Who is in charge?

“Dr Livingstone, I presume?”

The famous words of Welsh born, American journalist and explorer Sir Henry Morton Stanley. 

In November 1871 he found a sick David Livingstone at Lake Tanganyika (Livingstone's last known location) greeting him with the famous words. That encounter happened more than 125 years before the first time I read about it. In the same vein, when Ronald Reagan was president of the USA, I may have been a little too young to follow anything that was happening thousands of miles away. Therefore, any little information about Reagan and his presidency which I have come across over the years, is mostly from books and in some instances TV documentaries.

One interesting book about the Reagan presidency I have read is Kitty Kelley's Nancy Reagan: The Unauthorized Biography. In her book, Ms Kelley makes some sensational claims which she states are from 1,002 interviews with estranged Reagan family members, alienated former staff members and Reagan friends and loyalists. My pick of the many allegations in the book is the suggestion that, Nancy Reagan and not Ronald Reagan, was in charge of the White House for the most part of the Reagan presidency.

This comes to the question of the roles of first a first lady, what are they? “While there is freedom in how the first lady elects to fulfill her office, there are also many historic precedents that she is expected to follow. Perhaps the most imperative function she serves is White House hostess. The early first ladies, like Martha Washington, Abigail Adams and Dolley Madison, set a careful tone for this role. Given the United States' separation from England's monarchical traditions, it was important that the first lady be a woman of the people -- but for the sake of being taken seriously by other nations, she had to imbue the role with some queenly prestige” [source: National First Ladies Library].

“The first lady is an international celebrity, and she can leverage her title to serve as an advocate for social issues. That's why the first lady traditionally has a platform (or pet project, as some historians call it) for her term in office. Whether it's animal rights (Florence Harding), environmental beautification (Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson) or literacy (Barbara Bush), the first lady's influential advocacy of her chosen cause will typically continue even after her term in Washington ends.

In the latter half of the 20th century, the first lady espoused more political roles, acting as a campaigner for her husband and drawing up support for his policies. In many instances, she acts as the president's informal adviser.” http://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-figures/first-lady1.htm

In the Zambian context, while I may not have been old enough to remember the activities of Betty Kaunda, I do remember Vera Chiluba’s Hope Foundation social activities, Maureen Mwanawasa’s Community Initiative (MMCI), Thandiwe Banda and Dr Christine Kaseba have both engaged in various health and education initiatives.

To draw comparisons to Nancy Reagan, Maureen Mwanawasa was at times rumored to have had a lot of influence on government during Mwanawasa’s second term of office. The rumor was further fueled when some people within MMD endorsed Maureen as the successor to her husband. Maureen did not herself participate in active politics despite all the endorsements that went round. The irony of it all is that even after Levy Patrick Mwanawasa’s death, the story has not blurred away. This is despite the fact the Maureen Mwanawasa has lived life after state house largely as a private citizen. Make no mistake about it; Maureen is highly qualified to run for the highest office in Zambia. She just hasn't involved herself in active politics. Probably she was never active.

The question still remains, what is the role of a first lady? Maybe rephrased, what is the role of the spouse to the head of state?

Perhaps one nation where it might be argued that the first lady had a BIG hand in the running of the state is Argentina. This is so because during the reign of Néstor Kirchner, it was widely rumored in some circles that first lady Cristina Fernández de Kirchner was actually the one calling the shots in that country. The rumors gained some pockets of merit when after just one term, Néstor Kirchner stepped down and his wife Cristina Fernández de Kirchner ran for president and is still the incumbent now in her second term.

Néstor Kirchner & Wife Cristina Fernández 

It is widely expected that the head of state’s spouse might sporadically weigh in on personnel issues such as presidential appointments, but they would never meddle in policy. Are we expecting heads of states to be on a higher moral ground than the rest of humanity in keeping that rule? If the rule exists at all! Are couples in political office expected to only share romantic passions behind closed doors without a tinge of anything work related? To what extent does a spouse get involved?

In her book, Kitty Kelley affirms that Nancy Reagan, or "Mrs. President," as her staffers called her, not only ruled the White House, but with an  iron fist. When President Ronald Reagan was given his agenda for his first meeting in Geneva with Mikhail S. Gorbachev, Ms. Kelley recounts, he asked his aides, "Have you shown this to Nancy?"

"No, sir," they replied.

"Well, get back to me after she's passed on it," he told them. 

A Prose Odyssey

One thing has been constant every year when my birthday comes around. My mother awakens me from sleep with a phone call shortly after midnight to wish me a happy birthday and ask how old I have turned. This year however, I only received the call after 9am. In fact I didn't get any other birthday wish before 9am apart from my wife who was just beside me. Of course it’s nice being wished a happy birthday as early as possible into the day as it sends a message that you have been thought of. Not the kind of birthday wishes emanating from Facebook generated birthday reminders.

However, if the birthday boy is a married man like myself it’s better for everyone to wait for sun rise before those phone calls start pouring in, lest an ex-girlfriend who isn't updated by the change in marital status makes that midnight birthday wish as well. Lo and behold, this blog is not about birthday wishes or who should give them at what time. The passing of my birthday this year ignited a fire to commernce a writing peregrination. I have embarked on an odyssey in prose. This is an odyssey to publish three books and a script for a TV show.

I do not know how and when this will happen, but the journey was born on 7 November 2013. By the way, my good friend Moonga Mkandawire launches his book, Where to now? The book will be launched, 14^th November 2013 with a live concert at The Fringe, Joburg theatre. His book is an anthology of lyrics and the journey that inspired them. The book’s message is about building life on talent. Apparently, I get the greatest inspiration not from the likes of Martin Luther King jnr or Geoffrey Archer, but my very closest friends. The timing of Moonga’s book launch coincides, or comes exactly 7 days after a birthday when I challenged myself to begin work on three books. I have always envisaged myself one day authoring a book and frankly, I now have extra motivation. 

Plenty inspiration! Moonga Mkandawire launches his book,
Where to now?, at the Fringe, Joburg theatre

The TV Story – This was born out of an idea I typed for publishing on my blog site. After I read through, I thought it still needed more creative ideas on it. It has never been published on my blog site as later on I decided it would do well as a TV series story. It’s a story so great that I can barely risk revealing even the title for fear that someone else might swoop in and try to steal the idea. I will commence the process of copyrighting immediately then I can publish snippets of it. Then again, this is ground I have never trudged so I will open my ears as wide as possible and try and learn as much as possible from the professionals in the film industry on how I can go ahead with this.  Unfortunately, the reality of being a rookie in the film industry alters the entire plot a bit but I am determined to soldier on and have as much material as possible even if no one buys into it.

Book 1 – This is what others have called autobiographies. Autobiographies are for famous people though, my book will be a retrospective look into the major highs and lows of my life. The exciting times and the challenging times, including insight into decisions I took when faced with certain situations and what my decision would have been looking back now. This book will not be published until after I turn 40. Nevertheless, I have started the journey.

Book 2 – This is a fiction novel, inspired by true events. Only a title and story line have been written in my diary. All the plots and excitement will be written down and typed in due course. Despite not having started work on this book, it will be the first of the three books to be published.

Book 3 – This is another book inspired by events in my life. It is themed around finding the light in our darkest moments.  It will discuss mainly the struggles of growing up without a father. Other topics to be discussed include, parenting out of a marriage setup, sibling or parental alcoholism –its effects and most importantly, how we can avoid being trapped in the same vice. It is largely based on personal experiences and how the reactions we give lead to different results.

The outline has been mapped, what remains is to see when the first book will be published. It’s not a sprint but it is a marathon. My passion for writing began long ago when as a little boy; I’d stare for long periods, at The Accusing Finger, a book authored by my cousin Nyambe Wina. Every time he came home, I’d tell him I’d one day be a writer like him. Over time the passion waned, and like water waves formed after a dinghy cruises past, I recaptured the passion again. Recently, I have sought to satiate my passion for writing by maintaining the blog-site;
http://www.patricenambayo.blogspot.com.

So when on my birthday I decided to embark on this ambitious odyssey in prose, it seemed like a fulfillment of a good year. My passion is telling stories in ink.  In recent years, I find myself not as excited as I used to be years ago, when my birth date approached. It is now just another day, except I’d have added one more year to my age. I have outlived the age when a birthday excited me; maybe I have got to that part of life when I need to find more meaning to life and my existence. I have heard of the much talked about mid-life crisis, and at times I wonder if it has caught up with me. It definitely isn't that though.

The loss of my elder brother on 28^th June 2008 contributed to this situation. My brother and I, though ten years apart shared the same birthday and we always celebrated our birthday together. He was like a twin brother to me (just older). The likeness in us could not be mistaken. I actually recently came to learn that my mother had really wanted to have at least a set of twins. Though she never got any, I reckon the situation of Patrick Aongola and yours truly served as a great consolation. Writing is that other missing part of the jig saw to fulfillment of self in me. 

Patrick Aongola (circled in red), pictured here in this
1989 photograph taken by Nyambe Wina

As I embark on this ambitious prose odyssey, I’d like to reflect on the words of my good friend Keith Hamundyoli Hamusute. These were words he put on my blog site as words of encouragement to me after I had published my first ever blog.

“All I can do is encourage you to continue writing and reading. I believe you are never completely free as a writer till you vent out. Whether it is to an audience of one (yourself), three or thousands doesn't really matter. What matters is that your story is told, from your eyes, from your perspective.”

CSR: Real care for communities or a marketing ploy?

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development in its publication Making Good Business Sense by Lord Holme and Richard Watts, used the following definition.

“Corporate Social Responsibility is the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large.”

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become an important part of business operation in the developed world, as well as loftily taking shape in the developing world. At the time of publishing this blog, I have not come across a thoroughly researched paper on CSR in Zambia. In my opinion, the Zambian case for CSR or lack of it is all based on western research and text books. I have a friend who is totally against text book theory copy and pasted in. But the truth remains that CSR is an emerging theme that cannot be ignored in Zambia hence I will blot my opinions on it.

CSR is a duty, beyond what is obligatory by the law and economics, for a firm to pursue long term goals that are good for society. It is how an organisation administers its business process to produce an overall positive impact on society. It is a company’s sense of responsibility towards the community and environment (both ecological and social) in which it operates.

It is generally believed that CSR can improve profits. CSR can promote respect for a company in the marketplace which can result in higher sales, enhance employee loyalty and attract better personnel to the firm. Society is constituted of current and potential customers, thus the perception they hold about a company being socially responsible and promoting their cause may tilt their loyalty towards that organization hence improve profits.

  

Compliance CSR vs. Conviction CSR

Some experts discourse that companies use CSR as a tool to conform to expectations and regulations imposed by government and society at large. This is known as compliance CSR. Conviction CSR, contrariwise, is about the vision and integrity of the organization and its desire to assume a leadership role in positively influencing the development of the society. CSR in this case becomes a relationship-building tool that inspires trust in the statements and intentions of the company.

Then there is the case of KCM. To be fair to the mining giant, in this day and age mechanization is required in order to boost production hence enjoy economies of scale which later translate into productivity. This is a seriously business decision, and over time job cuts are inevitable. However, a company that has a proper CSR programme would not just throw more than 1500 families to the streets overnight. This is a company that boasts of great CSR, they sponsored a chipolopolo trip to India for extensive training prior to the 2012 AFCON. When copper prices were high they pledged to pay for the coach’s salary and left the burden to FAZ and government when the copper prices plummeted. Since when did sports sponsorship become CSR? This is not CSR but advertising. It is actually riding on the Chipolopolo brand. Would you then say insurance giant AON’s shirt sponsorship deal with Manchester united is CSR?

My views… my thoughts

CSR requires a company to ensure that it’s financial, human and resource capital are conserved and developed in the best interests of everyone concerned. CSR is distinct from simply donating money to the Football Association or building a block of classrooms at a basic school. Of course long term activities focused on improving educational opportunities and facilities can be CSR. Such CSR may also help build the brand image of the business; in due course improve the quality of the human resource pool available for hire, ensuring the long-term success of the business.

It is also absolutely correct to expect that corporations should be “responsible” by creating quality products and marketing them in an ethical manner, in compliance with laws and regulations and with financials represented in an honest, transparent way to shareholders and stakeholders alike. It is expected that a food manufacturing company will provide a safe product to its community. Agencies like Zambia Bureau of Standards then police such a company to make sure they meet the minimum standards in order to guarantee the safety of the consumers. When a company achieves these minimum standards, this can’t be called CSR. They are obligated to guarantee consumer safety for God’s sake.

However, the concept that a company must apply its assets for social purposes, rather than for the profit of the shareholders, is reckless.  Any company must strive to make a profit first. In striving to make a profit, it must fulfill all its obligations – legal, social and taxation. This must not in any way be classified as CSR. These are obligations.

The owners of a company can certainly donate their own assets to charities that promote causes they believe in. In order to have companies that operate in ways that portray real care for society, ownership of these companies must change. We need to develop a cadre of as many Zambian’s that own business entities. A local Zambian may not under declare profit before tax so as to syphon the difference abroad. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) must be augmented by local investment.

I do believe real CSR does help with profitability; but I do not entirely classify it as advertising. On the other hand I do not classify sponsorship to a local sports team as CSR; neither is donating prize money to a local school debate competition. What both situations do is enhance a company’s corporate image. Enhanced corporate image is linked to favourable behavior from customers towards the firm’s products and services (Eisenburg and Riley, 1998; Fombrun, 1996; Turban and Greening, 1997; Arpan, 2005)

Corporate philanthropy is a direct way of marketing. In other words, no one really cares about society unless they have a cut in it.