Maimbo May Have Missed the AFDB Throne
…but He Crowned Zambia with Pride
Amb. Anthony Mukwita wrote:
Lusaka – 29 May 2025
Zambia’s Munzele Maimbo may have lost the African Development Bank (AfDB) presidential race to Mauritania’s Tah, but make no mistake—this was no loss.
If anything, Maimbo reminded every Zambian, from Kaputa to Gwembe, that the sky is not the limit. It’s just the warm-up altitude.
Let’s put things in perspective. The man is already Vice President of the World Bank—a corner office gig as high as you can climb without bumping into the “Made in America” ceiling. So no, Maimbo didn’t fall. He soared.
And in doing so, he made it crystal clear that Zambians don’t just belong in the back office—they belong at the head of the table.
Credit where it’s due: President Hakainde Hichilema, aka Don H, stood firmly behind him, he must for Kennedy Mambwe, and Anthony Mukwita.
That support was not just presidential—it was patriotic. Today it’s Munzele. Tomorrow it could be Mubanga, Mumba, or Mulenga from Kasama. The pipeline has been opened. Let the dreams flow.
Now, let’s not kid ourselves. From the diplomatic whispers in the wind, its clear Tah wasn’t scared of most candidates—but Munzele? He was watching him like a rooster with an itch.
If the Don miraculously wins the next poll, Munzi is my pick for Minister of Finance, young black and talented.
WHAT ARE THE LESSONS HERE
The lesson? Elections like these aren’t won on voting day. That’s just the finish line. The real campaign starts five years earlier—in quiet boardrooms, at summits, over bitter coffee and even more better negotiations.
That’s why, as a former top diplomat, voted as first among equals once, and serial geo-political expert, I propose something bold: create an Office for International Placement. Don’t tell me it exists at MFA it doesn’t.
I can run it.
LESSONS FOR THE FUTURE TODAY
It’s a job Scout for the world for top-tier posts, headhunt our best brains, groom them, and throw them into the international fire—well-seasoned and well-supported.
Stop sending our champions into the ring with a day’s notice and a prayer. I’ve done this work. Call me—I come with receipts.
Put Chomba Chella for elections continentally, Lubinda Haabazoka at IMF etc. it’s not an overnight success.
Maimbo didn’t lose for lack of talent. He fought with dignity and left a mark, he won.
I rate him right up there with my
bruder, the Great Kalusha Bwalya, who gave us that glorious AFCON victory in 2012. GREAT KALU.
Zambia’s pride exports are no longer just copper and maize—we’re shipping brains too.
Now, to my final point—AFDB isn’t just another fancy acronym. It’s crucial.
Africa needs its own bank that thinks African, dreams African, and funds African. Not just hand-me-downs from IMF and World Bank.
I hope Mr. Tah gets that memo. Because this isn’t just about who got the job—it’s about lifting a poor, rich continent to where it rightfully belongs.
People are sending messages saying Ambassador Mukwita your friend has lost, lol, “Dr Maimbo, I have even never even met personally or verbally,
“I just know and respect him from his work portfolio. You don’t need to be friends to root for people. Dr. Maimbo is a real hombre I hope to meet soon.”
I wanna know why all the chicks are talking about him.
Zambia love your people when they are alive, do not wait for them to die.
Hail to Munzi magic!
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Amb Anthony Mukwita is a published author and International Relations Analyst.