MILLING AROUND WITH AN AXE TO GRIND
By Sunday Chilufya Chanda
Reference is made to a recent article “Zambia’s Zimbabwe Redux” wherein the writer gave his two cents regarding South Africa’s Finance Minister Tito Mboweni’s snide remarks on the appointment of a new Bank of Zambia Governor. This was before UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema brought privatization fires on himself – maybe its by God’s providence that this matter is being interrogated by Zambians, both young and old, today.
Coming to the issue for this piece, and never mind that Mboweni has since been severely reprimanded by his own Head of State -President Cyril Ramaphosa – for meddling in the affairs of a sovereign nation. The piece attributed to Greg Mills of the BrentHurst Foundation and published in sections of international media is at best simplistic and at worst morbidly disingenuous.
Simplistic for its disregard of Zambian statutory provisions for the appointment of a Central Bank Governor; disingenuous, because it is part of a poorly concealed scheme to trigger an erosion of confidence in Zambia’s Central Bank and the country’s economy as a whole.
It is part of elaborate regime change agenda that has been hatched to prop-up the political interests of Greg Mill’s “anointed candidate” Hakainde Hichilema, who just so happens to be defacto Life president of Zambia’s main opposition party –the United Party for National Development (UPND). Mill’s political interests arising out of common interests known between his foundation and the Zambian opposition leader explains his ad hominem attacks on the Zambian political leadership of the country’s ruling party and the newly appointed Central Bank Governor even as he awaits ratification by Parliament. His remarks have nothing to do with corporate governance.
On the other hand, they have everything to do with cheap attempts to lay a basis for op-eds with anti-Zambian sentiments across the regional and western media landscape, in which the country can be used as a bad case of “erosion of independence” of Central Banks in the Region.
RUNNING A MILL FOR REGIME CHANGE AT ALL COSTS
Is it a coincidence that Africa Confidential Volume 55 no. 23 in article, entitled “Foreign boost for opposition” claimed that some dignitaries and “South African businessmen” are bent on galvanising Zambia’s fractious opposition by uniting them against Zambia’s ruling party- the Patriotic Front (PF)?
The piece by the London based investigative journal outlines an alleged conspiracy linked to Brent Hurst Foundation – an institution headed by Greg Mills – to agitate regime change and facilitate the installation of Hakainde Hichilema as President of Zambia.
It alleges that Hichilema – perhaps Africa’s longest serving opposition leader with a highly questionable “rags to riches” story is being funded and supported by some South African mining interests that are apparently motivated to install him, having mobilised themselves to oust President Edgar Chagwa Lungu and Patriotic Front, whom they view as a major impediment to their schemes.
Mills and his South African mining interests are reportedly and allegedly bent on installing a “user friendly” Zambian President that would ostensibly be used as a proxy in their bid to take over Zambia’s state assets and resources.
Going by the Africa Confidential report, the blind prejudice of Greg Mills’ should come as no surprise. It is in fact par for the course.
BACKGROUND: THE MAZOKA, HICHILEMA, UPND & GREG MILLS CONNECTION
Before he retired and joined active politics in the year 2000, UPND founding President the late Anderson Mazoka worked for Anglo American Corporation (AAC) as its Chief Executive in Zambia.
AAC managed the Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) Nchanga Open Pit Mine and the Chililabombwe mine in Zambia’s Copperbelt Province, until 2001 when Mazoka lost Presidential elections to the Late Levy Mwanawasa. Is it a coincidence that after their erstwhile employee and business partner lost the 2001 Presidential election, AAC hurriedly packed its bags and left Zambia reportedly leaving thousands of mine workers in a lurch?
Fast forward, after the death of Mazoka, in 2006 a hitherto politically unknown Hakainde Hichilema controversially took over the reins of UPND in what was widely seen as an intra-party coup d’état inspired by tribalism, regionalism and nepotism.
Considering Hichilema’s rather curious campaign promise of 2015 that he would “bring back Anglo American Corporation to KCM if elected into office” coupled with Greg Mill’s alleged interests in Anglo American Corporation, would Mills be expected to be anything other than uncomplimentary about Zambia?
…Or wouldn’t he be expected to do what he is doing now;
Milling around with an axe to grind!
End…//…
The Author is Media Director for Patriotic Front- Zambia’s Ruling Party