Zambia confirms hiring London PR firm to do damage control on debt issues

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The Zambian government has awarded a six month contract to a UK consultancy to help manage communications regarding the country’s debt restructuring process.

Highgate Advisory Ltd will handle Zambia’s public relations issues on debt for six months at a cost of GBP 333,403.54

According to information on its website, Highgate is strategic counsel advisory firm, working directly for CEOs, political leaders, and prominent individuals throughout the world.

“Drawing on senior expertise from the political, corporate intelligence and media sectors, Highgate’s consultants design and execute political, business and communication strategies, manage crises, and improve clients’ operations, reputation and stakeholders’ relations,” the website states.

The decision to award the contract to Highgate was confirmed by Secretary to the Treasury Fredson Yamba in a statement.

“As part of Government’s ongoing process aimed at restoring Zambia’s public debt sustainability, it became necessary to engage a specialized communication firm with experience in debt restructuring related communication to ensure effective communication with all creditors and stakeholders,” Mr Yamba said.

Mr Yamba stated that it is international best practice for countries restructuring their external debt to hire a financial advisor, a legal advisor and a communication advisor to assist in the restructuring process.

Mr Yamba said the recruitment of Highgate was done in line with the provisions of the Public Procurement Act and that five international firms were invited to participate in the international tender and three submitted their proposals.

“Highgate Advisory Ltd was the best evaluated bidder during the evaluation process and was therefore engaged by the Government for this assignment. The engagement is for a period of six (06) months, at a total cost of GBP 333,403.54.”

He said Highgate is specialized in debt restructuring communication and has assisted a number of countries in debt restructuring programs.

“As the Communication Advisor to the Republic of Zambia, Highgate will work in collaboration with Zambia’s financial and legal advisors, Lazard Freres and White & Case LLP respectively, to manage communications with respect to all aspects of the debt management process in order to promote transparency during the debt management process and facilitate timely dissemination of information about the debt management process to all domestic and international stakeholders.”

He said the consulting is also expected to facilitate and support Zambia’s communication with all creditors including international bondholders,
promote Zambia as an investment destination a d foster international diplomatic support from bilateral partners including the enhancemeng of communication of Zambia’s economic developments with all stakeholders and encourage support from both international and domestic stakeholders to the Government’s debt management exercise.

He said Government is confident that the engagement of the communication advisor will add value to the ongoing debt management process and will facilitate the timely and transparent flow of information to its domestic and international stakeholders regarding this process.

“Due to the nature of the debt restructuring exercise, it may be necessary to procure such specialized short term advisory/consultancy services as and when required.”

87 COMMENTS

  3. Very good. We hire based on competency and not geographic origin of people or companies.

    You wanted us to hire Zambia watchdog which insults this government daily ? F00lish

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  5. This is as bad it can get. We’re now hiring foreign experts to advise us how to communicate with other foreign experts. It’s like paying someone to tell you the time on your borrowed watch.

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  6. Nine chale we live in global world. I know Africans who work for the same company. Let us get away from restricting ourselves based on some imagined boundary lines of country’s and continents. Let’s get thr best people.

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  9. @Kaizar, I would love to believe you but it reminds me of the Lazard assignment which also failed to deliver the desired results. What hurts is that we’re dishing out money to these foreign firms who don’t seem to care about our destiny as long as they’re paid.

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  10. Then what was the point of hiring Lazard and freres for $5 million in the first place? So plus this $3 million that’s $8 million of taxpayer money wasted!

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  16. Bright Tembo wanted ma documwa from Anthony Bwalya and he literally belittled me. Anthony walintukisha ati “my empty head is full of water,” probably because ba Bright niba professor. But I end here for fear of snipers.

  18. Without vision nothing will work! Why spend money on debt restructuring. Why not involve Zambians with functioning brains and a vision. Such a sad state of affairs. Zambia is paying big for choosing *****s to run the country

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  19. Will they also release the ZP report for the 2 assassinated protesters?
    Will they also release Milupi’s war crimes report which is at 95% complete?

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  20. Now all of you know why our judges continue to dress in those muzungu wigs that make them look ridiculous but which they think make them look important. Its because we blacks always think whites are better than us.. Why didn’t the Zambian government whose president the other day was telling us we must put Africa first look for a Zambian public relations firm to do this job?
    Its because the government is full of people who think blacks cant give them quality. They think only a muzungu can do a good job. Lungu, Kampyongo, Lusambo, Dora, Chanda, Bwalya, in short, the whole cabinet are suffering from inferiority complexes that they acquired as they got their so called education. It wasn’t education but brainwashing. In their stupeed schools they are wired to admire the white man. To…

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  21. to admire the white man. To wish they were living in London rather than in Lusaka. To have the straight hair of a muzungu, To have lighter skin like a muzungu. We are in great trouble with such feeble, impotent, weak leadership. We Africans will never get out of this hole dug by the white man. He will only come back to bury us.
    Lungu empower the black man in your country. Give the black man this contract!!

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  24. Really laughable…look at some morons on the thread here trying to justify hiring foreigners to do a window dressing these are the same people who accuse others for “muzungu anikonde” mentality – anyway when you stand for nothing you fall for anything …I mean even if you put lipstick on a pig it will still be a pig…you can have the biggest yacht in the sea but if your credit rating is sh&t you will still not be given a loan.

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  25. Really laughable…look at some mo rons on the thread here trying to justify hiring foreigners to do a window dressing these are the same people who accuse others for “muzungu anikonde” mentality – anyway when you stand for nothing you fall for anything …I mean even if you put lipstick on a p ig it will still be a p ig…you can have the biggest yacht in the sea but if your credit rating is sh&t you will still not be given a loan.

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  30. Some people complain about everything, the government gives a local person to do the job ninshi they are of low quality…you hire an international company ninshi fyonse fibi. Shame

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  32. Kakaiza zezulu ulikapuba sana. The same western world you demean everyday and today you are glorifying them? Total hypocrite of the highest order.

    Nauseating!

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  35. PF is unqualified to hundle complex matters political, financial or governance. There you are, hire other people to right their wrongs

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  36. This is pure wastage of resources and confirmation of incompetence. For sure many sectors have been calling for central gvt to be cautious of debt, but gvt would come and attack, make things too political.
    The pipo that were advising wanted to avoid the situation were we are in now.
    Lack they have COVID-19 to blame.

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  37. @Kaizar Zulu you have a memory of a flea, whole of a saden you are championing globalization and dismissing our borders as imagined boundary.
    Wawu, what has changed?

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  39. It is very clear we have lost direction as a country. In such a distressful position we are in, can we really afford to go this wild and start hiring so called consultants on non-existent issues! Weren’t u being told by fellow Zambians that reckless borrowing was bad? Just when Chikwanda was made Min of Finance, I came to know that the country has been taken into the archives. He laid negative foundation for subsequent ministers in that ministry. This is what happens when u share positions on basis of wako ni wako.

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  40. He was right when he said he had no vision of his own but some Zambians didn’t take him seriously. I did and I still do. Now tax payers are paying for the consequences of electing a blind leader. We ought to be ashamed of ourselves.

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  41. @mavhuto Kaizar is like a follower of Donald Trump. He never has his own thoughts but just follows the leader however foolish he is.

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  43. You have the money to hire foreigners but don’t have the resources to create jobs and higher your own citizens. Image building is done by your own self, it’s like when you shit on yourself you can’t hire your neighbor to come and clean up your own mess, Man up and face the challenges, when you where acquiring the debts in 2015/2016 2017, society, NGO, opposition all advised you to invest in The Economy to generate revenue but you where busy nama road borrowing money from China, hiring a company from China, paying that same Chinese company from China but you still owe China the initial debt in dollars plus interest, at that time dollar was K10, apa ni K22 meaning you owe double ?

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  44. I have never been against foreign entities or nations. It is the upnd diasporans who I despise. The ignorant upnd diasporans is who I have a problem with. You numb skulls

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  50. It ridiculous its like those credit agency we use online to check our personal credit rating that ask you to pay them £10 a month so they can improve your credit rating when all you have to do is pay your debts….that’s the easiest £300K that London PR firm has made …they are probably laughing at their fooooolish Zambian clients over some lagers as I type this.

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  51. Tarino ulichikopo so I don’t expect you to understand the role that good PR plays in global financial relationships. Some of you are conveniently ignorant when it comes to issues the pf government do. Your tribal leader engaged a foreign PR company and that to you was the best idea. You not f00ling anyone you tribal maggot

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  52. Tarino ulichikopo so I don’t expect you to understand the role that good PR plays in global financial relationships. Some of you are conveniently ignorant when it comes to issues the pf government do. Your tribal leader engaged a foreign PR company and that to you was the best idea. You not f00ling anyone you tribal magg0ts

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  53. But I thought some Zambians were offering to do it for free.
    Why not engage those Zambians and if at all they are not satisfied with the results they can then engage those foreigners? Because I assure you, you hear how many billions will be spent on such.

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  54. @Higher toller that is so deep and well explained. Can someone take your post to our cabinet? Our judges should become brave enough to refuse wearing those colonial vestiges
    Are there any black ownd public relations companies in Zambia?

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  55. MOTOR MOUTH ALWAYS SLAMMING COLONIALISTS & IMPERIALISTS
    NO0W HIRING A BRITISH FIRM, WHAT A HYPOCRIT !!!!!!!!!!!
    hE’S NOTHING MORE THAN A COMMON TICK ……..

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  57. Highgate Advisory Ltd was dissolved in June 2018 as a simple web search will reveal. So the question is, who does the government think they are paying? Or are they making a “mistake” about the true recipient of the money? Very strange. And I am not “upnd” by the way

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  60. Company information:

    Company Details

    Print Page. Open help text in a new window.

    Name & Registered Office:
    HIGHGATE ADVISORY LTD
    24 BERKELEY SQUARE
    LONDON
    ENGLAND
    W1J 6HE
    Company No. 12396465

    Status: Active
    Date of Incorporation: 10/01/2020

    Country of Origin: United Kingdom
    Company Type: Private Limited Company
    Nature of Business (SIC):
    70229 – Management consultancy activities other than financial management
    Accounting Reference Date: 31/01
    Last Accounts Made Up To: (NO ACCOUNTS FILED)
    Next Accounts Due: 10/10/2021
    Last Confirmation Statement Date: 09/01/2021
    Next Confirmation Statement Due: 23/01/2022
    Mortgage: Number of charges: ( 0 outstanding / 0 satisfied / 0 part satisfied )
    Previous Names:
    No previous name information has been…

    1

  62. Jealousy will kill you. Whether you insult me or our government the fact remains that we have made a decision. You can cry about it for all we care.

    A lot of people are confusing my distaste for upnd diasporan for anything foreign. I think I have been clear to state that it is upnd diasporans who I despise. How f00lish would i be to hate all foreigners when I interact and work with foreigners in government and have many foreign friends. It’s you f00lish upnd diasporan I hate. Hahaha

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  64. mavhuto – Its not easy to play an impostor as you have to second guess what the person you are masquerading as will say…its not easy to quick track of your past folly and childishness on this forum!!

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  66. That’s the PF finally admitting they’ve been clueless and visionless all along on matters of debt and economic management.Muzungu to their rescue .

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  67. This is just a waste of Money. A frog can wear lipstick but it will never win a Human being beauty contest. If Zambia has no Rule of Law, Good Governance, respect for Human rights and for the Zambian Constitution nothing will change. If u mismanage the Economy and Corruption is Rampant then u cannot expect co-operation from IFIs and the International Community. The outcome of the August 12,2021 Election will influence the direction of the Zambian Economy. A violent and disputed 2021 Election will ruin the Zambian Economy 4 many years to come. The writing is on the wall.

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  69. Is this not just a company that was made to fundraise for PF campaign money coz really there is no sense in the contract awarded

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  73. This is a no brainer, Bwalya Ngandu and Fred Yamba creating unnecessary contracts for stealing money. Highgate is just a shell of a company with one employee which was resurrected purely for Bwalya Ngandu to steal! The original company called Highgate was wound up 4 years ago. Can Ngandu explain this plain theft!!

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  74. Hey So Highgate is a Ghost company?
    If so this is Daylight Robbery
    How has Zambia sunk so low ?how did Zambians hooked themselves to this locomotive really?

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  75. What happened to the Lizards who were paid to negotiating debt deals if the government with its pate is hiring PR goons

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  76. Sad. And the people to pay these bills are the poor Zambians through inflation higher fuel costs & goods & higher taxes. Politicians don’t even pay tax from their hefty salaries. It’s a shame to be Zambian right now.

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  77. Highgate was incorporated on 10 January 2020, how can they claim they have a lot of experience. The CEO is a one man show who was previously Managing Director of Mercury an organisation that advises Presidents. The creation of this company is a quick move to make quick money from a government that offers contracts to new start ups like Honey Bee.

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