MAPANI IS CORRUPT AND NOW NEPOTISTIC
Nepotism at ZESCO is a Clear Indication of Ethical Decay in Our County
By Daimone Siulapwa
The recent exposé of nepotism within ZESCO, with Managing Director Victor Mapani promoting his daughter, Beenzu Mapani, to a senior position, has ignited outrage and exposed a culture of entitlement and cronyism at the heart of our public institutions.
However, a closer examination of the situation reveals a disturbing pattern of abuse of power and ethical decay that cannot be ignored.
Victor Mapani assumed the role of ZESCO Managing Director on December 3rd, 2021, stepping into a position of immense responsibility charged with powering the nation.
Meanwhile, Beenzu Mapani was pursuing her legal career at John Kaite Legal Practitioners, a private law firm, far removed from the realm of public utilities.
Yet, within months of assuming office, Mapani made a brazen move to employ his daughter within the organization in 2022, without regard for any moral or ethical principles.
The argument that Beenzu Mapani may be qualified for the position is a hollow justification in the face of such blatant nepotism.
If Victor Mapani truly wished to support his daughter’s career aspirations, he could have facilitated her employment with other companies where his colleagues could have offered assistance without compromising the integrity of a public institution like ZESCO.
Instead, by leveraging his position of power to benefit his own family, Mapani has reinforced the perception of untouchable impunity among the ruling elite and he is clearly guilty of abuse of office.
It is clear that he wields an alarming amount of influence within ZESCO, creating a toxic environment where personal connections and loyalty to the MD take precedence over professionalism and merit, rendering the HR unit defunct and cosmetic.
This flagrant display of nepotism not only undermines the credibility of ZESCO but also erodes public trust in our governance structures.
It sends a chilling message to the hardworking citizens of Zambia: that no matter how qualified or competent they may be, success in our society is ultimately determined by who you know, not what you know.
Furthermore, it exposes a dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a select few, where individuals like Victor Mapani operate with impunity, shielded from accountability by their positions of authority.
Such unchecked power breeds corruption and fosters a culture of entitlement, where those in positions of influence believe themselves to be above the law.
The nepotistic promotion of Beenzu Mapani at ZESCO is not just a symptom of ethical decay within one organization; it is a symptom of a broader systemic problem that permeates our society.
It is a wake-up call for all citizens to demand transparency, accountability, and integrity from our leaders and institutions.
The nepotism scandal unfolding at ZESCO serves as a good reminder of the urgent need for systemic reform and a renewed commitment to the principles of meritocracy and fairness.
It is time to hold those in positions of power accountable for their actions and to ensure that public institutions serve the interests of all citizens, not just a select few.
Anything less would be a betrayal of the democratic ideals upon which our nation was founded.
Daimone Siulapwa is a political analyst, an advocate for tribal unity, and Citizen Economic Empowerment.
For all comments and inquiries regarding content creation, research, speeches, proposals, book writing, creative marketing, investigations, and more, please feel free to contact us at dsiulapwa@gmail.com
Which law has been broken? You are a politician who represents people go and report to the integrity committee or better still challenge it in court than ukubwatabwatafye.
How nice it feels working with my dad!
It’s difficult to read anything into a single episode!
When I read the title, I was expecting to find a number of cases of nepotism to convince me. As far as I know, in Zambia Army , you can find a number of relatives of military personnel. It becomes nepotism when you staff the all institution with your relatives.
Here , my opinion is NO
The author blames Zesco MD who has done something regarded as norm within society, eg check with police and armed forces. He has rightly pointed out the negatives of current system as immorality and unauthical but no reference made to any illegality committed. The author should have prepared this good article without emphasis on Zesco MD because by so doing, he sounds a jealous individual.
It’s you Demon Siulapwa that is actually decayed. You don’t even deserve the title of a journalist because you don’t know what it takes to be one.
You put your big ass on a seat and start writing a story that you never checked or verified! How more worse undignified can you be? You must surely be ashamed of yourself.
The Mapani you are talking about is not even Victor’s daughter. At least you should have verified it with your decayed ass before making a fool of yourself.
I am going to ask Victor to sue for libel because idiots like you Demon Siulapwa only learn when something hits hard economically. Fool.
If this is indeed true and factual then both the father and daughter have to be fired.
You son of the Devil cant you get it? Haven’t you heard that these are different people except the jealous making you think they are father and daughter.
That girl is not ZESCO MD’s daughter get it in your thick head!! Of course they have same name and that’s where you numbskulls got it wrong. Idyots.
No wonder ZESCO continues to underperform!
This explains why loadshedding tayakapwe. Forget about which new government you bring in!
We are a toxic “wako ni wako” poverty stricken, cholera ravaged heavily indebted poor, hypocritical Christian nation!
Zambia needs the Kagame or Traore no nonsense strongman!
We are a big mess of a country!
It’s not the daughter but the niece which is just as good as your daughter. Both of them should be relieved of their posts.