By Wynter Kabimba SC ODS Economic Front Party President
Anyone familiar with Russian history and the end of the imperial rule of Czar Nicholas II and the triggers of the Bolshevik revolution in 1917 knows the legendary story of Rasputin, a Siberian monk and the role he played in the events leading to the Russian revolution. Romanov Russia had degenerated into a corrupt and disorderly society and it was Rasputin’s influence on the Tsarina which extended to his involvement in government decisions which inflamed the anger of the Russian people against the royal family.
This story is reminiscent of the humiliating end of Jacob Zuma’s era which was largely blamed on his association with the Gupta family in South Africa. The perceived involvement of the Guptas in government appointments and decisions of what became to be known as State capture symbolized what was wrong with the Zuma administration. When Edgar Lungu was president, the UPND were critical of his relationship with one Valden Findlay, a Zambian citizen whom they accused of exploiting his friendship with ECL to promote his business interests.
Findlay became one of the first victims of the UPND government in its corruption fight crusade when PF lost elections. At the time when the people raised questions about the ECL – Findlay cohabitation, the then State House press aide released an official statement that no one had the right to choose friends for the president. They left Edgar Lungu alone as advised, but on voting day, they told him to keep his friends away from their affairs.
Before HH became president on 12th August, 2022, no Zambian cared about his circle of friends. They least mattered to their welfare. The adage that a man is judged by the company he keeps was of no interest to them. Public interest was, however, aroused when HH travelled to South Africa soon after assuming office for what State House said was an official trip to meet President Ramaphosa of South Africa for bilateral talks.
As it has become his trade mark, this was a tailored lie. HH used taxpayers’ money to be guest of honor at the book launch of his now disclosed personal friend Greg Mills, a South African citizen who enjoys free and unfettered access to the president’s office. The role which Greg Mills is playing in the Hakainde presidency has been trending in the public arena without answers until Friday 19th August, 2022.
During his press interview at State House with the local Hot-FM channel, he came across truthfully to the Zambian people and confessed that Greg Mills is but one of his many friends and fell short of just saying, so what? Ils sont mes amis (They’re my friends). Thomas Summers’s biography of Richard Nixon titled “The Arrogance of Power’’ would perfectly fit in this anthology whose moral has not been proven wrong so far.
Welll I’m a Zambian and have no problem with the President having friends. In fact Presidents in developed countries have their friends and no nobody cares ! But this is Zambia where failed and backward politicians with no international experience and exposure make the loudest noise. Let’s face it, this is noise from empty tins period ! Is there a law that prohibits the President from having friends? You want to judge the president using perceptions and not law ? And you are a lawyer!!!
Musa,
I live in Europe so don’t fool anyone here as if you know it all. You don’t love our President and you don’t mean well for Zambia. What Kabimba is saying is that if our President wants to do well let him not be very close to some of his friends who might influence him in making wrong decisions. He cited the two examples and the results of the two friendships. So what wrong is in Winter Kabimba sounding a warning to Ps HH. Let’s be objective.
Khumalo Mthunzi, you put it well in your own way of understanding and interpretation but the presentation by Winter Kabimba seems to suggest not advisory! My opinion
Wyinter Kabimba, former President Sata fired you, even the despicable lungu never wanted anything to do with you. HH best you tribalist, so just STFU.
Food for thought indeed. The level of Influence on current policy reforms must be scrutinised. Unfortunately it was a questionable decision and a sad confession using tax payers money for private business.
Either state house intentionally tried to cover up this or they were lied to. That’s a worry coming from a crusader of the rule of law. Indeed, food for thought. Even if the financial cost implication can be recovered. Can public trust in matters leadership in the New Dawn be recovered though? Clearly trust is slowing ebbing away.
That is exactly how Zuma was captured. And our President is getting there soon.
Some Greg Mills publications;
Greg Mills; Jeffrey Herbst (2002). Poverty to Prosperity: Globalisation, Good Governance and African Recovery. Tafelberg.
Greg Mills (2003). The Future of Africa: New Order in Sight?. Oxford University Press.
Greg Mills (2005). The Security Intersection: The Paradox of Power in an Age of Terror. Johannesburg: Wits University Press.
Greg Mills (2007). From Africa to Afghanistan: With Richards and NATO to Kabul. Johannesburg: Wits University Press.
Greg Mills (2010). Why Africa is Poor: And What Africans Can Do About It. Penguin Books.
Mills, Greg, J. Peter Pham, and David Kilcullen
(2013). “Somalia: Fixing Africa’s Most Failed State.” Cape Town: Tafelberg Short.
Greg Mills (2015). Why States Recover: Changing Walking Societies into…
Now, what books has Valden Findlay written? Winter and the PF are just jokers who can’t read the times.
Those are hh gay whlte friends who he worships and probably sleeps with
Those are hh gay whlte friends who he w0rships and pr0bably sIeeps with
same times it is important to read, analizy, understand and conclude why am i saying this? let us ask Hon Wyinter Kabimba SC ODS Economic Front Party President make those who are missing and not understanding his stance is, and why he wrote this. Honorable sir i hereby request you to explain more maybe in simpler english why this is important to know and why writing this at this time. i will be very greatful sir if you can make them understand
The guy simply copied and pasted stuff from internet, all based on shear jealousy and bitterness! No councillor, no MP and some one is said to be leading a political party!! The guy is all alone and speaks for himself, clearly not speaking for me as a Zambian.
I’ll take Greg Mills anyday over Valden Findlay and that other unscrupulous guy ECL used to deal with. The narrative that people are trying to drive is inaccurate and every president has their circle of friends, best believe, HH’s circle is of a higher class and calibre than Lungu’s was.
WINTER KABIMBA stop being ichikopo naiwe … the least you can do is read atleast one of Greg Mills books especially the one entitled ; ‘Why Africa is Poor: And What Africans Can Do About It ‘
See pasted below Here some of the things i learnt from reading Greg Mills book ….. please read
The point of the book is really in the subtitle ‘and what Africans can do about it’. Greg Mills does not think that it is up to the developed world to solve Africas’ problems. To state the obvious, this approach has not worked in the past and he spends a lot of time explaining why this will not work in the future either.
A large proportion of the book is not about Africa at all. He spends a large chunk of the first half of the book discussing various reasons (or excuses) given for the relative…
He spends a large chunk of the first half of the book discussing various reasons (or excuses) given for the relative failure of African nations to grow and for each reason, he finds another nation elsewhere in the world that has had the opposite experience.
In the end, he points out that nations that showed spectacular economic growth e.g. Singapore, were led by leaders and governments who were obsessed by economic growth and staked their reputations on achieving it.
Even though there are many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, each with their own story, the central theme is lack of interest by governments on how to realistically achieve growth. One of the strengths of this book is that Greg Mills does not use words like ‘probably’, ‘might’ or ‘could be the reason’. He basically…
The reading culture in Zambia does not exist and many who would claim that they do read peruse through pages in slanted fashion starting top left hand corner of the page following an imaginary straight line to the bottom right hand corner and picking buzz words crossed as they skim through! Nothing registers in the head and they rush making commentaries! Thanks @ Raise Your Thinking hope many that now know there’s a book may invest some of their time to read it and compare the author also a friend to the president with Findlay a drug dealer also a friend to a former president to analyse their worth! Zambians must move out of the below average satisfaction to excelling!
Has Mr Kabimba read any of Greg Mills’ books for him to have an ideological disagreement with the author that is based on objectivity? If he has, please can he explain why the solutions/ideas Mr Mills espouses are wrong for Zambia. I think people will benefit more from such an approach than one that’s based on hatred, malice and personal vendetta.
A more sensible comment on this blog. Let’s get to know Greg and his ideas.
Does the writer know the legal definition of the word, “Confess”
Well here it is:
“a written or oral statement by an accused party acknowledging the party’s guilt (as by admitting commission of a crime).”
So my question is, is it crime to have certain friends?
There are too many writers of articles who are ignorant.
As Simon Mwewa Lane said in one his broadcast the other day, “Do not use words that you don’t know the meaning”.
In other words learn to shut up.
KABIMBA, THE CHARACTER OF A PERSON TO SOME EXTENT DEFINES THE TYPE OF FRIENDS THE PERSON HAS. COMPARE THE TWO PRESIDENTS LUNGU AND HH AM PRETTY SURE YOU WILL SATISFACTORILY FIND THE DIFFERENCE ABOUT WHO HAS FRIENDS WITH GOOD INFLUENCE.
Winter is a very du.ll lawyer…
No wonder he has never won any case…….
What is Creg Mills convicted or suspected of ????
Drug dealing ? Corruption ??
Tell us about his cases ???
Lusaka Times, role of the media is to inform. Not busy moderating constructive criticism. My comments and views were unworthy of any moderation based on the content.
It is public opinion that the nation was misinformed intentionally or not of the nature of the reasons for the travel to South Africa during the launch of a book.
It’s a bad precedence and a loophole that needs to be closed. Otherwise crusading for the rule of law but failing to walk the talk is taking Zambian tax payers for granted.
It ebbs away the trust people have in HH. His leadership needs to succeed otherwise Zambia’s doom will be irreversible.
Thank you winter. You have now made Greg mills popular in zambia and many zambians will start reading his books. By the way we are now going into summer so you need to go into hibernation once again.
What Mr. Mills must understand is that if HH is his puppet, we’re not!
Question to the writer of the article, have you read any of Greg Mills books? especially the one, “Why Africa is Poor: And What Africans Can Do About It”
Go on Amazon and get a copy or any of the other books mentioned by #5 Upnd cadre from Ngombe compound lsk. You might learn somthing.
Another question, does the majority of you writing comments know what you are writing about or who Greg Mills is
This ironic…Wynter talking about friends how about his friends in oil procurement the middlemen this man who was heading a commission of inquiry back in 2012 into why fuel was costly only for him to become a player in the sector. Tell us about your friendship with Fred Meembe; the entanglements?
Can’t we just criticize without calling each other names? Do we always have to criticize only those we don’t like without paying attention to what they’re talking about? I’d have thought it’s more important and beneficial to listen to what is being said and not who’s saying it. Our level of criticism is way below kindergarten level. It borders more on insanity than mere lack of understanding of issues being talked about. It’s assumed that we all have brains in the right place but it looks like some people have musles where the brain is supposed to be
I would definitely have Greg Mills as a friend.
I am currently reading his book, “Why Africa is Poor: And What Africans Can Do About It”.
Many of you should buy it.
Be reading it, I can see why HH has him as friend.
Greg Mills gives truth’s.
Am happy that foolish politcal failures and very jealous people like winter kabimba and kaizer zulu were never my classmates otherwise i was going to be engulfed in terrible shyness because of their backward thinking and acts.
kabimbbai is like a vulture, a shameless wild bird of prey
Rwandans have no problem with Kagame’s friendship with Anthony Blair. If Greg Mills was a black man, no one would be concerned. We in Zambia are Caucasophobic.