*NAPSA 20% PARTIAL WITHDRAWAL HAS DEALT A HUGE BLOW ON OPPOSITION POLITICAL PARTIES IN ZAMBIA AS UNZA TOAST BALLY IN FIRST OF ITS KIND CELEBRATION AT THE CAMPUS FOR A SITTING PRESIDENT NEVER SEEN BEFORE*.
Dr. Edgar Ngoma is BuyZed Chairperson
*Without fear or favour*
As much as it is the duty of opposition political parties to offer checks and balance to a sitting government in a democratic space to ensure that such a sitting government performs within the constitution, however, although the new dawn government followed all the dictates of the constitution in the initiation of NAPSA 20% partial withdrawal opposition political parties in Zambia have been trying to find reasons to oppose this move that has hit a huge blow on them (opposition politicalparties) because they never expected Bally to pull a fast one on this single move that has brought about a lot of joy to many homes in the nation that has not made the opposition leaders happy about
As though this was not enough on Wednesday 3rd April 2023 the University of Zambia students hosted Bally and gave him a thunderous welcome because he fulfilled his promise to pay meal allowances to students, and the students through the university senate invited Bally to the campus to thank him for it by organising a live colorful concert at the great East road campus never seen before in the history of UNZA great East road campus.
These recent events which have electrified both pensioners and brought joy in homes and the students at UNZA who most times in previous governments have been very critical of any sitting government to show this kind of love to a sitting head of state has not gone very well with the opposition political parties in Zambia looking at comments that come from the leaders of opposition who have issued negative sentiments over this 20% partial withdrawal.
Let truth be told here. It is a fact that there has been very little money in circulation in the nation, and as such, most homes have adjusted backwards by scrapping off one or two meals in a day. Some homes only had one main meal in a day, scrapping two meals, breakfast and lunch, and the same with university students. The lucky ones have only two meals, breakfast and super skipping lunch because they would take breakfast around 12:00 noon, which combines breakfast and lunch to mitigate for a lost lunch. This has been a trend, especially in high density areas whose income falls under less than a dollar a day.
Now, with the release of meal allowances to students at our universities, students can now concentrate on their studies because one can not concentrate on studies on an empty stomach. The students are genuinely happy with Bally and the New Dawn Government in this single move otherwise these university students would never pretend and they have demonstrated it before in the past with past government when they are irritated by a regime they wouldclearly show their displeasure by having serious confrontation with previous governments on a number of issues.
Now you see why in the previous article on the most performing ministry in the new dawn government I named Ministry of education where I described its Minister Hon.Daglas Syakalima and his two permanent secretaries Madam Muneku and Joe Kamoko and the entire team at the Ministry as an excellent combination of performing personnel worth commendation.The hard work at this ministry by the team members has successfully put the Ministry of Education on top of the chat. For example, this writer was impressed with attitude towards work by Hon.Syakalima, who reports at work at 0650 AM every day, while the NAPSA DG reports at work at 0630 am dairy. I was shocked when Hon. Syakalima gave me an appointment to see him at 0700h at his office on 1st of March 2023 and I made sure I was at his office by 0640 AM. At exactly 0650 am on the dot as he had indicated to me that he is at the office by 0650 am, he arrived at his office! Bally should bring to all ministries honourable men and women who have this kind of dedication to work like this one Hon. Syakalima and Hon. Garry Nkombo just but to mention the two, although there are a few dozens of ministers in this category who are early birds.
It worthy noting that Bally has fulfilled on behalf, one of the campaign promises the previous government of Patriotic Front (PF)were ushered into government in the 2011 General election a campaign to put more money into people’s pockets through the 20% NAPSA partial withdrawal by workers who had savings with NAPSA. Well done, Bally, on this very important move, which has unsettled your opponents. They are still wandering what has really hit them.
But then let’s look at the credentials of this Director General at NAPSA who has successfully initiated this program that has brought a lot of joy in people’s homes. Who is Muyangwa Muyangwa? Has he just dropped from the sky?
Muyangwa Muyangwa is a citizen of Zambia born and bred in Zambia. He went to the University of Zambia Ndola campus from 1983 to 1988 when he graduated with a bachelors degree in Business Administration. And in 1998 _ 2000 he graduated with a masters degree in Business Administration at University of Bath in the UK.
In 1990, he joined Meridien Biao Bank as a Management Trainee upon graduating from the University of Zambia at Ndola and was made Branch Accountatnt for Meriden Kabulobga Branch by the time the bank closed.
After the bank closure, he moved on and joined Zambia Revenue Authority in 1995 as Inspector in the VAT Department. He rose through the ranks up to Commissioner VAT in 2004.
In 2006, he moved to Customs as Commissioner of Customs up to 2011. He is among people in Zambia who have experience in revenue administration that combines both tax and customs.
In 2011, he left ZRA and joined the International Monetary Fund as a Revenue Administration Advisor. He was first posted to Ghana to assist Anglophone West African countries to implement revenue administration reforms. Under this posting, he covered the following countries: Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Gambia, and the Cape Verde. He was later moved to IMF HQ in Washington. He was again posted to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in 2013 to assist the countries in East Africa to implement revenue administration reforms. In East Africa, he assisted the following countries: Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. In 2017 he moved back to the IMF HQ to assistant Carribean and African countries to implement tax admistration reforms including assisting the countries to develop domestic revenue mobilization strategies to improve revenues by implementing tax policy and revenue administration reforms to reduce reliance of foreign borrowing. He was later promoted to Senior Economist( the position he held till he was called back home in 2022).
At IMF HQ, he was responsible for the following countries: Trinidad and Tobago, Nigeria, Gambia, Liberia, Kenya, Rwanda, Malawi, South Sudan and Zimbabwe. He spent a total of 11 years at the IMF under the Fiscal Affairs Department, after which he became the NAPSA Director General.
Again, I would like to congratulate the new dawn government for calling back our men from the diaspora who have the necessary qualifications and experience to turn around the fortunes of this country.
Bally kindly bring back more from the diaspora who are exactly like Muyangwa Muyangwa, Zambia 🇿🇲 has educated experts working in the diaspora with vast knowledge with the potential to transform our nation. Bring them back and give them jobs in none performing ministries and parastatals to even replace none performing civil servants in government. Otherwise, well done, Bally, on your choice of NAPSA DG.
I submit.
Without fear or favour
*Dr. Edgar Ng’oma~Philosopher/ Political Analyst*
