Chibamba Kanyama’s comment on Prof. Mwenda’s post
He wrote:👇
Many thanks Prof. We have spoken. I know there has been a continued narrative about my academic credentials in economics, generated by one person who knew little about me many years ago and some people have continued to rub it in albeit unsuccessfully.
For those who want to have a bit of context and do care about me, I went to UNZA as a direct entry student in Mass Communication (which was then treated as a school despite being in School Of Humanities).During registration, I decided to switch to economics as major,a decision that was rejected.
On appeal, Dr Caleb Fundanga, then Head of Economics department, escalated my application to Senate (cannot remember on this one) but was allowed to take an overload of courses every year; the only student at the time allowed to do an overload of five courses per year instead of four; implying I had to carry as many Mass Comm courses as I did for economics.
Interestingly, from 1st to 4th year, I performed far better in economics courses than I did in Mass Comm (I submitted my academic transcripts everywhere I worked, including the IMF). I was classmate to many colleagues who are still alive, among them former Secretary to Treasury Fredson Yamba, former Maths teacher at Libala boys. I am citing him because we did economics together at UNZA, and the current Minister of Finance Dr. Musokotwani, lectured us in Banking, Finance and Public expenditure. Mr Yamba and I later studied for an MSc Development Finance programme at University of Reading.
I do not need to belabour any of these issues but the fact still remains today that Economics has remained my favourite subject: I love it to the extent I have lectured in the region and I lecture EXMBA at UNILUS five years now (implying the student rating is very good). My investment book expanded from my dissertation ‘Determinants of FDI in the Southern African Development Community- Risks and Opportunities’ has continued to enjoy citations from the academic world (people are free to google it).
I am not disturbed by the social media commentary. As long as you are engaged in some activity, people will always talk about you, and it’s tolerable so long it does not change the facts. I value my life goals and what I have done to myself, wife and children (my first born son is an economist and he is Head of Projects and Research at my company Bridges Limited, the company that crafted strategic plans for ZRA, NHIMA, LUSE, ZAMRA, LMMU, ZACL, MFZ Limited currently PIA, WARMA, CHAZ etc . Above all this, I value the people of Zambia, both those who have interacted with me in person and not. When I read the musing, I knew it had nothing to do with me because it does not speak about me. Besides, Prof Mwenda was my distant academic mentor when studying for my MSc and has remained close to me ever since. I value everyone and compliments of the season.