By Sunday Chilufya Chanda
Over the last few hours social media activity has been in frenzy reminiscent of Brownian motion.
Feverish discussions in cyber space and elsewhere have been agitated by Mr Chibamba Kanyama’s alarming tweet to the effect that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has “withdrawn” its representative in Zambia, and “does not plan to have a replacement anytime soon”. He went on to paint a gloomy picture putting Zambia in the same category with countries that were in dire economic straits.
Given his academic background and professional standing, Mr Kanyama’s tweet was taken by many in the cyber public and elsewhere, as the infallible gospel truth. As it turns out, our brother is flesh and blood and is consequently prone to error from time to time; by design or by default.
Mr Kanyama is a man of considerable letters- at first degree level having double Majors in Economics and Mass Communication and other respectable post graduate qualifications and Masters Degrees.
He is also immensely experienced in handling corporate affairs having held various top level portfolios in the private and quasi-government sectors as well the IMF.
It is therefore baffling that a man of such a renowned pedigree would make such rudimentary errors and be the vector of such contagious and grievous hearsay laced with a subtle tinge of malevolence. The sad irony is that the contagion has the potential to harm Chibamba’s credibility more than anybody else. One cannot help but question the whys and wherefores of his rashness.
It is good that he has retracted his earlier position but his mild “retraction” is not commensurate with the extent of the malignant nature of the malady.
His indiscretion comes barely hours after the Central Bank Governor Dr Denny Kalyalya cautioned the opposition and economic doomsayers against issuing reckless remarks that have the potential to misrepresent the status-quo and discourage investment in Zambia, consequently harming the economy.
We all need to practice responsible patriotism which says ZAMBIA FIRST!
Aristotle said something like” A citizen is a citizen because he has a certain duty to undertake in society and that constitutes his right to be a citizen”
We need to be Patriotic. Being in opposition doesn’t entail opposing everything and anything including those things that benefit the ordinary man and are good for posterity.
Being in opposition also doesn’t mean wishing ill for the country with the intent of making the ruling party look bad.
Our Head of State His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu is President for all; he has noble intentions. He is on the right path and ought to be supported by all.
There must be no reverse patriotism. The opposition is a vital necessity for the proposition of alternative ideas besides providing checks and balances.
We may not always agree, but we always need to stand as one under the green, red, black and orange flag with the eagle flying high.
Patriotism is love of country. You cannot love your country by wishing ill of those the people have chosen to put at the wheel.
Their fate is your fate. We don’t always have to agree, but we must find the common ground, we must build bridges across our differences to pursue the common good.
You cannot be patriotic without a conscience. When we lose our conscience; we lose our souls and then we lose our nation.
We give our brother Chibamba the benefit of the doubt as we doubt that he would wish economic ruin upon his country.
Let this be a learning curve for him. As he tries to share his knowledge and expertise, we call upon him to always exercise the social and economic wisdom he has become famous for. Let him be reminded Knowledge without wisdom can tarnish the reputation of even the most eminent just as it can unwittingly turn patriots into dogmatists.
To whom much is given; much is expected.
The Author is PF Media Director At the Patriotic Front Secretariat Lusaka
What side of the bread is buttered for Chibamba Kanyama? Is it a question of blood is thicker than. …?
Patriotism? For the sake of our nation these words mean nothing to a party that is full of corrupt people. All PF is doing is distroying this country!
Sunday Chanda is right. Kanyama should have been careful with speculating such info. He must remember he is no ordinary cadre liKe UPND and PF
Quote”Patriotism is love of country. You cannot love your country by wishing ill of those the people have chosen to put at the wheel” end quote. You can not also love the country by being reckless in spending, by giving all major contracts to foreigners, by wishing and working tirelessly to kill opposition parties or by loyal only to your party and not the country. Keeping quiet in the face of massive corruption is not being patriotic. The economy is not doing fine, that’s the truth and no spin can change that fact and the world knows that. People at the so called wheel should learn to listen to advise before seeking the support of others. Let them show love fir the nation by stopping to destroy it through reckless borrowing and spending.
IMF is an Economy squeezer, remember he 80s.
No one is forcing you to go to the IMF…who has been knocking on their door for the past 3 years …Mutati made countless trips to DC now even drunkard Maggie has made several of them
Spot on Jay Jay! These PF dunderheads and mother fckers dont understand that it Zambia that wants to borrow from IMF not the other way! Not that the IMF has withdrawn, it has dawned on them that the consequences will be dire.
That is why Dora Siliya and Margaret Mwanachitwe could not agree and come up with a meaningful statement yesterday and were hoping to do so today after seeking help from media spin doctors!
Weather, we like it not, Lungu brought this on us last year when he was saying that the IMF could go. Those words stayed with the IMF even after the Drunkard had forgotten so they doing exactly what Lungu said when he was intoxicated with beer and drugs. Anyway, next will be the World Bank Representative. They have all lost hope on Lungu whose preoccupation is bribing docile…
The IMF of the 80s would have happily even lent you $2.5 billions knowing too well that you will default and they would have simply grabbed your assets in ZCCM holdings…but today there is a thing called responsible lending even if you go to your bank manager in your smartest suit and the computer says no because either you have bad credit and the numbers don’t add up ..you are not going anywhere.
Let me put it in a language these tins understand …a responsible bar man will not serve you anymore beer when he sees you are too drunk ..IMF will not give Zambia funds because they know that they can not afford to payback.
Jay Jay – The IMF survives on lending money at high interest rates. Let’s not be blinded to think that it is not desperate to lend money. They are just concerned about Zambia’s indebtedness and therefore, the ability of the country to service their loans.
In southern province and among the tonga folk, it is patriotic to speak ill of the country. In their pseudo-state of mind, the country is in turmoil as the economy has collapsed and a brutal Nsenga dictator backed by the Bembas is out to destroy them; The messiah who will save them is none other than kainde, the infallible tonga god. This state of mind has sadly affected even those that have excelled at the academics and business, so long they are tonga. Now how can we take Chibamba seriously tomorrow if he wishes to acquire public office if he can unashamedly lie to the nation for the benefit of those he supports by virtue of being his tribesmen???
And the bembas think hh is looking cede power to destroy them….
Chiba back is a non partisan Zambian. Leave him out of the tribal politics you are practicing
Chibamba is a non partisan Zambian. Leave him out of the tribal politics you are practicing
Arafat – Dont mind these dingbats especially this Zambian Citizen who is as thick as two short planks ..to them there is no such thing as non partisan…its either you are with them or against them, they have a small brain of a crocodile its either you are prey or predator.
@Zambian citizen–Zambia is in such problems because like you. Why can’t you live in the 21st century. You always see things through the tribalism lenses. It is bigoted, and tribalist fellow like you who divide the country. Learn to appreciate the country’s ethnic diversity in order develop. The strength of any country lies in diversity of its population.
I am still trying to understand where Chibamba Kanyama lied Senior Citizen. Government has confirmed Alfredo has been recalled. Alfredo himself confirmed to Bloomberg that he has been recalled before end of duty. I am yet I hear from any of these cadres even Chanda where Chibamba lied. Should we also say government equally lied for confirming yesterday that Alfredo Baldini has been recalled before his due date? Who has been appointed by IMF to take over from him? Last week, Alfredo met civil society to bid farewell.
Sunday, you are just further polarizing the situation. As the distinguished media person you claim to be, we expect to hear from you the correct position regarding the IMF
He has rushed to hastily type up this nonsense just to discredit someone’s tweet …where is he when people are implicated in corruption scandals.
“….We may not always agree, but we always need to stand as one under the green, red, black and orange flag with the eagle flying high….”
Lungu won a dubious presidency , when we were telling you of theives to let the opposition have their day to cry with their petition in court , you would rather jump on your 14 day limit…..now let’s see if that 14 days will heal the nation…..if lungu won, as he claims he did , what was the fear in just letting people go to courts to show their loses ?
President munangagwa must have learned well from the situation and division in Zambia. He gave the opposition their day to cry in court, now he has a solid mandate. No one van complain..
Not lungu , who many still think stole the elections…
In all fairness, I think Sunday Chanda’s piece is a fair comment. Being in opposition doesn’t mean that you should undermine the interests of the country.
Interests of the country or interests of the corrupt political elite?
“The Author is PF Media Director At the Patriotic Front Secretariat Lusaka”
These morons like Sunday Chanda they think being patriotic is telling lies and hiding the truth…even their party’s name is a noble one but they happen to be the worst unpatriotic govt ever to grace the halls of power, they have literally sold the country to the Chinks to the extent where even signage is now written in mandarin.
Kanyama worked at the IMF ..he knows more than you dull Sunday!!
Sunday Chanda should have spoken about the Pro’s and Con’s of staying in the IMF instead of turning this into a political fight. I suppose as a cadre you look at political mileage not intelligence. There is a lot of literature on the Con’s of the IMF which would make this departure a blessing in disguise.
You I.D.I.O.T @Zambian Citizen why do you want to generalise all Tongas over one individual’s opinion.Even this Ka Sunday Chanda makes wrong judgement so no one is perfect.
Because i have lived with the tribal ba.s.t.ards enough to know their vile tribalism, you twit!!!
@Zambian Citizen:
We also have lived too long enough with the thieves who are addicted to stealing instead of working hard and do things rightly.
The IMF has gotten fed up and have left and very soon the World Bank Representative will also be leaving the country. They know and have realised that they cannot change thieves to do things better because stealing is their DNA! They only know how to steal and they will always steal whatever rules you put in place.
The problem is that we are all suffering due a few super thieves! In Zambia, even a convicted thief like Lungu can become a President whether by hook and crook it doesn’t matter!
I know who I would believe between Chibamba Kanyama and this Sunday Chanda the PF spindoctor.
GBM will lead UPND in the next election.
That is not a problem in the UPND. We genuinely love GBM and his wisdom and we know that he would be 20 times better than Lungu! He is a hard worker, a successful business and has never been convicted for theft. Now compare GBM to your thieving PF President and convict Edgar Lungu who stole money from a widow without shame and even got a conviction for that!
CHANDA my brother, what would you EXPECT from T.O.N.G.A.s…? The TRUTH is that they ALL bitter deeply in their DNA. They THINK they are BETTER than other tribes in Zambia.Its was previous forth night when I advised my brother not marry any of them in diaspora. I personally I have no patience with them. POLITICS has become a yardstick right now to know how other tribes views others.Any misfortune happens in ZAMBIA to them is HAPPINESS of TRIBAL unity. Just because Zambia is ruled by someone they Think is NOT T*n*g* tribe.
And bembas are theives with my rat eating brothers from eastern learning how to steal……especially easterners who grow up in CB become the biggest theives like lungu…..
It is a pity Zambia has rogues like you. No wonder we are in trouble.
@MR P–It is a pity Zambia has rogues like you. No wonder we are in trouble.
Mr P
Surley do you know what you are doing to this country?Anyway i am Bemba and come elections if i were to choose between what you consider the non tribalist Lungu and HH i would rather choose HH,better a tribalist than an incompetent corrupt fellow who even abuses the righjts of his citizens
Mr. P sorry for your brother in the diaspora to have a brother like you. I am a Northerner from Isoka and married to a beautiful TONGA girl from Macha and we are happily married. We stay away from f.oo.ls like you who see tribal instead of the character of a person. I feel sorry for your brother…
So under PF dictionary if you post something on social media stating that Fact the IMF representative has been recalled from Zambia, you are engaged in reverse PATRIOTISM. But the government chief spokesman (Amos) goes rogue embarrassing himself that’s Responsible PATRIOTISM. Wonders never cease to amaze me.
Sunday Chanda is very objective in his assessment of Chibamba’s unbelievable tweet.
Sunday Chanda, I may not like you as I don’t like PF but with this sort of response, you might just end up winning me to your side and to like your party.
This is a proper wake up call for Chibamba…
@Dumisani:
It shows how shallow minded you are. Chibamba simply stated a fact. You will soon realise that what Chibamba has said is something that will happen – that decision was taken only last week with the remaining IMF officials left without a leader to complete the remaining IMF sponsored projects. Remember Chibamba has very close connections to a Mr Rice, the IMF Director for Communications who was his boss.
Having worked for the World Bank, I know as a matter of fact that the World Bank Representative will be withdrawn from Zambia around December 2018. These 2 institutions have been disillusioned by the PF thieving and believe Zambia cannot be saved under Lungu and PF thieves with the help of the Chinese!
Patriotism in this country can’t exist so long as UPND remains in opposition. Its leaders, supporters like Chibamba Kanyama are so bitter
I am still trying to understand where Chibamba Kanyama lied Senior Citizen. Government has confirmed Alfredo has been recalled. Alfredo himself confirmed to Bloomberg that he has been recalled before end of duty. I am yet I hear from any of these cadres even Chanda where Chibamba lied. Should we also say government equally lied for confirming yesterday that Alfredo Baldini has been recalled before his due date? Who has been appointed by IMF to take over from him? Last week, Alfredo met civil society to bid farewell.
If PF were sharp, they would have embraced Chibamba in their ranks. If they attack individuals of this calibre, who will the not attack? There are individuals who have genuinely earned their influence and any such attack does not do you any favours. Let’s admit it, Chibamba Kanyama is a very refined objective mind and we respect him. People believe him more than they believe government and that’s why you need to court him guys. This will not help you. Am serious
Chibamba was DG for ZNBC …these empty tins couldn’t accept him or his goals to bring a balanced news content..instead they frustrated him, today they have sold ZNBC to the chinks who the the majority stakeholders …I mean who sells a national broadcaster to a foreign state entity??
Chibamba was put their not that he earned it for a reason. Poor discernment! Now he is doing what he had been employed for before.
This is a highly misplaced article. Who is more patriotic to Zambia, a propagandist Sunday Chanda and Mourinho or an enlightened mind we all admire, Chibamba Kanyama. Who do you want to lecture about patriotism? Is denying an obvious truth that is in public domain, and government confirmed, patriotism? Sometimes being a cadre is a curse; failing to read clear lines just because you want to silence an objective voice?
Exactly my point. Just engage Chibamba kanyama productively and he will make PF look smart though I doubt he would want to associate with people of such mentality and attitude.
Kanyama just talks. The usual Zambian – anione anione Same difference with this Sunday Chanda guy who needs to be lectured and tutored that its not every thing that you respond to. Infact some things you give your juniors to respond.
What exactly did Chibamba Kanyama say?
This is lack of strategy on part of PF. There are individuals you do not just attack from without. Who looks f.oolish at the end of the day? Sunday Chanda, withdraw this; who is advising you?
Sunday, Sunday! Take it eeeeasy young man. If you can ululate Chibamba’s credentials, why don’t you ask him to mentor you?
The know it all approach by Chibamba Kanyama is very sad. I am not PF but I notice that the man tries to speak with a lot of authority usually on things he has no clue about. The talking republic of Zambia. Every Jim and Jack is talking both the hopeless ruling party as well as the hopeless opposition are just talking and talking every day. No solutions. Failing every where, even simple dialogue
As copied from a tweet, ‘”Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official, save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country. It is patriotic to support him insofar as he efficiently serves the country” Roosevelt
To hear of an HIV dog in the week was just something else, normally we hear of a rabid dog(galu ya chiwewe).So Sunday, when is the president taking action because obviously the guy who hurled those heavy insults did not apologise to CK but merely released a regret message to the press.
Great article Mr. Chanda. Africans sell their countries for money. They are hired so that when the time is ripe they will tear their countries to pieces to support those who want to ruin or mortgage off Africa. Trevor and Chibamba are in the category. Our countries are destroyed because there is no patriotism among us. The example of HH and his tribal gathering is an example of why Africa cannot forge ahead. We should understand where these guys are coming from. These guys who think like HH can sell Zambia nad want to sell it in exchange for power.
I dont understand what Sunday is pontificating about. The IMF representative has left Zambia and whether or not they will send another one remains to be seen. IMF is not happy with all the misuse and unnecessary borrowing by the PF government. They have protested and left. Sunday can paint whatever picture he wants but the truth is, they have left and there’s no IMF representative in Zambia currently. If there was someone going to take over, that person would have come before Baldini left and there would have been a proper handover but there’s none.
IMF hires and fires like any entity. Baldini was found wanting by his masters. Adious!! Nothing to do with Zambian Govt. Most likely it’s staff harrasmnent & such indiscretions. Or too numerous speed camera fines showing childness with representation vehicle which esmart Zambia has made sure can’t be corruptly fixed!!
However, what’s the propose of paying mega bucks to a man that can’t bring in billions of dollars of loans for so long when it was a done deal. Mind you, economic fundamentals for Zambia are solid (dispute and show ignorance) and that’s the kind of country IMF wants. Why has everyone found Zambia attractive and we can’t cut a deal bosses must have thought. To hell with IMF and UPND unpatriotic puppets!!