By McPherson Mutale
The drama at the Ministry of Information and Media should come to an end. Bally’s way of solving the problem is merely creating another.
By appointing Mr.Thabo Kawana, the hope is that he will fill the void. Unfortunately, he has just created another problem. Mr. Kawana was better left at the party Secretariate as a functionary.
The problem is the Minister and the team around her. She was thrown in the deep-end without a life jacket. She is drowning and she may not drown alone.
A cabinet is like a bicycle chain, when it’s broken in one place, it’s useless. The earlier Bally realizes the weakest link, the earlier he can solve his problems.
There are a number of Ministers in Bally’s administration who are just seat warmers and he is not doing himself a favor by keeping them to warm seats. For now, it might be bearable but soon people will get tired.
It’s never too early to change your team if you realize in the first minute that one of your players is not fit. The bulky problem for Bally is that the person who is supposed to be the eyes and ears of the administration is actually unable to see and hear.
The vacuum that Hon Kasanda has created has forced people like Anthony Bwalya and Cornelius Mweetwa to try and fill in the gap. Unfortunately, this is a nightmare as they both can’t freely speak on government policy without crossing the line and stepping into the Minister’s office.
President Bally has to be bold and deal with the Minister. If he needs her so badly in his administration, he can reshuffle her. The work ahead is very brutal and requires a competent communicator and an agile public policy expert.
The administration has IMF and its attendant tough choices that need effective and efficient communication machinery. There is none at the moment. Regardless of the major successes, the administration has scored so far, the Minister and her team have lamentably failed to create a contrast between what we vomited and what has been achieved so far.
What has happened is that the Minister has allowed and enabled the opposition to have a field day. Governance, like politics, is about perceptions. You should not just DO but you should also be SEEN to be DOING.
The opportunity to do the right thing is now before the water gets to the nose. Bally can choose to babysit adults and get grey by 2026, or he can do the right thing and have a team that helps him to deliver a prosperous and equitable Zambia.”
A bad carpenter will always blame his tools. The two at the ministry are just honest citizens who are failing to be lying. Things are, currently, not looking good except we are giving the government time to settle. The landing seems to have been so bad that upnd are still figuring out options. They are just trying possible options for now. Thats why they are even doing things they never believed in .
The vacuum is at Community House so why should you blame an individual Minister? The Presidency is connected to many other institutions which have been dead since State House was shifted to Forest 27. At the moment we don’t have a First Lady. The only chaps making noise are those we know already. Nkombo, Mwiimbu, Situmbeko, Witna Kapembwa, Mweetwa forces himslef where he doesn’t belong, who else? This is how the UPND has operated since Bally took over from Saki who was beaten to pulp by zealots from Namwala. How many UPND MPs used to speak in Parliament? So you have the answer
One of the disjointed sectors is that of education. Bally announced that he is going to recruit 30,000. It’s very unlikely that these teachers will be at their schools as they open on 10 January. No application has been processed, when will the recruitment exercise begin? Is he just going to raise his white gloves and all teachers will receive their letters of appointment?
This is so true. She’s allowed PF the likes of sean Tembo to have a field day with misinformation. She needs a different role. If government cant effectively cone up with a communication strategy 100 days after an election, it will certainly be fire fighting rather than leading from the front. Our attractive minister may be out of her depth and needs to step aside in order for Bally to thrive. She still hasn’t explained to people why fuel went up and how this will benefit people in the long term.
Chipante pante Government…now am sure Zambians know that there’s Campaign promises and Governing promises…Experimenting with leadership…Fossils Senjani and the notorious Muchungwa have been resurrected by Chimbwi no plan President HH
WHY IT TOOK TONGA PEOPLE 57 YEARS TO PRODUCE A LEADER FOR ZAMBIA
Before the ascendance of Bally HH to Zambian presidency, the closest the southerners came to presidency is 32 years ago under KK when Kebby Musokotwane was Prime Minister (equivalent of Vice President). Under Chiluba, Mwanawasa, Banda, Sata and Lungu, the Tongas could not even be considered for vice presidency.
The biggest problem with Tongas is that they work so hard to bring down any fellow Tonga who shows leadership qualities, potential to grow, intelligence and, courage to be different from the rest of their mindsets. They are simply never proud of their own even when their brethren achieve significant National recognition which the whole country appreciates. They make sure such a one is blocked from political…
Just useless President…Zambians were duped and now everyone understand….Pilato doesn’t need to compose another song….BUFI has now become a major hit in Zambia…..Senjani and Peter Machungwa are back and where is Golden Mandandi…..and Chama Chakomboka HH can hire them
GRZ need a change at that ministry…………
It will be too late soon……………….
New Dawn government kikikikiki let’s bring all the old criminals back and hire them…we need Valentine Kayope since we have hired his crime partner Peter Manchungwa and Senjani….is HH going to Leopards hill cemetery to look for his appointees…….these guys were in office more than 25 years ago and were always in courts for theft of public funds…..and for murder…who killed Paul Tembo….let’s hire Xavier Chungu also
It is foolish suggesting that Minister of Information has to behave in the same way PF made people get used to making noise. If PF is making noise let them be. Thats their style of leadership which destroyed the economy past ten years. People have to understand that this is a new government and they wont be behaving way PF does. The culture of doing politics is what needs to change in Zambia. Too many advisors and too much talking without substance. That energy of complaining and bringing down others should be channeled to production. The country just has alot of so called “wise men” from the east. Keep quiet and allow the new dawn government to work. This is not PF in office and the government has scored big already money laundering is put to haunt. Without changing these PF…
I see nothing wrong with Chushi Kasanda. I am not saying she is perfect. I sense malice and/or male chauvinistic behavior towards her. It is not her job nor govt’s priority to be answering back to the Messrs know it all like Sean Tembo, Nakachinda, Kambwili, Emmanuel Mwamba. These people are SEEKING ATTENTION. They are not getting it hence attack Chushi. Please madam and UPND use your mandate on more important things that will make a difference to the ordinary Zambians. These opposition characters et al wasted 10 years spinning the yarn, harassing opponents with lawfare, closing critical media and graft. Don’t be drawn into there attention seeking trap. Just do your job. I don’t expect you to be loquacious like other lady who was there. Follow your own govt way of doing things. Give women…
CONTD: Give women a chance!! As men we have dominated Zambian politics since independence. What have got to show for it. Childish politics, poverty, malice, vanity, violence, graft etc. Next President must be a sober woman
The point is not that the opposition have managed to penetrate the UPND media system no. The issue is the like Prof Shishuwa said, the current Zambian is a politically charged one and not easily lied to. This is where the issue is with the UPND, how to relate to a citizen they lied to
SLEEPING AT WORK BEAUTY
Who is Mr Thabo Kawana? How do you start an article without introductions ..you immediately go into a rant.
As a man who has played with this woman back in the old days, I can assure you she is not as timid behind closed doors. So I can understand why your hh has a very soft spot for her. Leadership can make you lonely. It is clear this woman is keeping hh company . Sometimes as men let us understand our fellow man has needs too.
As a man who has played with this woman back in the 0ld days, I can assure you she is not as shy behind cl0sed doors. So I can understand why your hh has a very s0ft sp0t for her. Leadershlp can make you l0nely. It is clear this woman is keeping hh company . Sometimes as men let us understand our feIlow man has needs too.
I will appoint ministers on merit said Bally. That statement is proving to be a stumbling block for the President to reshuffle or fire a non performing Minister. May be he is thinking how would people view my appointments if i start making reshuffles now?
The madam minister of information is a liability the sooner HH7 and his party realise this the better for them because of the PR side they have been a disaster
The PF spent 10 years in campaign mode instead of addressing real problems. Statements by Dora Siliya and other govt and party officials & cadres on ZNBC, Times of Zambia and Daily Mail was seen as work. Talking was made into an “Industry”. IBA was made to muzzle dissenting views. The PF still lost in spite of this so called PR/ Media strategy. New dawn. Don’t make that mistake. Concentrate on real tangible work not responding to idioms, jokes, PR spin and sadly outright rubbish which sometimes comes out of politicians
The PF have made Zambians believe that a Minister of Information should be a liar or a political spin doctor like Dora Siliya,
Chushi Kasanda and the UPND do not operate like that.
She is a professional who informs the nation about government actions and policies as they are.No need for her to respond to the cheap politics.
HH is very clever and has strategically placed Anthony Bwalya, Cornelius Mweetwa and Thabo Kawana to deal with the likes of PF, Nakachinda and Sean Zero Tembo.
Independent – a Govt spokesperson is the political face of the govt hence have to translate govt policies its even a bonus when they are savvy and spin doctors….this young lady lacks both qualities.
Kasanda should be transferred to Ministry of Agriculture since she has experience with fertiliser distribution and then Bally can appoint Cornelius Mweetwa because the man does a good job at explaining issues
Hh is eating her and you are busy wondering why she is still holding the position hahaha wake up upnd. This woman can be slow at her job but one thing I know is that mu bedroom it’s another story. Go ask hh. Me I cried like a baby when I was with her.
#17 Bashi Chite
# 18 Independent
PF lost also in large part because they did not respond to allegations that lungu and his gang were corrupt theives………
PF only woke up and started responding after the SM monster on corruption was too large to tame, they got consumed………..
It is not for GRZ to respond to everyone, but there are selective cases which need a response.
The current minister is too slow , and the statehouse media team need more discussions and intelligence on where to respond…….
Any goverment ignores SM at their own perile………..
Spaka – The minister is simply incompetent and Anthony Bwalya is from a human resource background, he was alright at opposition party level but at State House you need a person with a media and PR background.
There is a balance to be had here. Yes you need a savvy, articulate and eloquent Govt Spokesperson (aka Minister of Information) to explain and articulate govt policy, and at times spin it a little when squeezed into the corner. However, I do agree that you don’t need to breathe air into nobodies like Nakachinda and Sean Tembo who spew n0nsence everyday. You need a minister who can tell when to speak and when to be quiet. More importantly you need one who can pre-empty some discourse and be proactive… someone who can influence public discussions and lead the dialogue. Learn from the American White House media people.
They also need to employ bots and propaganda machines to infiltrate social media platforms and advance dialogue. But more importantly do the right things and ensure you…
…But more importantly do the right things and ensure you score political policy wins and everything will take care of itself. By now HH should have removed Public Order Act (POA)
#22 Spaka & 24 Jigga. Got you. However, I believe explaining govt achievements, progress plans should be done regular and STRUCTURED manner by civil servants (experts on the subject matter) on television and radio. Social media will get the trickle effects. In LPM’s govt there was a regular TV programme by a Chileshe Kandeta. Not sure if that’s still produced. Could be translated into indigenous languages. Let the CABINET minister deal with major govt policy pronouncements or clarifications NOT responding off the cuff to the likes of Nakachinda or Kambwili’s banter. Bottom line is that no matter how sophisticated your PR is, as long as you have not delivered the “goods”, you a a lame duck. Ask those who were there in 1990/91 about the exquisite PR consultants UNIP brought & yet they…
Ask those who were there in 1990/91 about the exquisite PR consultants UNIP brought & yet they lost miserably. PR should just be the icing on the cake NOT the bedrock of strategy whether it is politics or business. GET THE JOB DONE. Everything else will follow. Thanks.
#26 Bashi Chite
The problem the GRZ has is , they are up against sofisticated clique of theives and tribal bigots who will exploit any tough decisions the new GRZ makes to repair the economy…………
We have large part of the population used to free cash handouts and bribes……….these are furtile grounds for the clique to exploit, no matter how honest the GRZ is……….
At the end of 5 years, HEHH might get approval after effects are being felt , but many of his Ministers could lose their seats……..
An upto scratch PR team is needed for sure. What they have is not up to the job……..
I think we have had a healthy exchange of ideas. Adios Mon Amie and Merry Christmas