should be fired; Kakoma should be fired; opposition should unite and call call for Lungu to go like Zuma if corruption and the sale of government institutions like NRDC and Mfuwe Lodge continues;

  26. When are we gonna have our own Tumbuka as Zambia’s finance minister ? Its a Kaponya cabinet anyway just reshuffling mediocrity around.

  27. Maggie is a from Nyasaland not Eastern Province, Can she do the job? We hear she is making changes at ZRA, the two Deputy Governors at Central Bank are being dropped and there is an incoming Secretary to Treasury. Once security clearance is done new a hard working faces in

  28. Now that President Lungu has terminated the appointment of Minister of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection Mulenga Kaziya and replaced him with General Education Minister Dennis Waichinga, will that clinic built on a water line still be demolished?

  29. i don’t think Mwanakatwe will do the best at finance,anyway,lets leave the ball rolling. But for Siliya the appointment is perfect,Kampamba ubwaice. And for Agric,its fine as well.

  30. Mwakalombe do you know what to do when you reach the copperbelt? transfer all the guys at lands in Ndola, particularly at survey. They are corrupt. They were only working for Bowman. The corruption stinks.

  31. i have never liked or trust Mwanakatwe. I think its a bad decision. In Dora I think we have another Kambwili. Its a like a defence minister for PF mistakes. What went wrong with Mutati? I think I can a better minister of Finance.
    By the way UPND needs to be having a succession debate in light of the developments after the death of Changirai.

  32. Maggie mmmh I doubt her if things will be ok … because our national books of accounts are very dirty I tell you….where are the likes of …Chibamba Kanyama, Oliver Saasa, Caleb Fundangaz ……the peter magadez .. please we need our economy to come back on track

    • Chibamba Kanyama does not belong to this list, Neither does Oliver. Oliver and Chibamba are sideline analysts; they just analyses situations from the sidelines. They are not the actual players. Big difference. For Margie, I am not sure she is smarter than Mutati. I think the job of Finance Minister goes beyond gender equality. She has got a truck record of failing anything she takes on, including losing belongings at Maela.

  33. As the situation is the president has picked the best that’s available. Mwanawasa had to poach Magande from Upnd at the time the party had not become tribal. Currently picking a guy like Musokotwane would work: He’s bitter against PF and may not accept. If he accepted he remain suspect that he may undermine the system. So let’s see how Margaret performs instead of judging her harshly.

  34. Ona singo sa Ms Mwanakatwe, mane inge Sinyunywani sani singe Imuyulu! Neba kwa nyo onacwalo, ki siliba tuna. Anyway, she was at one time sleeping with RB, muchembele yasina saladi, who is old enough to be her dad. Kona yamu yambukiselize ncwa ya ngo! It’s all now an Eastern baKoswe show.

  35. Interesting changes. Mwanakatwe? Mutati was better. Economics places need seasoned/top notch pipo to make a team. MOF has excellent guys. So does BOZ. Not sure who is at NEAC (if it still exists). Ba Mwanakatwe is a weak link. Maybe she knows commercial Banking but that is a tiny part of broad national Economic policy.
    @46 Sorry Ba Chibamba Kanyama and Saasa are like soccer commentators! And they are good at that. Caleb and Peter are a class of their own.

  36. Well done Mr President Except for swapping Mwakalombe with Bowman and we also await for part2 to reshuffle Jean Kapata and Nkandu Luo.

  37. Extreme poverty in human capital – dead heads and non-palpitating hearts, devoid of inspiration and perspiration.

  38. ALL APPOINTMENTS ARE OK EXCEPT THAT OF DUDU TO BE MINISTER OF FINANCE. IT IS A SHAME THAT A DRUNKAD CAN BE TAKEN TO SUCH A SEREOUS MINISTRY. MUTATI WAS DOING WELL THERE.

  39. Lungu is an admirer of Chiluba- Chiluba appointed a female minister of finance when his corruption crusade reached the pinnacle. Nice rule-book.

  40. A word for Zambia consistency mutation had good reforms that we saw bring more money in treasury and he had a reform on government expenditure control and procurement is this the reason he has been axes we all know our leaders trump on predecessors reforms hence this reshuffle has just taken us back to 2016 sad

  41. So what was Dora doing at Agriculture in the first place? Why not fire her completely? All the other changes are cosmetic as well. Probably done on a day Lungu was bored or couldn’t handle real work. He seems to love such. Every week someone is moved from somewhere to elsewhere. Same old same old. When is the work going to begin?

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