Who is Emmanuel Mwamba and how to deal with him – a response to Linda Banks

Who is Emmanuel Mwamba and how to deal with him – a response to Linda Banks

Author (name withheld)

Do not ignore him. It would be one of the worst mistakes anyone in government can ever make. Here is why. His personality traits are as follows: he is passionate about what he does; he is self-motivated; he loves what he does; he is not motivated by money; he is courageous; he has strong convictions; he takes risks; he knows this country very well; he knows all the players; he knows their strengths and weaknesess from the President down to the last man in the chain of communication; their combined strength, knowledge and expertise means nothing to him; he demolishes them every time; his knowledge and experience soar far above their combined knowledge and experience; the majority of ministers and aides to the President are totally new to government which makes them all the more vulnerable to the more agile, versatile, nimble, experienced and aggressive Mwamba.

When Chiluba had been deserted by everyone that benefitted from his Presidency and was facing the government machinery of his successor, Mwamba appeared on the scene.

Contrary to the advice of all (they wanted Chiluba to ignore Mwanawasa and his accusations), Mwamba took on the Post Newspaper and the government of Mwanawasa. With no single cent from the former President, he would plan responses to the barrage of attacks coming from Bwinjimfumu, the then Head Quarters of the Post Newspaper. Chiluba, who had been skeptical of Mwamba’s strategy, began to gain strength and confidence when, to his surprise, the Post carried his rebuttals. The Mwanawasa government turned their attention onto Mwamba wondering who he was even assigning state agents to follow him every hour.

Instead of ignoring him, Mwanawasa gave Mwamba a job as an administrator in his predecessor’s office. If government thought that could compromise his commitment to Chiluba, they were mistaken.

He continued on his path even when the risks of losing the job they gave him were ever present. The love of what he does – strategic communication – was all that mattered to him. The country saw for itself how, despite being called a thief every other day, Chiluba walked tall every day of his life till his death. Chiluba was a hard sale. He was a hot potato. The accusations against him were serious. Politically, he was beyond redemption.

Contrary to many, the man didn’t have money after he left office. Those that had worked for him because he had money left. Mwamba worked for him purely because he loves what he does. He did not even need to believe in Chiluba. He did not even need to like him. He just loves a good challenge.

This is what the UPND government is up against. And more. Back then, he did not have the education and experience in government that he now has. Now he is more lethal than ever before. So far, the tools with which UPND is engaging Mwamba are blunt. Threats of arrest, name-calling and emotional outbursts are blunt instruments in communication warfare.

Mwamba considers these as cheap and not worth bringing to a fight. He has and will always demolish them. And it’s not a comfort that the government machinery is behind the UPND communication team because he knows how government works – each unit, communication included, is run by designated officers whose weaknesses and strengths are no match for him.

He does not have the resources that the UPND communication team commands and yet officers in government and parastatals are lining up every day to share with him what exactly is going on within government. They love his courage and trust he will share their grievances with the world. Occasionally, he will make mistakes but he regards that as part of the necessary hazards he must face in his chosen field.

What chances does the UPND communication teaM have in the face of a formidable foe like Mwamba? I am not optimistic. I am not optimistic because UPND mistakes the arrogance of power for knowledge and expertise. They speak with a swag and in contemptible notes as they in vain seek to dismiss Mwamba as a nobody. He is somebody because the country and the world pay attention when he speaks, when he writes and when he makes an appearance in public places. This’s the constituency that raises and brings down governments.

It’s extremely difficult to repair the communication machinery of the UPND because it has everything to do with the mindset of its leadership. UPND, like war veterans, think government can only be run by those that fought in the liberation struggle. But the skills common among war veterans is brute force, skills that are incompatible with running a government. Most post-independence parties are floundering across Africa because of this mindset. This might just contribute significantly to how the country perceives UPND and whether they should remain in power or not.



Yours concerned Zambian