Has Zambia run out of qualified people to run key institutions
Former UPND Vice-President and 2006 losing Parliamentary candidate for Nkana, Mr. Patrick Chisanga has, after a long hiatus from public life, suddenly reincarnated as the new CEO for the Zambia Development Agency.
This is my personal opinion, but I ask: Has Zambia run out of people to appoint as CEOs of strategic institutions? How do you justify bringing a failed politician, without any traceable investment promotion experience, a man of advanced age, to govern a key institution such as ZDA? What is the value addition of this new appointment?
I would have expected that a man of his purported calibre and ‘vast’ experience in Corporate Governance, advanced in age, would have established for himself an empire that offers guidance to governments in matters of governance, and not be flashing his CV for a job that is best suited for his son/daughter’s agility and age. But then, let one not be too harsh, he must have hit hard times and needs to survive and perhaps supplement his corporate governance incomes.
He has indeed done well for himself: From failed politician to CEO. I am wondering how many failed MPs from the opposition parties would have such luck as Patrick Chisanga. But ofcourse isn’t it obvious that Mr. ‘Chisanga’ has an automatic qualification?
Bringing an outsider at senior level demoralizes in house staff
On the part of the ZDA, however, as was the argument we put forth earlier in the year regarding the ZANANCO centre manager who was proposed to be Deputy Governor of the Bank of Zambia (Thank God the error was reversed by the listening government!), I have one question: Are you saying that no one within ZDA had the in-house experience and institutional know-how to take over from Andrew Chipwende? The mid-level professional staff is the backbone of any effective organisation such as ZDA. For this reason, one would have expected that ZDA will prioritise people in-house before considering failed politicians to be its head. ZDA, like any other institution needs to pay more attention to the professional staff from within and avoid the practice of large scale outside entry at senior levels. This will both strengthen the input of institutional memory in high level decisions and to assure a career prospect to the professional ZDA staff. In any case, bringing retired people with no past immediate working experience in investment promotion is just a sham and adds no value to the institution.
With a pool of well qualified and dedicated economists and investment managers at ZDA, outside sourcing of skills which are already in-house demoralises the career staff and reduces the promise of career progression and skill development in the long run.
What is needed at ZDA is a competent investment manager with appropriate experience in investment promotion and policymaking. We can only speculate whether the new CEO has such experience noting that his previous experience was seeking an election as an MP and retired from active politics after losing.
How fair was recruitment process
And finally, what then is the promise to the agile and ambitious youths of the nation when opportunities that clearly should be for them are being rationed for the old and retired guns of the nation that have hit hard times? Strange tides we are on.
Hon. Robert Sichinga, Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry and Patrick Chisanga were both high ranking officials in the UPND. Is it a coincidence therefore that Patrick Chisanga will be reporting directly to Robert Sichinga as ZDA CEO? How fair was the recruitment process? Is patronage at work?
By Hjoe Moono
I RESPECT CHISENGA but I am wondering wht has become of him. Ths is bad NEWS for sure where r we going to work as young ones…..!!!
But he still my man anyway tho he left UPND.
The author is a Tonga & Chisanga is not so its obvious we expect him to be bitter.By the way if he lost for Nkana in 2006, how about ka HH (under 5) who has been losing so many times kwati ni ku period ,has UPND got run out of people to be its CEO!!!
Patrick and Bob were key founders of UPND with Mazoka then. It was the time when UPND was a party with a promise to Zambians. Chisanga was one of the intelligent chaps to spearhead and brainbox of UPND. Mazoka respected such minds and many other intelligent people in UPND then. With the demise of MAZOKA, the bright minds were kicked out as the tribalists moved in and tongalised the party. Since then the UPND has never been the same.
I think the author has a point, can those against this article point at Patrick Chisanga’s achievements since he lost the Nkana parliamentary election. This is not even about tribe, I am sure there qualified Bembas but Patrick is simply not, he is going to struggle to catch up
Hi
Are u still surprised these are Bembas doing their best in tribalism
Patrick Chisanga is around?
I regard him as a man of great calibre, it’s just shameful that people of Nkana Constituency couldn’t vote for this guy, the reason was because he stood on UPND (UDA) ticket.
I am Bemba but i feel embarrassed that dispite the outcry from non Bembas on how appointments appear to be reserved for one tribe this has continued un-abated.
Patrick Chisanga is honorable man and highly respected as a person of integrity. Exactly type of person needed to clear that snake nest of corruption and illegal practices.
The problem is not him…its the whole system its ingrained with corruption.What would you do if your employers are corrupt and always trying to cut corners.
@ Jay Jay
If such a case, I will resign and explain in writing the reasons for my resignation.
Difficult one , the issue of tribe needs to be clearly dealt with otherwise it pains bad picture
The author is a Tonga & Chisanga is not so expect him to be bitter.By the way if he lost for Nkana in 2006, how about ka HH (under 5) who has been losing so many times kwati ni ku period ,has UPND got run out of people to be its CEO!!!
@******* **** and others
Let’s not bring in the issue of tribe here. I may not agree with everything that the author has written but I believe that there comes a time when certain figures in society graduate from taking up paid jobs. I have great respect for Patrick Chisanga, but I feel this job is too small for him, whether he solicited for it or was compelled to take it up I don’t know. If I were him, I wouldn’t lower myself attending a job interview, competing with other candidates whom I’ve interviewed while working as Board Chairman in some firms. These are people who should have their own business empire across the country. Imagine other successful business men e.g Milupi taking up a job as ZESCO CEO. To me it doesn’t make sense. That’s just my opinion anyway.
@******* ****, from all the valid points the author raises, you can only manage to see tribe in it. Though am surprised, Iam tempted to agree with Wynter that most of you PF supporters are illiterates to the core.
Surnames are one of the major requirements for good jobs for today’s Zambia.
If he was Hichisanga…there would be no negative comments from our Tonga friends.
Aren’t we confusing issues here? I do not think the Patrick Chisanga here is the former UPND Vice President. I know of a Patrick Chisanga who patronises these PF offices and it is not the former UPND stalwart. Also note that the former VP did not stand for Nkana at any one time. Check your facts.
It IS the ex-UPND man. There is a half page advert in today’s Times of Zambia from the ZDA Board Chairperson making the announcement, inclusive of a photo, which is unmistakably that of the gentleman under discussion.
PF is looking for credible leader to lead the party. Chisanga is one such person that has been identified. Those who know him well will remember him as one Kaunda’s future leaders from Kitwe. He is slowly being brought back in the lime light into mainstream politics. ZDA is just the start of Patrick’s path to the leadership of PF and this country. WATCH THE SPACE!!
@Deep Thinker
I think it’s you my brother/sister who needs to verify your facts. Patrick Chisanga stood and lost to Mwenya Musenga under UDA in 2006. Initially it was Kazabu who should have stood in Nkana but was forced to withdraw to pave way for Patrick. In fact Patrick Chisanga also stood in Munali in 2001 and lost to Nawakwi. It’s just unfortunate that he lost because people were voting for parties instead of candidates. Compare the calibre of Mwenya Musenge and Patrick CHISANGA, why would one go for Mwenya Musenge?
Check ECZ website for 2006 election results
MWENYA Musenge- PF -13,210
SIWALE Eunice M. -MMD- 4,251
CHISANGA Patrick D. [UPND, FDD, UNIP (UDA)]- 4,132
Moono. Zambians never cease to amaze me. Prof Chirwa was brought from where he was enjoying his life full of designing new developments to help us run an almost defunct strategic transport sector. What have we called him in Zambia: A thief. What are you talking about?
Patrick D. Chisanga is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (UK), from the London School of Accountancy. He is a Licentiate member of the Zambia Institute of Certified Accountants, ZICA. He is also a member of the Institute of Directors of Southern Africa.
He spent nearly 20 years in the Public and Corporate sectors of Zambia, serving as Chief Executive and as Chairman of many Organisations and Companies before he took early retirement in 1994, to focus on running his own family held Group of Companies, under Muchanga Investments Limited, which he had founded in 1987 and in which he serves as Executive Chairman. He is also Managing Consultant of Dynamic Concepts Limited, Consultancy firm which undertakes Corporate Governance Consulting. Is this stale???
Well spoken Patrick, you have just cleared the air for this tonga boy, obviously sent by his boss hh.
Like father like son! In this case like father like daughter…..
THE United States (USA) is still
pushing for the extradition of a
34-year-old Zambian woman
wanted by the Federal Bureau
of Investigations (FBI) to face
fraud charges involving about US$600,000. Patricia Chisanga, daughter of
business consultant Patrick
Chisanga, is wanted by the FBI
after escaping the dragnet last
year as authorities tried to
arrest her on accusations of defrauding Medicaid in the
District of Columbia.
African mentality. Always rebuking others. Mr. Moono did you want to be appointed instead of Patrick? Shame.
What then can you call your HH with declaining support base, if chisanga is a failed polotician
Guys, despite his wrong tribe and may be some government connections, he is a good guy. I don’t normally give credit but I think for him lets give him a benefit of doubt. I am sure he is also aware of the decline fortunes of the ruling party
ZDA is not too small for Patrick Chisanga naimwe. ZDA is a very big organisation supposed to handle international promotions and business investment deals. It is just the nature of the African minds of building small huts instead of a big house even when the people living in them are big and tall people! So in your small minds ZDA is like a hut…ZDA is supposed to be one of the biggest government agencies in Zambia because of its international responsibilities. The problem here may be just the way Patrick Chisanga was appointed, otherwise he is not too big for the position – the job requires exactly somebody with a large experienced profile like him. However, I hope the position was advertised properly and people interviewed. If he got the job fairly, then let us wait and see first.
I think the author had a prejudiced mind when he wrote the article. Mr. Chisanga is a man of immerse experience and his presence at ZDA can be of great value to most stakeholders involved with ZDA. I personnally have a very reason to believe the appoitment is not misplaced.
The recruitment of Mr. Patrick Daniel Chisanga was done in a very transparent manner. The process started with a job advertisement, which ran on the ZDA Website, Times of Zambia, Daily Mail, the Post newspaper and ZNBC. Mr. Chisanga, like anyone else responded to it and because he met the requirements of the job, he was shortlisted. During the interviews Mr. Chisanga emerged victorious and the ZDA Board approved his recruitment.
Note that there was a hybrid of candidates who attended the interviews and the process was neither selective nor discriminatory. Unfortunately, others could not meet all the qualities we had set for the Chief Executive Officer and hence fell off. Nothing would have stopped us from recruiting a young person had they met all the requirements and more importantly…