Trust? Yes, We Must.

Trust is like the air we breathe. When it's present, nobody really notices. But when it's absent, everybody notices. - Warren Buffett

There is no news like good news. - Elliot Carver (In the movie Tomorrow Never Dies)

Though he was an antagonist, Elliot Carver (played by Jonathan Pryce) was highlighting the common trend to journalism today. This is that negative stories are often given more prominence in the media because they are more compelling or sensational, which drive higher engagement from audiences. Tune in to any radio station (especially radio stations) during morning or evening shows, the journalistic and societal approach is usually to focus on the negative aspects of events, people, or situations. Even trivialities like mis-pronunciation of a certain word would take the entire show just being discussed.

In a world where negative news and stories of mistrust dominate the headlines, it’s easy to overlook that social interactions are the fundamental component that makes humanity. Our human existence is buttressed on trust. It’s the chain that holds our relationships and communities together and its ubiquitous influence is everywhere. This is despite the ills that plague our world today

The truth is, the few bad apples and unfortunate events tend to receive more attention, getting amplified and perpetuated through media and social platforms. Meanwhile, the countless acts of trust that happen daily go unnoticed. And if there are talked about, it is usually in a sotto voice. It’s helpful and healthy to shift our focus and acknowledge the inherent goodness of humanity. Society usually find itself in dire straits not because of bad things, but also because good people who do nothing.

As social beings, we rely on trust to navigate everyday life and most of these interactions are mundane. But they demonstrate the depth of our trust in one another. Taka a child, for instance? S/he will be all smiling when being thrown in the air (commonly called baby tossing) because they know that you will catch them when gravity starts pulling. They are only going to develop fear of that if someone drops them. A lot of us have helped or given a lift to total strangers even at night until someone tried to take advantage of us. Mistrust is like hate, they are both taught emotions. People's natural disposition are trust and love, until we break them. 

Consider these examples:

• When we board a bus, train, or plane, we entrust our lives to the driver or pilot, despite being strangers. This is why many of us feel comfortable enough to sleep once our rides are in motion. We are quick to join in the hum of conversation or ask someone to hold your things during the gentle sway as the vehicle moves
• At the dentist’s office, we willingly allow them to put us under anesthesia, trusting them to be professional and not make mistakes that could harm us.
• In our communities, we trust local businesses to provide quality goods and services.
• The coronavirus pandemic exposed how much interdependent society really is. We learnt that the many essential workers, who are crucial to the normal functioning of society, are actually the usually lowly paid among us. The grocery workers, police officers, nurses, and even the lady selling vegetables on the corner. These people kept things moving while the privileged stayed home. Trust in their dedication allowed us to weather the storm.

These instances illustrate the intricate web of trust that underlies human society. That’s not being naïve, but just being human. Like any normal distribution curve, there are outliers. But bad should be allowed to prevail. We must recognize and appreciate trust which ultimately fosters a more compassionate and cooperative world. It’s a self-reinforcing process. Warren Buffett's wisdom encapsulates it perfectly: trust is the silent force that underpins our lives. We often take it for granted, but its absence reverberates loudly through fractured relationships and broken bonds.

As I conclude dear reader, know that trust is the unsung hero of humanity. It’s the foundation upon which we build our relationships, communities, and societies. Let us be bolds and actively cultivate trust whether by expressing gratitude, volunteering, or simply being more open to trusting others. By acknowledging and nurturing this trust, we can create a world where cooperation, mutual support, and social interaction thrive.

Civil Service Woes: The Curious Case of Mulenga Chanda

It was on a cold June day at the bustling offices at Zambia's Cabinet Office, a peculiar figure emerged from the doors. No one really knew who he was or what he was there for but he seemed to know what or who he wanted. After usual formalities, introductions and onboarding, it was learnt that the man who was later known as Mulenga Chanda had just been appointed to Cabinet Office as an Assistant Director-General of the Emoluments Commission. 

Big Mule (as he was fondly called by his peers due to his larger than life personality) or Chanda Beu (named after the late famous dancer in Amayenge Asoza Cultural Ensemble by his foes due to his small stature) used to be a District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) in one of the districts and used to be very vocal against the previous administration. The then ruling political party even labeled him an enemy of the party and pushed him out of the public service when he was retired in public interest. 

Now the retiring of someone in public interest is usually triggered at the pleasure and volition of the President and in the context of Zambia, it is a tool which is susceptible to abuse as politicians use it to punish certain individuals purely for political reasons. Based on this, it is open to speculation whether Mulenga deserved the boot from the civil service or not. Different political spectra have different explanations. 

Mulenga was a typical village staring who walked with a rhythmic bounce in every step and with shoulders high, his nose always in the air and his eyes sparking with self-assurance that can only be rivaled by stars. He exuded an air of confidence that commanded admiration and envy. Real to him and imaginary to those surrounding him. He was brash and full of braggadocio colloquially referred to as the 'Bemba Arrogance'. 

He wore those suits you would get for K500 at salaula joints common on every street corner. Suits that you don’t have to take for professional laundry but could just hand it over to your helper to wash it. The suits also allowed him to carry roasted groundnuts and cassava, his favourite snacks. But it seemed it also had pockets for stationery, coins, a shoe brush and a packet of cigarette with matches. 

As he made his way to the new office which was extemporaneously prepared, Mulenga couldn't resist sharing his thoughts on how he wants things to moving forward with anyone who would listen. He loved to hear the sound of his own voice, and his colleagues would soon learn due to his incessant chatter. Despite his chatter, he colleague often found themselves lost on what he would be talking about, searching for a glimpse of substance amidst the verbal desert.

"A whole desert of nothingness without any oasis of sense," his workmate, Titameni Phiri, would often whisper to others while rolling her eyes in exasperation and resignation. 

Titameni was the self-appointed spokesperson for everyone as she was the only who would object to Mulenga’s outrageous demands. This was due to two possible reasons. Firstly, she was a Chewa and a woman. Chewa women are verbal artists with a reputation of entertaining nothing and taking no prisoners. These original feminists are assertive and sometimes abrasive. 

Secondly, by virtue of her hailing from the eastern part of Zambia, she had diplomatic immunity over Mulenga. She was his tribal cousin. There is a longstanding social reciprocal relationship premised on jokes and power formally described as traditional cousinship in Zambia or Chimbuya. However, this cannot be exercised by anyone. You can't get away with condescending jokes if you are not a tribal cousin. Context and names are the key.

Due to his tendency to speak at length without saying anything of substance, Mulenga’s charm and charisma - as he thought of it - won over less people. His reason for having that new job and know it all attitude made him a divisive figure in the office.

One day, while presenting a critical project to his superiors, Mulenga launched into a lengthy monologue which was laced with threats and accusations. It was woved in a tapestry of words that left everyone bewildered. It had to take Mr. Mwaba, his supervisor, to intervene and gently guided Mulenga back on track and throwing a lifeline to a meeting which was on a precipice of a disaster.

"Mr Chanda, my fellow Alice Lenshina descendant," Mr. Mwaba said with a smile, "hide that wisdom from the many rat-eating easterners in this room. They will steal that wisdom and claim its theirs since they've always claimed that wise people are from the east. For now, let's just on the task at hand.”

Everyone busted out laughing but the message was clear to Mulenga who nodded and stuck to reading the presentation word for word to avoid veering off in a troubling direction. Again. 

At the time of writing, Mulenga isn’t a man to make even little concessions that would eviscerate his opportunity to demonstrate his authority. However, in life, a little bit of nonsense can be a welcome respite in the midst of the chaos. We must forgo validation and status for the greater and collective goal. 

Appointments like Mulenga’s are part of the reason why the public service has been in the doldrums. People like him rarely go to the office to work and contribute to the greater good. Using the same algorithms that were used against them, they are usually on the lookout for opportunities to exert their authority or 'sort out' others, and this usually stretches to frustrate those who may decide to use anything else but political lenses when conceptualizing or analyzing things. 

It can be hard to understand why someone like Mulenga who had been abused and treated so unfairly to the point of even being dismissed from the public service would perpetuate abuse. However, literature has shown that such patterns are familiar and serve as a way to regain a sense of power. Woe to the land whose king was a servant, Ecclesiastes 10 v. 16 warns. 

Secondly, toxicity, inefficiencies and corruption are usually brewed by individuals like Mulenga who get positions on patronage. Another debate can be held on whether Mulenga is qualified to hold such a senior position as Assistant Director General without any prior experience in the similar environment. Then wouldn’t Mulenga go out hunting for everyone who he thinks may have contributed to his earlier career demise? But again, what is the best way of righting the wrongs that were done to Mulenga through politics? 

Clearly, political or discretionary appointments do not lead to the selection of meritocratic qualified appointees since politics values loyalty more than expertise. The feeling of entitlement by the appointees also harms the integrity, efficiency, and effectiveness of the public services. Mulenga is both cause and effect of a flawed system of governance in Zambia, a microcosm of deep rooted problems.