Wednesday, August 7, 2024

Consultant ‘Rubbishes’ Cabinet Meetings

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A consultant in organization and leadership development has noted that cabinet meetings do not serve their purpose.

Martin Kalungu Banda who served as special consultant to president Levy Mwanawasa from 2005 to 2008 says most cabinet meetings are mere announcement and directive meetings.

Mr. Kalungu Banda told journalists during a CNN multi choice journalists forum in Lusaka that most African leaders do not dialogue with their subordinates.

And Zambia is this evening hosting the prestigious CNN Africa Journalist Award for 2012. Journalists from across the continent have assembled in Lusaka for the annual wards high on the CNN calendar.

The main partners in the awards are Multichoice, UNICEF, Coca-Cola and Africa Development Bank.

All the partners have expressed the importance of the media in advocacy and development on the continent of Africa.

And Journalists have been urged to give fair and accurate coverage to all political parties.

Joyce Mhaville the managing director of ITV of Tanzania, CNN international Johannesburg South Africa bureau Chief Kim Norgaard and general manager of vanguard news paper of Nigeria urged journalists at a CNN multi choice seminar to be factual in their reporting.

Meanwhile, Post newspaper managing director Fred M’membe has charged that journalism ethics are not for politicians to regulate.

He says politicians are legislators of laws guiding the practice of journalism but that ethics are for journalist to regulate.

Mr. M’membe notes that journalists possess some power which other forces contest and use for their own good.

 

MUVI TV

42 COMMENTS

  1. We always have known that to be the case. With KK it was worse, some minister nebver got to meet him throught the time thet served in his cabinet. I hear Sata only meets Kabimba and Chikwanda.

  2. Meanwhile Fred Mmembe will neither be controlled by politicians or journalists. What Fred says is the Gospel truth, even when he says the police are investigating the dissappearance of Us$36,000 from former President Bandas residence.

  3. Good evening

    If that is really the case, then Mr. Banda’s observation needs to be taken seriously.

    In a democratic state, cabinet meetings should serve as an opportunity for open dialogue. Subordinates should be free to express themselves and debate important issues, not to be spoon-fed with announcements and silenced by an an iron grip from the leadership.

    We can only hope that there is more openness in parliament. Otherwise we still have miles to go in terms of achieving true democracy.

  4. As for me “Liberty is telling people what they do not want to hear-absolute truth.” as Orwell in 1984 observes , Government and economics evolves on man. Man is so important & deserves protection from exploitation &slavery. Come to think of it: Without man there’s no government, without man there’s no democracy, without man- politics is useless, without man no business can survive, without man no economics can thrive. Yet we have reduced man to a tool for economic exploitation and slavery

  5. Really, the one who is saying Sata only meets Kabimba and Chikwanda, do you mean those are cabinet meetings? Check the picture first. How many people can you see around that table? I agree to the fact that there is should be open dialogue among the ministers on any issue, chaired by the President. There ought to be germination and cross-pollination of ideas in order to achieve meaninful development.

  6. Mr Banda should specify whether changes should be made in the way cabinet meetings are conducted.It will not be possible to abolish the Cabinet meeting altogether.Management of institutions en-tales that meetings should be held to map the way forward in achieving the objectives and goals of that institution. 

    Dollar

  7. You serve one leader and you generalise for all the countries in Africa? Strange observation for someone calling himself a consultant! Just because Zuma is a polygamist, it does not make all African presidents to be polygamists. 

  8. Self-serving character and a liar, too. All governments, globally, including despotic ones, hold cabinet meetings, mainly for the purposes of reaching consensus with regard to their development agendas. A warped proposition, such as Banda’s, is basically eutopian and can only portend and forment anarchy every where.

  9. The PURPOSE of the meetings is not the problem! Problem lies with the people hosting them – do these people UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE OF SUCH MEETINGS??? Do their AGENDAS SERVE THIS PURPOSE???? Of course if one doesn’t understand their purpose, they might as well host braii & call it a cabinet MEETING!!

  10. I think cabinet meetings mainly depends on the type of person (the President) at State House. If the president wants to make cabinet meetings fruitful and meaningful, he could! He can turn them into an invaluable avenue for him to get real input from his leutenants (ministers), or he can simply turn cabinet meetings into forums through which to feed his ego and assert his self-serving supiriority.

    So, in short, cabinet meetings have a purpose, but that purpose depends on what the President pursives it to be. After all, he is the head of his cabinet. Therefore, it is wrong for Kalungu Banda to generalize!

  11. The consultant is right. The cabinet meeting is like a theater in Africa. Look at how the Ministers are standing like pets of the Presidents. The President will whistle, and no one has the guts to suggest a different tune of the whistle. Cabinet meeting in Zambia????? Hah! You must be joking!

  12. These meetings are not fruitful, what can you expect frm grade sevens when they are given high posts.

  13. @15 nostra anus, stop bn petty, where does kabimba fit in this story? As for this fake consultant banda whatever, your observation is indeed warped. Every organisation, society etc needs to meet to discuss issues pertaining to their very existance and how thats done, depends on such group’s style. Can kaulungu banda tell us what the ideal meeting should be and not hiding behind being once levy’s something.

  14. These meetings are not fruitful, what can you expect frm grade sevens when they are given high posts. Cabinet is full of sub-standard material. Vote wisely in 2016. CHIIMBWINISM/UKWANISM.

  15. @ 16 charles glass, even in board/management meetings we sit same way. Is your problem that ministers are standing when the president walks in and a prayer is on or what comes out of the meeting. or u a just an HH puppy, critising anything PF.

    • You “Hear”; Learn to stay mute when you don’t have what to write about! Rumour can be bad, especially when started for the sake of seeing what people will write in follow-ups! Marabiiiish!!!

  16. Martin

    Are you giving your assessment of the Mwanawasa cabinet meetings?

    Are you assuming or you conducted empirical research?

    What are your suggestions?

  17. Banda Kalungu Martin, how else do you think these meetings should conducted? Are you sure ministers don’t talk, don’t reason with the President? If that is the case then governance in Zambia is a one man show. Mmmm it can be too engaging, to complicated for one man to strategise on everything. From energy to education, local govt and all. Eish, our Presidents then have been super.

  18. Best thing to do in order to keep the process in check is to start publishing Cabinet Meetings’ minutes after every two years so that people involved become more development minded in behaviour instead of our continued secrecy and imbecility.

  19. # 22 Tonny Blair. Be realistic over Kabimba Vis-a-av functions of government. Cabinet in any government sysytem entails the elected and appointed individuals serving the core (inner circle) governing body directing the country’s management activities. It does not include the party (cadre) functions as such unless becomes cabinet member. Kabimba does not hold any government position to be in cabinet. That position is firmly held with democratic norms and values. Its departure from it as is seen with Kabimba in Kabinet is an afront to democratic principles and disguisely seen as guided democracy seen in last RB regime. Errors of this nature to be repeated is worse than hypocricts as seen by PF and Sata (Kabimba’s Uncle).

  20. @ Complexity. Where is Winter Kabimba in the photo above? If you can point him out to us then your argument holds water.

  21. FAKE consultant! Does this so called consultant sit in all cabinet meetings to know what goes on when the meetings are in session? The answer is a BIG FAT NO! Therefore I can safely say he is FAKE!

  22. So thats what happened under Levy! Martin, but cabinet meetings are done every where in the eorld. I am sure its for purposes of communication, informing, discussing, instructing, strategies, tactics and what have you. So all what goes on there is rubbish. May be your analysis is also ddaft. After all that time when you seemed so busy doing something so you were just doing worthless things for so long! Why did you stay there for that long? You have betrayed late
    Levy. I
    Were agendas there, did agendas have topics for deliberation, did cabinet ministers discuss matters, we heard of disagreements in such meetings were all that rubbish? I have not understood your position.

  23. By the way…under which President did cabinet meetings stop being held at Cabinet Office? Could it have been during KK’s last days?

  24. The fake philosopher who decives himself that he is so unique and intelligent. Quick to criticise others but . . .

  25. Who is Martin Kalungu?Why did Levy find him useful?
    Most comments as usual are from a point of ignorance.
    I hope one day Martin will offer himself for President.On that day,Zambia will really be proud.

    • My my it is amazing how the whole world can be stupped in expensing energies on the incorrect article on Mr. Kalungu Banda’s speech. I believe most of us know the word triangulation and it would help us read about sources of information before we comment – it would interest you to read the Post of 22nd July where verbatim reporting was done by Post reporters – dont fall prey to information abuse.

  26. It is very interesting to read the article about my speech to the more than 200 journalists from all over Africa. Lusaka Times readers, you may have a very skewed view of last week. The week was a BIG celebration of the courage, commitment and professionalism of journalists in Africa. The article in Lusaka Times is the contrary of the good journalism we were celebrating. The event was held in Zambia, but it was for Africa. I was addressing African journalists (less than 15 were from Zambia). I was speaking from my experience of working not only with leaders in Zambia, but many countries across the world. I did not just speak about what is not working well; I also suggested how things can be made better. Friends, take time to cross-check your data to enrich online dialogue.

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