By Magret Mwanza – Political Analyst and Governance Activist
When foreigners start to feel more entitled to speak for the people of Zambia than Zambians themselves, it becomes necessary to sound the alarm.
Thierry Charles, a French minority shareholder in ZCCM-IH holding a measly somewhere less than 3%, has once again gone on a self-righteous rant in what he imagines is a defense of the Zambian people.
But let’s be clear: this man is not our voice. He is not our savior. He is a meddlesome distraction with a shady past and a dangerous sense of entitlement that must be firmly rejected.
This week, Zambians woke up to a ludicrously dramatic statement from Charles mourning the non-renewal of Bishop John Mambo’s appointment as a director at ZCCM-IH.
Charles, in his signature style, portrayed Mambo as some kind of messiah who had single-handedly turned the company around. What he deliberately ignores is the glaring truth: Bishop Mambo’s term was up. It had run its course—three full years. He was not dismissed. He simply was not reappointed.
That is standard procedure in any boardroom in the world. The shareholder—in this case, the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC)—has every legal and sovereign right to make such a decision. The IDC is chaired by the President of the Republic of Zambia, Hakainde Hichilema, a man who has been entrusted with the stewardship of the nation by millions of Zambians—not by a noisy Frenchman with a loud mouth and a god complex.
Thierry Charles Is Not a Patriot but a Parasite
Charles parades himself as the last line of defense against corruption at ZCCM-IH. But who is this man, really? Who gave him this imaginary mandate to speak for the 20 million Zambians he keeps referencing?
*This is a man whose initial capital is suspected to have come from illicit gold dealings and shady arms trades. Yes, we are aware, Mr. Charles. Your connections to the murky underworld of the French mob are not folklore. Your reputation precedes you, and no amount of virtue-signaling can wash your blood-stained financial history clean.*
You came to Zambia, picked up a few minority shares, and suddenly declared yourself the watchdog of national interests? Spare us the insult. Zambia is not some failed colony begging for European saviors. We are a sovereign, self-governing republic, and we do not need the condescending lectures of a man whose only stake in this country is monetary—and even that, barely significant.
Your being part of the 3% minority shareholding does not entitle you to dictate how this government runs its parastatals. You are not the President, nor are you a policy maker. You are not even a Zambian citizen. If you are unhappy with the direction of ZCCM-IH, kindly take your shares and go invest in a French company.
We do not need, want, or tolerate foreign busybodies who stir chaos and destabilize institutions under the guise of activism.
A Weaponized White Savior Complex
Thierry Charles’ behavior is a textbook case of the white savior complex—a foreigner who believes he alone knows what is best for Africans.
He speaks as if without him, Zambia would descend into darkness. He writes long-winded opinion pieces criticizing government decisions as though the people of Zambia are incapable of discerning what is good for them.His rhetoric is not only offensive—it is dangerously neocolonial.
Who does Charles think he is? Appointments at ZCCM-IH are not subject to approval by foreign minority shareholders. This is a Zambian company, with a Zambian mandate, run by a Zambian government.You, Mr. Charles, are a guest here—and one who has long overstayed his welcome.
Your dramatic assertions that the removal of Bishop Mambo “augurs darker days ahead” are both laughable and insulting. What darkness are you talking about? That a sovereign state exercised its right to renew or not renew a board member’s tenure?
That we refused to be blackmailed by your emotional blackmailing and veiled threats? No, sir. The only darkness we see is in your imperialist fantasies that Zambia is somehow accountable to you.
An Agenda Hidden in Plain Sight
Let’s stop pretending Thierry Charles is not even a concerned investor. His agenda is obvious: access to influence, insider information, and control. While Bishop Mambo served on the board, Charles and his group enjoyed the comfort of having a pipeline to internal company decisions.They had eyes and ears inside. Now that the tap has been shut off, they are in panic mode.
That’s the real reason behind this sudden public tantrum. It is not about governance. It is not about patriotism. It is about lost leverage and the frustration of a foreign investor who can no longer pull strings in the boardroom.
Zambia has had enough of these self-interested manipulators who masquerade as defenders of transparency while pursuing backdoor access to power and contracts.
If Thierry Charles were truly acting in the interest of Zambia, he would not be spreading alarmist rhetoric designed to embarrass our government on the international stage. He would not be writing letters that are effectively attempts at economic sabotage.
Sell Your Shares and Leave
Mr. Charles, let us say it plainly: you are not indispensable. Your minority shareholding does not make you a stakeholder in the national consciousness.
If you cannot respect our institutions and leaders, then it is time you divest and find a more hospitable host elsewhere.
You are welcome to sell your share of the 3% shares to Zambians—who are the rightful owners of this land and its resources.
Let the people you so arrogantly claim to speak for take over your stake. Perhaps then, ZCCM-IH can focus on development, not drama.
We are tired of foreign interference in our economy. We are tired of double standards, of being told how to run our affairs by men who would never tolerate such arrogance in their own countries.
This is Zambia—not some experimental plantation for European shareholders to play geopolitics.
A Final Word for you Sir
This government, under President Hakainde Hichilema, has the constitutional right to appoint and remove board members as it sees fit.
Zambia does not owe explanations to foreign investors for exercising its sovereign functions. You Thierry Charles and your ilk must be reminded that you are here by privilege, not by right.
ZCCM-IH has a job to do: drive economic growth, create value for citizens, and protect Zambia’s mineral wealth. That mission cannot—and will not—be held hostage by the whims of one foreign shareholder with delusions of grandeur.
Zambia belongs to Zambians. Full stop.
Kick this french parasite out, just as the president of Africa, Mr Ebrahim Traore has done
The one who wrote this nonsense should have their facts right or be ready for a lawsuite.
Half truths and imagination are the devil’s best friends and the author of these lies must be the devil’s best friend.
If he only has a measely 3 percent as you say, then why should what he says be a problem to you? Is it because he has seen or said something that has brought attention to what ever schemes you the author and your cohorts are hatching??? As they say, the truth hurts!!!
Finally….some has told this man my exact opinion. Good riddence
“This is a man whose initial capital is suspected to have come from illicit gold dealings and shady arms trades. Yes, we are aware, Mr. Charles. Your connections to the murky underworld of the French mob are not folklore. Your reputation precedes you, and no amount of virtue-signaling can wash your blood-stained financial history clean.” If this statement is true, then lacks seriousness. How did this man evade all known internationally accepted practices of ‘checking’ money sources when one wants to invest? If Zambia knew the bad sources of that money, then we are accomplices. If Zambia has just known now, kick him out without wasting time. Or else, I’ll just conclude that you are politicising things because Thiery Charles is giving you a good run for your money!
I am of the same thought Ycrep. She has gone into a loooong rant over Charles’s little protest which could merely have been ignored. Doesn’t this drive us into concluding this is but UPND cadreism at work? They like echoing what their boss says no matter how senseless. Remember Ekutumpa Uko? And, Whenever they see a white man talking about Zambia, they are all intimidated. In case you ve forgotten they always label a white man stirring their pot a Muzungu wopusa
This heavy-handed response to Thierry Charles sounds like sour grapes from koswe-mumpoto angry at being exposed. Thieves can be violent!
KKIIKIKIKI
We have a lot like him on our doorstep and they are Zambians
You invite them and then start attacking them. The Bembas say, “mumbwe aitile mpashi nokumububa shamububa.” Mwamona ba cimbwi no plan! You are so ashamed of your actions and start attacking the foreigners you want to run the country through anonymous posts. How spineless you are.
Hahaha.
Even the western puppet masters of UPND are discarding them. That’s how bad things are for them.
On the contrary Charles Thierry is doing ordinary Zambian’s a favour by speaking against corporate abuse by the political class. Zccm-ih has been “raped” by political agents from MMD, PF and now. Just research on how Ndola lime has been run down despite incurring hundreds of millions of debt. It’s wrong to hide behind the French colonial legacy, to attack Charles Thierry anti corruption crusade without questioning our own complicity in allowing the savage “rape” of Zccm-ih that has happened since privatisation
YOU WILL NEED FOREIGNERS ?
THE GOVERNMENT IS SEEKING FOREIGN INVESTORS.
REMEMBER ZCCM-IH IS NOT UPND BABY!!
VERY BAD ARTICLE
Most still think they can do it by ourselves 60 years is not long enough to grasp the situation
The best is for us is to apoogise to the future generations for the mess we passing on to them
this includes the chiefs and archaic customs being clinged to its time to become one people
The chiefs by their nature cant unite us. They still live in archaic environments that say they are given power by other forces above. That clashes with modern republic logic which we have decided to follow. In a republic only those we voted into power should govern us. Thats why there is at present no kingdom taking any of humanity forward because we did away with them. Dont try clinging to them
This Margaret is too thick to know about the intricacies of zccm. Her only opinion is that Charles should not speak because he is a foreigner. He has every right to speak as he is a shareholder. If anything he is looking out for the interests of minority shareholders who have been sidelined. The only one who has no right to speak about zccm is this cockroach called Margaret mwanza.
Charles is the perfect example of why Africa must reclaim its voice—foreigners who buy scraps of shares and think they’ve bought the soul of a nation.
Zambia is not for sale, and certainly not to arrogant Europeans still addicted to colonial delusions.
It’s always the ones who contribute the least that speak the loudest. Charles and his lot own less than 3% and thinks they owns the country. Laughable. Uku kutumpa sana
Africans are not children in need of supervision. We are not your project, Mr. Charles. Respect our sovereignty or get out.
this is how neocolonialism works—through manipulation, arrogance, and false claims of ‘concern.’ Charles is not helping us, he’s exploiting us.
The white savior complex is a disease, and Thierry Charles is patient zero in Zambia right now.
When will these imperialists learn that Africa is not their playground anymore? Zambia is not under French command.
You’re not Zambian. You don’t speak for us. You don’t even know us. Stop pretending you care about our interests.
what’s o this noise. A Frenchman crying over a board reshuffle in Zambia? Imagine the uproar if an African tried that in France?
only the truth hurts
if you want to be respected , you need to clean the managers of this beautifull country
I confirm that Bishop Mambo is a benefit for ZCCM-IH and more widely for Zambia. As a shareholder of ZCCM-IH, I may say and affirm that his ouster is a shame and fishy, whatever certains who know nothing about ZCCM-IH might think.
the words of this Magret Mwanza are a web of lies and slanders about me.
Clearly our voice is disturbing and the ‘This is our time’ clique wants to smear us and try to discredit us.That is why I am informing their henchmen like this Magret Mwanza, bootlickers and relays that our lawyers will immediately initiate the appropriate legal proceedings in the event of the slightest recurrence.
A word to the wise !
Thierry CHARLES
President of ZCCM Defense